With special thanks to Catherine Sabonis-Chafee, my Top Gun, who did most of the work and endured more real fear and loathing in ninety-nine days than most people see in a lifetime and laughed like a warrior in the constant shadow of doom, jail, and pure crazi-ness . . . well, well, well. . . The infamous ^^woman called Cat^' turned out to have solid gold balls

And once again, to my cruel and relentless editor, David McCumber, the fearless Doctor of Deadlines, who put this book together under truly heinous pressure

'^When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro''

—HST

i

Publisher's Note

The author has asked that the publisher contribute a note to this latest work. This is it: Thanx, Doc.

J.H.S.

N.Y.C., August iggo

To all the friends and strangers and even enemies

who answered the Great Roll Call when I was seized by rabid scum who tried to put me in prison