Bull Head Read Online Free Page A

scribbles in his notebook, chuckles to himself.
    â€œWhat’s so funny?” Earl says.
    â€œHuh? What? Nothing.”
    â€œTell me.”
    Hammy lifts his head. “Yeah, everything’s about you.” He taps his pen against the page and continues writing.
    Earl gets up, grabs the remote, flicks through the channels. Two men fish on a calm stretch of water. He increases the volume. Water splashes over the gunwales as one of the men whoops and shouts at a halibut that thrashes around in the boat.
    The men try to grab the fish, but it’s too big and wriggles out of their hands, flops around the boat deck like something possessed. They try again, but the fish thrashes more violently. One of the men holds a blunt bat and beats on the halibut, sometimes hitting it, often hitting the deck instead. “Careful, keep back of him,” his partner says. He flogs it again, but the fish twists viciously to the side, and its tail cracks the man’s ankle, chops him to the deck. His partner reaches for the pistol on his hip,pauses for a moment, and shoots the halibut in the head.
    â€œDamn,” Earl says. “Now that’s a fishing story.”
    â€œDumb asses. They got horseshit lucky. What if they missed? Then what? They’d sink like a bucket of rocks.” Hammy closes his book. “Find something worth watching.”
    â€œIt’s not like there’s a whole lot of options.”
    â€œThere’s a few.”
    â€œNone any good.”
    â€œAh hell, just pick something.”
IX
    After Hammy goes to bed, Earl reads through his journal.
    Big boxed with Stinky when they were eleven. Small hung around, wanted to watch, asking questions bout the fabric on the gloves, whats inside them, why so many laces.
    Stinky was taller than Big and Small and he had grown up with two older brothers who took turns beating him. He said: Whats up with Small ?
    Big said, Get lost.
    Stinky said: He can stay. But he cant just take tickets. Hes gotta fight.
    Small felt his face grow hot. He smiled. Big locked the barn door.
    Stinky shook his head and smirked. He said: Just dont go crying when I beat you to a pulp. He threw Small a pair of gloves.
    Small pulled them on. Stinky circled, looking for an opening. Smalls first punch surprised Stinky, landed on his forehead.
    Stinky said: Christ.
    He rushed in and swung at Small but Small blocked the punches and hit Stinky hard, stopped him cold and opened a small cut abovehis eye. Stinky wiped it, glared at Small and bellowed: Okay, you little shit. That’s it.
    Stinky charged him, screaming like a cat in heat, battering Smalls body and head.
    Small tried to catch his breath but the punches kept on. He felt his face snap back and found himself on the ground twisting around in the straw, the stench of horseshit all around. He heard Big say: Hes okay.
    He knew Big was pleased he got knocked out because he could hear it in his voice. He knew it only proved to Big that he couldnt play with him and his friend and hold his own. Small felt Stinkys hands pull him up by the armpits and when he stood, his legs felt like jello. Stinky pulled off his gloves.
    Stinky said: He should lie down. We need to get him some ice.
    Smalls eyes watered and the skin above his eye throbbed. It would turn into a bruise. But Pa wouldnt notice and if he did hed only call him a goddamn pussy for getting his ass kicked.
    Big said: Serves him right.
    Small wobbled into the house, straight to his room, up the ladder to his bunk above Bigs.
    Stinky said: What if hes got a concussion or something ?
    Big said: Hes fine. Hes just got a little headache.
    Small lay curled, holding the blankets over his head. He heard Stinkys voice: If you need anything, let us know right away, ya hear? Youre a tough lil guy. You did good.
    Small heard the light click and Stinky say to Big: Its a good thing he didnt fight you. Hed have kicked your ass.
    Earl’s hands shake. He sets down the journal, wipes