Have you ever seen one of these Winchester .22 rifles with the slide pump action? We bought two dozen and plenty of .22 ammunition,” Little Eli said...as he held out one of the rifles for him to look over.“I like this little rifle, have you shot one yet?”“No, we only saw one of them in the store where we bought the fishing gear. We asked the man if he could order more for us. We’re just glad they came this soon. You can keep that one and get plenty of .22 cartridges to take back. We have enough. I glided along the floor of the pool and slowlyswam to the surface. I began my back and forth motion of doing laps. Firstlap: breast stroke. Second lap: arm stroke. Third lap: back stroke.Fourth lap: elementary back stroke or what I call the "frog". Repeat threetimes. Twelve laps. It took me about an hour to do them. I was exhaustedwhen I finished and pulled myself up onto the edge of the pool. I satthere breathing heavily, panting actually. Water was somehow sensuous, theway it slicked. The world was falling into total despair. The Christians were hoping the end was coming.And it was just not as they wished or thought. They preached again and again for things they believed was right or wrong….scaring many to turn from their god and many stating there was no god , afterlife, etc. However, people went on with their lives…some making changes others keeping their head buried in the sand. Mysterious illnesses were killing people in masses. The poisonous medicines were useless,. I just looked at Mark as I lifted the glass and knocked back anothershot, wincing. No salt. No lime. Just tequila and the hope for whateverrelief it might bring me.I looked around. Everything seemed just a little bit different in thisapartment Mark and I had shared, roommates in a city of high rents andlimited opportunities. I realized - eventually - that the differenceswere the result of the fact that I was just a little bit smaller, andthat changed my perspective on everything. Which was.