Sidney began to swear now and to sound a little more like himself, and wheeled about and then turned down a little dirt side road, but then presently he got stuck in what was left of a big snow pile, and had some trouble getting unstuck before proceeding on the new road. When he got to a clear part of pavement again he put on the gas and went most ninety miles an hour.
“Did you hear what I was telling you, driver, before you fucked up our itinerary.”
“Hear that spoiled snot complain, would you! Look. See here . . . When you have been through what I have, what no man who ever drew breath has done been through before, why do you want to eat my ass out about missing a little road sign, huh? I ask you, Garey . . . You lay off me . . .”
“Listen to me good, Sid, you cheap fucker, now you listen good and proper.” He put the muzzle of the gun between Sid’s shoulder blades.
“Now you stop that chicken shit, Garey. God damn you.”
“Are you listening to me, or will I have to take care of you?”
“How can I help not listening . . . Even Brian McFee here is listening, the loud mouth you are.”
“All right then . . . I say if you go over to the renderer I am going to blow your brains out.”
Sidney slowed the truck down. Then he came to a full stop.
“Get out, Garey, get your rosy ass up and out.”
“I’m in earnest, Sid. If you go over to the renderer I will kill the both of you, mark my words. . . .”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“I have the feeling you love him. Do you?”
“I think something has happened to me, Garey.” Sidney’s voice shook now. He sounded like he was praying to an indifferent idol. “Sure enough. I ain’t never been commanded so before. I told you that back at the house. You just wait and see how I bet he commands me again. I bet he can command me still nailed to that door.”
“You fucked-up hunk.”
“I can’t help what’s happening, Garey. Did I ever seek him out? You tell me.”
“Ho, all you ever talked about, thought about, or dreamed about all your life is this renderer guy, if you ask me. You coy little motherfucker. I know what you do to us all. You’re a coy faggot, that’s all you are, and that’s why they throwed you to the cement and fucked you in jail ’cause you act the part of a little coy faggot no matter how tough and all-American you look. You ain’t fooled me from the first, but I can tell you one thing—if you go over to the renderer, it’s your life, De Lakes . . . I aim to kill both of you if I see any shit treachery, is that clear?”