Mikal Ritko traveled alone. Things had gotten out of hand. Bren was abducted and killed by Fussell Duware. Ritko should have killed him years earlier.

Gus had jumped the hospital and fled with Jimmy. They likely drove west toward a story that would end badly for someone, maybe even them.

Agent James was dead in the door of the ER in Andalusia. Duware was good at his job and willing to do anything to get the job done. Anything.

In this case, dressing like a woman and shooting Agent James in the unpleasant daylight. It piled up in his head, ugly and unorganized.

Click here to read more »

• Sail Cat Road continues now. #
• “Watch this guy,” said Jimmy. “It’s his game to lose. He’s waiting for her. The other one is outside. A double up. Quick and clean.” #
• That man looks nervous as a whore in church,” said Gus. “Look at Jolene out there. She’s calm as hell. You think she knows?” #
• “See what happens when she comes in,” said Jimmy. “Just have your gun ready to join the concert. Go ahead and move over toward the corner.” #
• “You setting up an angle?” said Gus. “They got their cross fire working better than both of us being in here.” He knew this could get ugly. #
• Jimmy surveyed the room: truckers, plumbers, construction guys, a family next to the window, a blue-collar business meeting near the door. #
• “We got to spread out some,” said Jimmy. “Get some separation between us so we ain't sitting here like a grouped target. That's too easy.” #
• “And the odds of him getting us is?” Gus chewed on his straw and looked between the cars and trucks carefully. “I don’t see him out there.” #
• “May not be a him,” said Jimmy. “Could be a her. And the odds of them getting us?” He paused. “None at all if we pull it off right.” #
• Brilliant alternative to retirement homes: http://terrytaylor.posterous.com #
• Sail Cat Road continues now. #
• “And how do you know this?" said Gus as he got up from the booth and looked toward the corner. "You been in a situation like this before?" #
• “I have,” said Jimmy. His eyes squinted into slits. His brain was evaluating equations. His hands were cold steady. #
• “They have cafes like this in Nam?” said Gus with a grunt. He did not like the layout of the place. He did not share Jimmy’s optimism. #
• “I just like to play the odds now and then to make sure there still are odds," said Jimmy. "I live inside a series of careful calculations.” #
• “And people die outside your equations,” said Gus. His heartbeat made his ears hurt. “I feel thickness in the air. Pressure, like a storm.” #
• Sail Cat Road will continue later. Thank you for following. #
• Chapter 20 of Sail Cat Road: http://sailcatroad.posterous.com or http://terrytaylor.posterous.com/sail-cat-road-chapter-20-0 #
• An alternative to retirement homes? http://terrytaylor.posterous.com #
• Smell the Hate: http://terrytaylor.posterous.com #
• Sail Cat Road continues now. #
• The man at the door of the café rubbed the top of his head with his palm and leaned from side to side impatiently. Jolene did not move. #
• “He’s watching us. You in particular,” said Jimmy. “He aint’ stupid. But he ain’t smart either. Just dumb enough to be dangerous.” #
• “He ain’t looking at us,” said Gus. “He don’t even know who we are. He’s watching Jolene out there. It’s coming down. I smell it.” #
• “That’s blood,” said Jimmy. “You can smell it even before it starts pouring out of people. I’ve smelled my share.” Jimmy planted his feet. #
• A woman in the next booth stopped talking and started sliding under the table. She pulled her child under with her. A fork hit the floor. #
• Sail Cat Road continues later. Thank you for following. For the prequel, go to http://www.nogoodend.com #
• Smell the Hate: http://terrytaylor.posterous.com #
• What will save American Idol? http://terrytaylor.posterous.com #
• Sail Cat Road continues now. #
• The door opened. Jolene stayed in the parking lot. Another couple came in. It shielded her move. Confusion stirred at the cash register. #
• “That man has a gun!” yelled a woman, pointing at the sockless man. People jumped and dropped and did what people do when caught and scared. #
• Jolene was behind the man before he saw her. She held her 9 mm under his ribs. “You won't be collecting that contract money today.” #
• He instinctively reached for his gun. Jimmy leaped from the booth. The man stopped his hand as Jolene's trigger finger tightened. #
• “It’s all good,” said Jimmy calmly. “I’m a police officer.” He held up a badge. It was Gus’s old badge from Alabama. “Settle down ma’am.” #
• He walked straight to the sockless man. “We got it under control,” He looked at Jolene. Her eyes were wide. Gus was already raising his .45. #
• “Let these folks eat,” said Jimmy. He pulled the man’s .45 from under his coat and nodded to the cashier. “Call the police." #
• The manager had already called 911. Jimmy pressed the man past Jolene. “Get the car.” He whispered. “We’ll handle this down the road.” #
• Gus saw the short man out the window first. He knew they would not get the opportunity to handle this anywhere but here. #
• Sail Cat Road will continue later. Chapters 1-20 at http://sailcatroad.posterous.com. The prequel at http://www.nogoodend.com #
• More stories: http://terrytaylor.posterous.com #
• Airporn (full body scanners): http://terrytaylor.posterous.com #
• Kids, Planes and Facebook SNAFU’s: http://terrytaylor.posterous.com #
• Full body scanners at airports? http://terrytaylor.posterous.com/airporn #
• What will save American Idol?
  http://terrytaylor.posterous.com/what-will-save-american-idol #
• It beats a retirement home:
  http://terrytaylor.posterous.com/a-brilliant-alternative-to-retirement-homes #
• Smell the hate:
  http://terrytaylor.posterous.com/smell-the-hate #
• Sail Cat Road continues now. #
• Door glass splintered the entrance. Gus ducked. Jolene rolled out and slammed against the bumper of a truck, her gun raised and searching. #
• Another bullet caromed off a metal pole beside the bent awning. Jimmy held the sockless man straight, shoving him into the parking lot. #
• One side of the man’s head vaporized from the third shot – the right side. This told Jimmy the shooter’s location. He dropped the body. #
• Two gray sneakers slid behind a Buick in the position of a crouching shooter. Jimmy yelled for Gus to stay low. Jolene watched Jimmy’s eyes. #
• Sail Cat Road continues later. Thank you for following. #
• Say what? http://terrytaylor.posterous.com #
• Verbiage: http://ttaylordude.wordpress.com #
• "Tebow stole my car, dude." http://terrytaylor.posterous.com #

