his trousers are pulled halfway down over his ass by the force of the hit , hanging crooked and twisted , like the pants of a clown , and all at once a guy in a tee-shirt and gabardine slacks with a shiny seat is running off doion stossy avenue toward the stickball game and that thing flapping in his right hand , flapping like a brown leather tongue , why , that thing is ted brautigan 's wallet .