A kid I knew, whose mother

was stabbed by a stepfather and whose brother was shot at a football game while I watched, he came down the stairs, or his lookalike maybe, was coming down the stairs in this mall we were in, with another kid behind him, and a woman, all carrying clothes with hangers dangling. So I said, hey what are you doing but the woman pulled her gun. I told everyone to get down. When the bullet ripped over the top of my head I felt my scalp open, but I knew I wouldn't die. I won't die, I assured everyone. I felt for blood and wasn't disappointed. I wondered where the inappropriate palm trees came from. Their shadows were sort of distracting.

So I looked down then, thinking I'd have blood on me. My green tee shirt said I RAN TRACK AT MINEOLA PREP. I thought, I'll have to shave my head for the surgery. It's my chance to grow it back in blond. I was thinking, It's been twenty years since I've been a blonde. And where'd that kid go? I forgot to say bye.