Powered by Twitter Tools

We recently had to install a new door on the back of our house. We didn’t choose to do this without duress. It was a necessity. The old Pella fell off. It literally dislodged itself from the wall as if it did not want to be part of the house anymore. During the ugly process, it became something that resembled a door but did not act like one.

Click here to read more »

(Warning: Contains rock lyrics from 40 years ago)

Some music goes beyond the sound that comes out of your speakers. From time to time, these sounds define a cultural or political movement. In a few cases, they become the soundtrack for a generation.

Neil Young wailing, “four dead in Ohio,” still conjures memories of a black and white photograph of a young girl on one knee, panic stricken, next to the face-down body of a student shot dead by the National Guard at Kent State.

Click here to read more »

• Sail Cat Road continues now. #
• “See that fellow by the door, third from left, black coat, gun riding under the waist? He’s watching Jolene too,” said Jimmy. Gus turned. #
• Jimmy sipped his coffee and clicked his .45's safety. The aroma of the brew filled his face. “He sees something different than we do." #
• “He sees a meal ticket," said Gus. "She’s on the meat list down here. Hope he knows what he's dealing with." Gus flipped his safety as well. #
• “My money’s on Jolene,” said Jimmy. “I hope this old boy has his life insurance paid up.” He scratched his unshaven neck. #
• Sail Cat Road continues later. Thank you for following. #
• Sail Cat Road continues now. #
• Jolene stopped outside the door and watched a car pass. She studied the door and the road. “You think he’s going to try it?” asked Gus. #
• “What y’all want today?” said the waitress. “Got good meatloaf. The fried chicken is nearly famous around here. Chocolate cake is bonified.” #
• Gus and Jimmy considered their options. Nearly famous chicken was tough to turn down. #
• Inside the man waited and Jolene waited outside, sizing up the situation. “I’ll have the chicken, mashed potatoes, greens," said Gus. #
• “How about you?” she said looking at Jimmy. “You look like a meatloaf man to me. Mac and cheese might do you right too.” #
• “Yeah, give me that. And some light bread. No butter,” said Jimmy. She scribbled and walked away. Jimmy adjusted his view of the door. #
• Utensils clattered against plates and the choppy sound of voices in conversation hummed in a dull wave interrupted by a laugh now and then. #
• Jimmy knew it was going to be a situation to deal with. He just did not know how it would play out. Gus focused on the man in the coat. #
• Sail Cat Road continues later. Thank you for following. #
• Sail Cat Road continues now. #
• “Is that one of Ritko’s men? A fed? Special agent?” asked Gus. “He looks official. Like he took a test to earn a badge.” #
• “No. Look at his shoes. No FBI type goes sockless like that,” said Jimmy. “He’s a freelancer. He’s working for a vig on Jolene.” #
• “How much is riding on her?” said Gus, not surprised. “She’s bountied up to the limit by now. Maybe $50 grand. 75 tops.” #
• Jimmy cut his eyes over toward Gus. “She should be at Shewl’s. She ain’t. She’s here. He knows it. It's coming down here in a minute.” #
• “We can’t let her walk into it,” said Gus. “He’s got to have somebody working with him. He ain’t alone. Somebody’s in here or out there.” #
• Nothing unusual happened in the parking lot. The man in the coat looked nervous. Jolene seemed lost in thought, looking into the distance. #
• Sail Cat Road continues later. Thank you for following. #

