Later, the encounter with the blue-eyed carny seemed almost like a
dream. The two pink passes–with the name Conrad Straker neatly
written on the backs of them, below the printed words, “this pass
authorized by”–were the only things that kept the incident real and
solid in Joey’s memory. He remembered being afraid of the stranger and
lying to him, but he couldn’t recapture the gut feeling that had made
him so certain that lies were necessary, and he felt somewhat ashamed
of himself for not telling the truth.
That night, at six-thirty, Buzz Klemmet picked up Amy at the Harper
house. He was a ruggedly handsome guy with a lot of hair, muscles, a
cocky attitude, and a carefully cultivated toughguy image. Mama had
met him once, the second night he’d come for Amy, and she hadn’t liked
him one bit. In keeping with her statement that she no longer cared
what happened to Amy, Mama hadn’t said a word for or against Buzz, but
Amy could see the loathing in her mother’s eyes.
Tonight, Mama stayed in the kitchen and didn’t even bother to come out
to glare at Buzz.
Richie and Liz were already in the backseat of Buzz’s vintage GTO
convertible.
The roof was down, and as soon as Buzz and Amy got in, Richie said,
“Hey, put the top up so we can pass a joint around on the way to the
fairgrounds without everyone seeing us.” “Good old Royal City, Ohio,”
Liz said. “Still frozen in the Middle Ages. Would you believe there
are some places in this country where you can smoke grass right out in
the open without getting thrown in jail?”
Buzz put up the top, but he said, “Hold the joint until after we’ve
stopped for gas.”
Half a mile from the Harper house, they stopped at a Union 76
station.
Buzz got out to check the oil, and Richie got out to pump the gas.
As soon as Liz and Amy were alone in the car, Liz leaned forward from
the backseat and said, “Buzz thinks you’re the hottest thing he’s ever
seen.
Oh, sure,” Amy said.
“No, he really does.” “He tell you that?”
Yeah.”
aWe haven’t done anything,” Amy said.
“That’s one reason he thinks you’re so hot. He’s such a dreamboat that
he’s used to girls just falling on their backs for him. But you tease
him along, let him feel a little, and then stop him right on the
brink.
He’s not used to that. It’s different for him. He’s got the idea that
when you finally give in you’ll be absolutely wild.” “If I give in,”
Amy said.
“You’ll give in,” Liz said confidently. “You still don’t want to admit
it, but you’re just like me.”
Maybe.
“You’ve been dating him every night for a week, and each night you let
him get a little farther than the night before,” Liz said. “You’re
coming out of your shell an inch at a time.” aBuzz told you exactly
how far I’ve let him go?” Amy asked.
“Yep,” iz said, grinning.
“Jeer,” Amy said. “He’s got such class.” “Oh, hell,” Liz said, “he
wasn’t tattling on you. It’s not like he told a stranger. I’m your
best friend. And Buzz and I go way, way back.
I used to screw around with him, and we’re still the best of buddies.
Listen, kid, when we leave the carnival tonight, let’s go back to my
house. My folks are still away. You and Buzz can use their bedroom.
Stop teasing the guy.
Give him a break. Give yourself a break. You want the old salami just
as much as I do.”
Buzz and Richie got back in the car, and Richie fired up a joint.
While Buzz drove to the fairgrounds, they passed around the dope, and
each of them took a couple of deep drags, holding the smoke in their
lungs as long as they could.
In the parking lot at the fairgrounds, they lit another joint and sat
in the car until they had done that one, too.
By the time they reached the ticket booth, Amy was feeling warm, airy,
and a bit giggly. As she drifted onto the carnival lot, into that roar