Page 70 of Playworld

“Kennedy, Lincoln,” I said, “probably more.”

“Yes, probably more, brainiac, but how many?”

“Garfield and McKinley also,” Cliffnotes said.

“How do you remember so much?” Tanner said.

“I don’t shampoo with antiseptic.”

Tanner dead-armed him. Cliff, pissed, rubbed his shoulder. “Let’s set up the Intellivision,” Tanner said.

The TV was easily the size of a dresser, the giant screen set in a walnut housing with the speakers hidden behind a black cloth grille at its base. It had a remote control, really futuristic, even smaller than a Walkman, which Tanner let me hold while he began to slide the TV back from the built-in cabinets.

Cliff asked, “What are the specs on this thing?”

It was the difference between Cliff and Tanner and me that they could talk this sort of tech.

“It’s got a three-tube, three-lens system for super high definition. You can only see the dots up close. Check it,” Tanner said.

Cliff and Tanner put their faces right next to the screen. The static electricity made their hair stand up and adhere to the glass. “Whoa,” Cliff said. “Look at all those pixels.”

“Plus four two-way speakers,” Tanner said.

“Crank it up, man.”

Tanner aimed the remote at the screen until the sound blasted.

We now have the videotape.

Reagan is walking out of the Hilton.

Here you see the president coming out now. We just have to watch.

Reagan waves to his right, smiling. A Secret Service agent is right behind him and there are police all over.

I don’t know if I can hear this or not.

Reagan turns to his left and, facing the camera, waves again. Shots are fired.

There, there! Shots…God!

Clap clap clap clap clap clap,and the camera dives to the right, to a pileup, a scrum of Secret Service agents and police against the building’s brick.

Tanner said, “That guy said ‘motherfucker.’ Did you hear him? He said it onTV.”

The Black Secret Service agent screamed, “Get him out! Get him out!” which I figured meant Reagan.

“Dang!” Cliffnotes said. “That guy is like G.I. Joe!”

“Check out that Uzi!” Tanner said. “Do you see the Uzi that guy’s got?”

There was a bald man, facedown, blood pooling at his head. Behind him, a pair of other men were being tended to. Then, with much shouting, the scrum hustled the assailant into a squad car.

Then they replayed it from the beginning.

Reagan comes out. He waves. This time, I watched one of the Secret Service agents turn, stick out his arms, take a bullet, and then spin to the ground.

We all sat down on Tanner’s couch.