Powered by Twitter Tools

I just left Mama J’s, a soul food restaurant in Richmond, Virginia’s Jackson Ward neighborhood. If you are from the South, this mall, family-run business lays down a product that will compete with anything your mom or grandmother or grandfather has ever cooked. And I don’t care if your mom is Paula Deen or your daddy is Justin Wilson. This is seriously awesome Deep South cooking.

Click here to read more »

The Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue came out a week or so ago. I was buried in work the day it curled up in my mailbox. My wife and daughter grabbed it before I could see any painted body parts. They seem to enjoy it more than I do, albeit they use it for a different purpose. They actually look at the swimsuits.

Click here to read more »

• Sail Cat Road continues now. #
• Ritko had been trained to become invisible. Thousands of government dollars went into educating him on the skill of vanishing. #
• Going off the grid is not an easy thing. There must be a body. There must be a dead end. I.D.s, service weapon, badge, everything. #
• Fire was good; hard to run a trace on charcoal. CSI was sophisticated, but not like on TV. Cooked bones and a badge would work down here. #
• Ritko made sure everything that could I.D. him was in the wreck. The men who died, like so many others, deserved it. Perhaps Ritko as well. #
• He was no longer Mikal Ritko. He was no one when he hot wired the farmer’s truck next to the carport and drove to the end of the highway. #
• Sail Cat Road will continue later. Thank you for following. #
• The Pusher: http://terrytaylor.posterous.com #
• The Fall and Rise of Rudy: http://terrytaylor.posterous.com #
• Sail Cat Road continues now. #
• Ritko’s life had been a geometric equation of people, events and evidence. He worked the calculations until he found his result. Not now. #
• The ordeal before him was blood and loose ends. For the first time in his life, after all of the violent things he had done, he was afraid. #
• He was not afraid of dying. He expected that. Felt it was overdue. He was afraid of failing. Dying was easy. Failing was unacceptable. #
• Sail Cat Road continues later. Thank you for following. #
• terrytaylor's posterous – stories, blogs, assorted thinking: http://digg.com/d31IvBh?t #
• Sail Cat Road: http://digg.com/d31IvEs #
• No Good End: http://digg.com/d31IvIC #
• Sail Cat Road continues now. #
• Ritko owed Jimmy Gantt. Jimmy had saved his life once – by not killing him when he had the change. Ironic mercy is enough sometimes. #
• So he owed the man for that one. More importantly, Jimmy had given Ritko the inside track on cases that made his career in the service. #
• Ritko came from a poor family. His parents spoke no English. Ritko’s job from childhood on was to succeed. He had done his job – and more. #
• He had done the worst jobs available because the odds of glory and promotion were quicker. Of course, the odds of failure were inherent. #
• Ritko did not fail often. And when he did, he was good enough to cover it up. Now he was covering up his entire life by going off the grid. #
• Sail Cat Road will continue later. Thank you for following. #
• The Fall and Rise of Rudy: http://terrytaylor.posterous.com #
• Sail Cat Road continues now. #
• “No one expects a dead person to do anything,” Jimmy had told him years ago. “So dead people can do everything.” #
• Ritko was officially dead as society measures life. He was neatly cinched up, freed of the daily mendacity that defines human existence. #
• For the first time in years, he felt alive. The trees were greener. The leaves had textures he had never noticed. Water tasted better. #
• He enjoyed breathing. He had never noticed it before. His lungs felt sweet with each intake. The smell of freedom made him smile. #
• Sail Cat Road will continue later. Thank you for following. #
• Sail Cat Road, Chapter 20 is now posted at: http://sailcatroad.posterous.com and http://terrytaylor.posterous.com #
• No Good End is at http://www.nogoodend.com #
• Sail Cat Road continues now. #
• Chapter 21 #
• Interstates and cities are separated by more guardrails and on and off ramps that carve life into two different worlds: here and there. #
• The highway is anonymous, living off gasoline, metal, rubber and halogen bulbs. Once you leave the city, you become a 65 mph license plate. #
• Gas stations and cheap hotels crowded the cloverleaf. Jolene drove up to the cafe in a sedan with Texas plates. She parked in the back. #
• Gus did not see her. Jimmy did. He saw every expected motion and every evasive move. Jolene was always evasive. It was her expected pattern. #
• “Jolene just drove up the back, working her way around here. She probably saw my truck,” said Jimmy. “Looks like she’s been healing.” #
• “She’ll never heal,” said Gus. “She’s meant to be in pain on this earth. So are those around her. She’s like you. Y’all are the same.” #
• The smell of burnt coffee blurred with burnt bacon, burnt toast and burnt cigarettes. The waitress was scorched red from sunburn as well. #
• “I guess if you want it well-done, we’ve come to the right place,” said Gus attempting to lighten his somber mood. Jimmy did not bite. #
• Sail Cat Road continues later. Thank you for following. Check out http://www.nogoodend.com for the prequel. #
• The Difference Between Republicans and Democrats : http://terrytaylor.posterous.com #
• The Difference Between Democrats and Republicans: http://terrytaylor.posterous.com #
• Dems and Repubs: http://terrytaylor.posterous.com #

