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—No, dude, I don’t want your money, man. I mean, like, I like money. I’m not that big a freak, but.

He takes another sip of his shake, then pulls the top off and dumps the rest of it on the ground, obliterating his design.

—What, Sid?

He crumples up the cup, throws it in some bushes alongside the parking lot, stands up and faces me.

—I don’t want your money, dude. I want to be a part of something. I just, like. Like, when Rolf told me he needed help finding someone, and there was cashish in it, I was all, Totally, I’m in. But then, when I found out it was you? Dude! I was, like, all, No way! I’m . . . I am such a freak, and I’ve never done anything. I mean, if I told you, if I told you just how fucked up, how stupid my life is, dude, you just wouldn’t fucking believe. But you? You’re this totally famous dude! You’ve done so much with your life. When I found out Rolf knew you and all, I just wanted, I just wanted to meet you and. I just wanted to help out, do my part and be a part of something for once. Be a part of something important, dude. Like when, dude, when I shot that cop? That was, that was, it was so ir-fucking-revocable. That was real. I was all, This is me now doing this and I can’t take it back. And I totally felt it. In the moment. More than anything I’ve ever done in my life. More than fucking or getting high or holding up a gas station or even catching a monster wave, dude. I mean, I’ve been dreaming about a feeling that real my whole life. And I got to feel that because of you.

He kicks at nothing, hard.

—Dude! I’m sorry. I’m not trying to freak you out, but I am like such a fan and I just think you are so cool and I can’t change that, you know? And this is just such an amazing experience for me. Shaaaw! I am such a geek.

He stands there in front of me, staring at the ground, too embarrassed to look up. Behind him, through the windows of the Mad Greek, I can see Rolf coming out of the bathroom.

I can do this.

Mom and Dad.

I can do this.

—Actually, man.

Sid looks up a little.

—Actually. I think that’s pretty cool, Sid.

A smile cracks across his face.

—Dude?

—I think it’s pretty cool that you want to be a part of something, that you have ambition. And, you know, I’ve never had a fan before.

He comes over and sits back down, close to me this time.

—Never had a fan? Oh, dude, you have no idea! Online? There are, like, sites just for you, just for people to chat about you. Like, never had a fan? Uh-uh. Huge fan base, dude.

Rolf exits the restaurant.

—That’s cool, maybe you can show me sometime.

—Dude!

—Let’s chill for now. Rolf’s gonna give us both a hard time if he hears this shit. Call us fags.

—No worries, dude.

He looks from my face to where Rolf is approaching, and back at me.

—But, dude, you know I’m totally not.

—What?

—A fag.

Rolf walks up and stands in front of us. Sid spurts out a nervous laugh. Rolf looks at him.

—What?

Sid shakes his head.

—Nothing, dude.

He laughs again.

—Dude, what up?

Still laughing, Sid nods, waves his hand, climbs into the bus, gets behind the wheel, and starts the engine. Rolf leans close to me.

—Dude, I like the little dude, but he is kinda freaky, ain’t he?

THERE’S A checkpoint at the state line. The lights appear on the horizon and we figure what it must be before we get there. Sid slows down, but keeps driving toward it. Rolf climbs in the back, pulls the foam pad off of the bench/bed at the back of the bus. There’s a shallow depression underneath and the underside of the pad has been carved out to create extra storage space. Rolf grabs the sleeping bags currently occupying this space and tosses them on the floor.

—Dude, can you fit in here?

I peek in the cramped space.

—Uh, maybe I should just stay up here, put on a hat and.

—They have your picture, dude.

—They’re not looking for three guys in a.

—You been listening to Sid? We don’t know what they’re looking for.

Sid is nodding.

—Dude is right. If they’re looking for a Westy, we’re fucked no matter what. Otherwise, you