so y' lookin' at fish history?

how's somethin' like a pun? it is or it ain't.

eh?

what's internet

( wincing. ) i'm old, not deaf. how, uh, how can i help . . . ?

one interestin' lady . . .

sure can!

'course you gotta have the boots t' back it up. i ain't goin' nowhere without my boots on, see? y' only as good as y' hat an' boots. folk forget that.

hmmm. good plan. a fine hat's mighty important f' y' character.

ain't that . . . *rain*?

what is . . . vape?

i dunno, kim-girl. all i know is, wherever you go, i'm goin'. so's if y' goin' home t' y' magic fantasy world, i'm comin' with, no matter what.

yes ma'am. and y' one o' us now, whether y' like it or not.

all o' us is.

don't i know it. oye, if i could just think of an animal that barks 'afore it bites, hmm . . .

y' sure bark a lot.

speaking o' wild dogs in my love life . . .

i think your dog just bit my dog or somethin'?

yes ma'am.

ain't you s'posed t' be neighin'?

yes ma'am. an' who 're we t' tell her no? seems like a fine idea.

aw, well, it ain't the future y' oughta be lookin' at. 's the past, see? 'cos things go 'round 'n' 'round in some great big circle. same shit, diff'ren' day. maybe the universe's tellin' you it wants things a certain way. i dunno. i jus' follow the footsteps in the sand 'n' ride a damn fine horse.

. . . yup, sounds 'bout right. maybe it's a sign.

p'haps i can be of service in this here debate.

HOWDY. . . . say, pardner, y'aint seen my trusty canteen 'round here, have y'?

'scuse me. i'm lookin' f' a . . . uh, alice terigo? got a parcel for her. @allthewrongpieces.bsky.social

yeah, i betcha are. you're a bright one. south? ( a sigh. he stretches, languid, like a cat. he considers what to say to her. ) . . . eh, let's just say not much y' don't got here. jus' less water, i guess.

yup. now normally y'd get y' mamá y' papá t' kiss it better, but i think you're plenty strong enough on y' own.

doc arlo's ready f' his next patient . . .

now rub it in.

attagirl. now did you wash *'hind the ears*, too? gotta get all 'em nooks 'n' crannies, y'know. aw, me? not much. smokin' 'n' snorin' mostly. got me a couple caps followin' someone down south. aw, you don't wanna hear 'bout an ol' fart's day though. tell me 'bout yours.

'course, back in *my* day we used t' jus' spit on the cut an' get sent back out t' play.

hmmm . . . ( the signature andazona squint, holding her hand to look at it for a moment. he drops it and tips his hat, maybe a greeting, maybe an acknowledgement. ) you'll be alright, kid. scruffy? i'll have you know i washed just a couple weeks back.

tcch. c'mere. ay, estos chamacos. no aguanto ni cinco minutos sin tenerlos al ojo . . . how'd you get this?

@warriorblood.bsky.social now what's the most, uh, fearsome thing you done fought in them there lands 'tween?

ariel feels the rushing ground beneath her hooves, whinnying with the foreboding only animals can feel in their infinite wisdom.

then suddenly, like a problem child with a very fragile snow globe, the whole world begins to shake.

my boy, mostly.

hmmm. ( he shifts in place, sighing uneasily in thought. ) cleverer man than me said once the brain can't imagine dyin'. i think it'll be like nothin' we can imagine. i smoke enough. hurt 'n' killed enough folk in my time, some o' 'em good. couple folk i'd like t' see again, wherever i end up.

ain't so diff'rent here. tell you what, kid, i can't see why people wanna live f'rever. i know i'm getting t' bein' an old fart, compared t' all you young 'uns runnin' around. heck, even the hundreds-o'-years old magic ones're still quick. i'm on the thinner edge o' my wedge. i'm fine wi' that.

how long d'you, uh, people live for?

well not when i'm stood next t' you, but you're like a baby.

my secret t' lookin' so young is smokin' least a pack a day.

don't worry. got my own leafs needs be. ( he taps his tobacco pocket, his tin rattling on paper against his hand. ) that so? y' wanna talk 'bout it?

can't say no to an offer like that.

you have my attention.

now what's a soda pop?

and a one, and a two, and a one, two, three . . . there goes kimmie's radio boys, ring, a-ding-ding! they don't pay for soda pops, 'cos they are the kiiii-ng-s! ooh-wee-ooh! (yeah!) ooh-wee-ooh! a-doo-wop!