"We saw the notice about Stotan Week on the bulletin board just off the deep end of the pool after our early-morning workout today. It was already curling at the edges from the high humidity and chlorine content of the air, a lot the way my skin feels after a good three-hour workout" (Chapter 1, p. 1).

"Nortie volunteered for Stotan Wee today. The little screwball hoped Max would tell him more about it if he just walked in and signed up, but Max merely said okay and wrote his name down" (Chapter 2, p. 15).

"You have to hurt a little for Nortie. He's a classic case of what can happen to a guy who's been beat up all his life. Eighteen years old and his old man still punches him around" (Chapter 3, p. 29).

"And how about old Long John? Somehow he gets me thinking that because our parents don't have...