For one thing, I weighed thirty pounds less in basic -- and I was talking about how fast you caught her.

[ Fortunately, Bradbury's used to people passing the buck to him -- it's practically a defining feature of his life at this point, and he accepts the cat gingerly, tucking the blanket more securely around her to keep her from wiggling free. And since it couldn't hurt to ask, he says almost casually: ]

If you got any time off, you interested in helping out with a security gig for one night?