BooksBarbecue
Back Mobbed Save as PDF
Chapters (88)
  1. Cover Page
  2. Front Flap
  3. Title Page
  4. Acknowledgments
  5. Dedication
  6. Contents
  7. 1
  8. 2
  9. 3
  10. 4
  11. 5
  12. 6
  13. 7
  14. 8
  15. 9
  16. 10
  17. 11
  18. 12
  19. 13
  20. 14
  21. 15
  22. 16
  23. 17
  24. 18
  25. 19
  26. 20
  27. 21
  28. 22
  29. 23
  30. 24
  31. 25
  32. 26
  33. 27
  34. 28
  35. 29
  36. 30
  37. 31
  38. 32
  39. 33
  40. 34
  41. 35
  42. 36
  43. 37
  44. 38
  45. 39
  46. 40
  47. 41
  48. 42
  49. 43
  50. 44
  51. 45
  52. 46
  53. 47
  54. 48
  55. 49
  56. 50
  57. 51
  58. 52
  59. 53
  60. 54
  61. 55
  62. 56
  63. 57
  64. 58
  65. 59
  66. 60
  67. 61
  68. 62
  69. 63
  70. 64
  71. 65
  72. 66
  73. 67
  74. 68
  75. 69
  76. 70
  77. 71
  78. 72
  79. 73
  80. 74
  81. 75
  82. 76
  83. 77
  84. 78
  85. 79
  86. 80
  87. Back Flap
  88. Back Cover

“What?” Sandy asked as he pushed his chair back.

“Who are you considering for the part?”

“We’ve tossed around a few names already. I probably shouldn’t say …”

“Come on,” April coaxed. I want to know—who’s my competition?”

Sandy smiled broadly. “My personal favorite is Cleo Paradise.” He reached out his hand. “It was lovely to meet you, April,” he said, shaking her hand. “I’ve got to run. Let me know if you’re in something I can see.” He turned and hurried out of the restaurant.

36

Beaches along the Jersey Shore were mobbed. Ten miles south of Edna’s house, in Seaside Heights, Rufus “Dizzy” Spells, his wife, Monique, and their three young sons trudged across the hot sand until they found a spot as close to the water as possible.

“Yippee,” the youngest boy cheered, dropping his towel and kicking off his shoes. “I’m going swimming!”

“Me, too,” his brothers both shouted, doing the same.

“Guys, what about suntan lotion?” Dizzy asked, resting a large beach umbrella on the sand.

“We put it on before we left the house,” Monique said, chewing on a piece of her favorite hard candy. “You were in the car honking the horn.”

“I wanted to get out of there,” Dizzy grunted. “We planned to go to the beach at ten this morning. Naturally, that didn’t happen.” He started to twist the umbrella pole into the sand.

“Can I help you with that?” Monique asked halfheartedly. She put down her beach bag, took off her blouse, and adjusted the straps of her black bikini.

“Nah,” he answered. “Watch the kids. Don’t let them go in too far.”

“I won’t,” she said, inspecting her tan line as she walked away.

With great effort, Dizzy pushed and twisted the pole down into the sand until he was satisfied it would stay upright. He let the pole go, his hand ready to catch it if it started to fall over. Happily the pole remained upright. Pleased at his accomplishment, he turned the crank and watched as the umbrella slowly spread out above him. A moment later he was arranging his towel, when the umbrella collapsed. A group of teenagers sitting nearby snickered. Dizzy didn’t realize one of them had grabbed his cell phone and was videotaping the proceedings.

Dizzy stuck out his tongue and bit his lip. Concentrating hard, he grabbed the handle again, turning it until he heard the click that ensured the umbrella was locked in place. He plopped his body down, exhausted, and sighed with relief.