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Kevin a black ex-footballer at his agency knows he’s got to have him sends him cars private jets knows that Kevin can’t say no or Amberton will leave the agency. He fucks Kevin he’s in love.
    James has a dream. He’s gonna be a somebody. He smokes a bit of weed nicks candy bars from the 7-Eleven writes this book about how he’s one nasty smackhead goes on Oprah becomes a celebrity. Then everyone finds out it’s just a million little lies and he’s a nobody.
    Los Angeles gets a lot bigger in the 20th century.
    Dylan gets a job in Tiny’s Hell’s Angel motorcycle repair shop keeps his head down buys donuts for Maddie. They are in love. They have a dream. Some tattooed guys beat up Tiny over a drug deal. Dylan says nothing knows he shouldn’t do nothing but takes $20,000 and walks out. What a berk.
    Mrs Campbell treats Esperanza like shit but Esperanza takes it ‘cause she needs the money one day Mrs Campbell goes to Palm Beach and leaves Esperanza alone in the house with her son Doug. ‘I’m a neek,’ he says, ‘but I’ve fallen in love with your fat thighs.’ ‘Youain’t nuthin but a pervert,’ Mrs Campbell yells on her return. ‘You’re sacked.’ She gets another job he finds her there’s a happy ending.
    He wants to help her this girl Beatrice. He wants to redeem her redeem himself. He tries to get her away from the men but they kill his mate. Old Man Joe cries into his chablis. He’s fucked up again.
    Los Angeles is home of Hollywood, home of the porn business, home of the rich, home of the poor, home of homeys. No kidding.
    ‘Kevin is suing you for $20m,’ says Amberton’s agent. ‘Give him the money I’m heartbroken and sign me up for another $100m movie,’ Amberton sobs. Casey smiles in appreciation as she goes down on her girl.
    Dylan gets a job as a caddy on the golf course they’re making something of their lives they have friends they get married they are gonna have a baby. Then Tiny’s mates come along and kill him he never saw that coming but you did.
    James still has a dream he’s gonna be a somebody. He starts writing a novel about all these characters in LA makes it random makes it beat thinks the critics have gotta take him seriously this time. He starts writing he doesn’t care much what he can’t stop writing. He knows it’s all a bit contrived a bit obvious but he can’t stop. He’s written 500 pages and he can’t stop. James has a dream a dream. It’s a nightmare.
    Digested read, digested: James gets lost in La La Land.
The Little Stranger

by Sarah Waters (2009)
    I first saw Hundreds Hall after the war when I was 10 years old, on the occasion of the Empire fete. The Ayres were big people in thevillage but after that summer they lived more privately: their daughter Susan died of diphtheria and their later children, Roderick and Caroline, kept themselves to themselves. So when I saw the Georgian mansion again 30 years later, I was appalled by the decay. A telephone call from Roderick renewed my acquaintance. I had bettered myself considerably in the intervening years and had returned to Warwickshire to pursue my career as a doctor. ‘You’d better come over, Dr Faraday,’ he said. ‘Betty has a stomach ache and you can’t let a servant die these days.’
    I replied that I understood how difficult it was to cope now Britain was entering a new social order, for I myself was quite concerned that the new National Health Service would reduce my earnings.
    Betty was an utterly unmemorable member of the lower orders. ‘Do you think you might be a lesbian?’ I asked. ‘Nay, sir,’ she replied. ‘Well that’s unusual for a Sarah Waters book,’ I said.
    It turned out that Betty was terrified by a ghostly presence within the Hall, and I passed on her concerns to Caroline, a plain, natural spinster with thickish legs. ‘There’s nothing queer going on here,’ she said tartly. I resolved to keep a close eye on the family by offering to treat Roderick’s war