17/46
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//--> A Lame Man's Pool pt 1.
The app rang and Zora follows the coordinates to Nellis Blvd. A young woman waits under a dim light in a deserted strip mall. “Irene?” As she gets in, the app rings again sending the carpool toward Fremont Street.
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After a couple passes, Zora locates two men smoking cigarettes in front of a motel. "Dale?" Downtown Fremont is site of the 'old Strip' hotels Golden Nugget, Binions, Four Queens, and El Cortez.
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Along central Fremont, formerly abandoned buildings and transient hotels now sit beside custom lofts and hipster eateries.
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An older man slides into the backseat and the younger one, Dale, jumps into the front. The car maneuvers the curb, making a u-turn toward the Northside.
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A mile in, Dale gets on his phone, speaking bluntly, apparently to a woman on the other end. The banter escalates and so do the expletives.
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“Ah, excuse me," Zora leans in, "do you mind not cursing?” “I wasn’t cursing,” Dale returns, as if she had pointed out some sort of disease. "Just saying,” steadying her tone, “this is a carpool, with other people.”
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Dale goes back to his conversation annoyed. "I’m in my car and the driver said to stop cussing.”
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Maybe they are splitting up, as Dale alternates between demanding his stuff back, and making amends, between heated appeals -- where f-bombs should have found their proper emphasis -- instead, Dale catches himself. Hilarious, if not serious. He finally hangs up the phone, starring at Zora.
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“So you religious?” “Not religious. I believe in God.”
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“So, you believe all that Adam and Eve, baby with shepherds in a manger nonsense? Ain’t no facts.”
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“I definitely don’t get it all. The Word is just a love letter from God so we can know Him better.”
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“You can’t prove any of that.”
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“Look. I’ve seen things on these streets that I can’t believe. I’ve seen terrible things, that I can’t believe, but they happened. Why can’t I also believe in good things that I can’t see?"
