Page 117 of Nearly Roadkill
Ms. Budge:Look, it was a screwup when I Registered, OK? I *am* a guy.
Scratch:Whatever you say, Miss Thing.
Ms. Budge:Ha ha. You haven’t been hanging out with your pal recently, have you?
Scratch:Why the hell are you after us?
Ms. Budge:Don’t you read the papers? You’re America’s Most Wanted.
Scratch:Yeah but why?
Ms. Budge:All right, good place to start. No matter what you say, the law says I can’t hold you to it anyway.
Scratch:Oh, gee, now I’ll tell you everything you want to know.
Ms. Budge:Hey, give me a break, will you?
Scratch:::softly:: you’re after me, Mister, why should I give you a break?
Ms. Budge:OK, OK, just answer me this… please.
Scratch:::heavy sigh:: Oh, ga.
Budge is about to ask what “ga” means but turns to his dog-eared manual instead. Christ, the sign deaf people use for “go ahead.” He makes a note: cross-reference “Deaf.”
Ms. Budge:Are you now or have you ever been involved in any kind of trafficking in pornography?
Scratch:No!
Ms. Budge:Thought not. OK, next question…
Scratch:brb.
Scratch has left the room.
Ms. Budge:Damn!
He looks up “brb” in the manual. Scratch will “Be Right Back.”
Scratch has entered the room.
Ms. Budge:Hey, where’d you go?
Scratch:Just checking to see if this is being traced. Good cop.
Ms. Budge:The best. I’m being straight with you, Scratch.
Scratch:Uh huh. Next question?
Ms. Budge:Are you now or have you ever been involved in any kind of trafficking in the distribution of illegal access bypass code?
Scratch:Define illegal.
Ms. Budge:Ha! Good thief. OK: bypassing Registration. That’s technically a crime, and I can charge you with it.
Scratch:I refuse to recognize “Registration.” Sodomy isn’t recognized by the govt either, but it’s done, isn’t it?
Ms. Budge:Um, OK. All right—last question, and it’s the tough one. Are you now or have you ever been involved in hurting the kid in any way?
