Charles Gaines

“All Brewton belonged to them.

Crump wanted to stay around and cash in on that fact but Santo talked him into driving him and Mary Tate and Craig back to Birmingham.

Willy, Ruben and Pi did stay. The last Craig saw of them they each had a gin and tonic in hand and were chatting to interested little groups of Brewtonites. This was at Seymour Hanes's barbecue after the rodeo, in honor of Santo-Crump.

'Stay hungry,' Santo told Willy as they were leaving. Willy was unhurt except for a bruised tail and a few glamorous abrasions on his face, but he looked like a different man. The clown had told Santo at the rodeo that Willy had wedged his hand under the rope with the left-hand glove.

'I love you,' he told Santo.

'Hang in there,' Santo said and poked at his belly.

'Peace,' said Pi.

Ruben smiled.

They took ten slabs of barbecue ribs in a sack and ate them in the car. When Mary Tate finished hers she leaned against Craig, tucked her legs under her and put her left hand up high on his leg. Her face was flushed and beautiful.

'I loved you today, Swamp. You had fun, didn't you?'

Craig's head was already beginning to buzz. His thoughts were going soft and he wanted to sleep. She kissed him slowly and quietly and he saw a thought distract her, saw it ripple over her eyes.

'How come that boy said he loved you, baby?' she asked Santo.

'Huh? Oh. He didn't mean me exactly,' Santo said and went back to talking rodeo with Shorty Crump.”
― Charles Gaines, Stay Hungry