Powered by Twitter Tools

Our backyard lies in the shade in winter. Snow is still two feet deep back there. The slow melt of day freezes into a hockey rink every night. Icicles the size of Darth Vader’s light saber flow off the eaves of the house like crystal daggers. Some are 5 feet long. Fifteen feet of steps leading to the cold ground are coated in 4-inches of polished ice.

Rudy, our Jack Russell, has had to become the Bodie Miller of dogs just to make it down. It takes practice and talent to navigate the frozen treachery, even on four legs. Rudy has mastered 4/5ths of it.

Click here to read more »

The snow in Virginia continues. People who live in places like Chicago, Boston and Minneapolis see this yearly, and scoff at our confusion and school closings. But, to bastardize the phrasing of Scotty on Star Trek, Virginia is not built to take this kind of punishment.

Click here to read more »

• Sail Cat Road continues. #
• Gus took a deep breath. “Why are you spending time with me? To torture me? To beat me down and humiliate me? What is it?” #
• “I love you,” said Jimmy before he could think about his response. “You and Jolene are all I have left. I won’t lose either of you.” # Click here to read more »

We’ve all done it. Filled the little square on Facebook with vacuous gibberish, then hit “comment.” I won’t use any examples here, go to your Facebook page and you will see for yourself. No shortage of mindless ramblings that serve the basic intent of saying, “Hey, I’m alive. I made it through this crummy day. Just wanted everyone to know the emptiness in my head is worth sharing as much as my love for arcane references that make me appear smarter than I really am. Or cooler, which is the real intent. Click here to read more »

The 2000’s sucked, unless you were a bartender. A recent article in the New York Times about the last decade not only mentioned it as the worst decade ever, but followed that pronouncement with ruminations about how it was the best decade ever for cocktails. It should be no surprise that the worst decade would be the best decade for drinking. Click here to read more »

• Sail Cat Road continues now. #
• Jimmy drove. West was always a good direction. East was the Atlantic, and worse, thought Jimmy, Georgia. He had never liked Georgia. #
• The space between him and Gus seemed wider than measurement could account for. Gus shook his head and pounded the dash with his fist. # Click here to read more »

We all have to be something. Aries, Tarus, Winnebago. I am a Sagittarius. I have never put even a remote amount of faith into such things. I’ve always figured our fortune was guided or blunted by our own actions, not the stars. In the last year, however, I have started regularly reading my horoscope in the local paper. Click here to read more »