"Why do you call him Evil?"

"Knievel! You know. The famous daredevil."

"Ohhh... ."

"He's supposed to be part of the show, but I've never met a more scaredy-cat mutt in my whole life. Our last dog, Phoebe, why, she'd jump through a ring of fire or climb poles to get a toy. The crowds loved her."

"She was a good dog," Vernon says nodding.

"Yes, she was."

"What happened to her?"

"Just got old," Sylvia responds. "Bad hips. Couldn't jump anymore. Phoebe lives with my mother in a retirement village in Surprise, Arizona."

"Nice place," Vernon adds.

Sylvia makes a face. "If you like golf."

"There's nothin' wrong with golf."

"Shoot me in the head, Vern, I swear, if I ever decide I want to golf my life away."

Vern turns to Kate. "Y'know, you can drive the golf carts right down the main roads there!"

Sylvia laughs. "Malls, nothin' but malls, malls, malls. I hate it."

Vern smiles at Kate. This is obviously a well-worn argument. "Well, Phoebe sure likes it."

"Why wouldn't she? Mama cooks steak for her."

"Well, Sylvia, maybe I'll retire there with your mother and eat steak, too! But until then we've got some road to travel. C'mon, Evel!"

Evel jumps into his spot in the backseat.

Sylvia turns to Kate. "He complains, but the open road and show business is his life, just like it's mine. Well, Kate. Sure was nice to meet you."

"You, too."

Vern calls from the RV. "C'mon, Sylvia. We have to be in Deming by four o'clock!!"

Sylvia and Vernon fire up the vehicle, which coughs and spits. Evel barks and they are off, leaving a cloud of light-blue smoke in the parking lot. Kate waves good-bye.

F.M. approaches with two coffees. "Sleep okay?"

"Not bad."

"Nice folks?"

"Yeah ... real nice." Kate looks pensive.

"What?"

"Nothin'." Kate chuckles. "That's some kinda wonderful freaky relationship."

The speedometer on F.M.'s truck reads sixty-five miles per hour. As they cruise down the highway, they come upon the Death-Wish Stunt Show RV in the right lane. Sylvia and Vernon can't be going more than forty-five miles an hour.

As F.M. pa.s.ses them he and Kate wave. Sylvia and Vernon stick their heads out of the windows waving, laughing, and honking away. Kate starts laughing, too. She looks back and laughs even harder. F.M. looks over at her and smiles. It's the first time he's seen Kate happy. It suits her.

Kate settles back in her seat, closing her eyes yet again... .

Outside the Burgundy a small line has formed, and Charles is checking IDs. Kate steps outside.

"Leaving already, Kate?" Charles asks.

"No ... just need a break." She lights a cigarette as she leans against the wall.

After the last person in line enters the bar, Charles turns to Kate. "So, how's it goin'?"

"Okay, I guess. I don't know, Charles, I get so confused sometimes."

"What's so confusing?"

"Well, I'm supposed to go see my mom in Cleveland. Redeye flight tonight. I haven't seen her since I was ten.

"That should be nice."

"Yeah, right. I thought so, too. Funny, I've been looking forward to this, but now I'm not so sure. I'm scared, I guess. I don't even know what she looks like now. And she sure as h.e.l.l won't recognize me."

"I'm sure she'll be happy to see how you've turned out."

Kate shoots him a look. "That's a stretch."

"You'll probably be surprised at how much you have in common, even if you haven't been in touch. Family is like that."

Kate chuckles wryly. "Maybe that's what I'm afraid of... ."

The radio's turned up loud to compete with the road noise from the pickup truck's open windows, waking Kate from her reverie. She takes off her shoes and wriggles her toes. She looks at F.M. for a long while.

"Mind if I draw your picture?"

"Me?"

"See anybody else around here?"