“Goddamn, Hogg,” the nigger said, “whyn’t you quit makin’ speeches to that boy? He got other things on his mind.”

The wop laughed. “Or in his hand.”

Which I guess was true. Denny was still beating. Actually, though, you didn’t have no way to tell whether he was listening or not.

“Besides, Hogg,” the nigger said, “he already said he was comin’—didn’t you, Denny?”

“Huh?” Denny said, looking up again. “Yeah. Sure. If I don’t have to drive none, I wanna come. But nobody ever taught me. I usually have to hitchhike.”

“Hey,” the wop said, “you gonna pull the fucker off if you go on like—”

“Shut up,” Hogg said. “You comin’ with us, nigger?”

“You takin’ him?” The nigger nodded toward me.

“You just tell me whether you comin’ with us or not.”

The wop said, “Denny don’t do nothin’ but play with—”

“Shut up,” Hogg said again. “Come on, Nigg. Yes or no?”

The nigger had his fists in his pockets. Even so I could see the outline of his dick.

Hogg’s hand slipped down over my face so I couldn’t see much of the nigger’s. The nigger must have smiled and nodded, though (I thought about that crazy scar twisting a little) from the way Hogg relaxed and said, “Good.” Hogg pushed his third and middle fingers into my mouth. I sucked on them and licked the salty nubs, ran my tongue among the nail rim, bitten all back from the crowns. Between Hogg’s legs I felt something move under my hand: his pants got pulled forward by his stiffening dick.

“What about you, Dago?”

“Sure, Hogg.” The wop laughed. “My sore old pecker’s just waitin’ for some nice pussy to whittle on.”

“Way you do,” Denny said. “it’s gonna be too sore to do anything with, you dumb guinea! If you just jerked it like me—”

“The sorer it gets, the stiffer it stays,” the wop said. “You talk about me, you gonna wear yours down to a nubbin, scumbag! Yeah, Hogg, I’m into anything you are. Maybe we can make a little trade though? You guys can give me some of your time and we can go have a party with my old lady.”

“That’s right,” the nigger said. “You was talkin’ about gettin’ married a couple of days back.” He laughed. “So you actually went and got yourself hooked up? Well, now, I’m downright surprised.”

“Sure did,” the wop said. “Legal and all, too. In a church. We been married nearly a week. She’s a pretty little blue-eyed thing. Sweetest piece of pussy you ever seen walkin’ around on two legs. Ain’t hardly twenty. Man, I had to beat the shitheads off to get her. You guys would really like it up there in that sweet cunt.”

“You ever catch anybody fuckin’ with her?” Denny asked.

“Shit.” The wop’s shoes moved on the concrete. “Day after we got all officially hitched, I was out drinkin’, right down here at Ray’s place. I come in half looped and she had this motherfuckin’ spic grocery boy, about as old as you, Denny, down on his knees in front of the couch just a-eatin’ out her box. Just a-eatin’ and a-beatin’.”