Oh erika--you're making me miss Homicide something fierce. You have their voices down pat. So good.

When I was poor and working two part-time jobs to scrape by, I spent a considerable amount of time in several bookstores, standing in the aisles and reading a couple chapters of the Tales books each time, because I couldn't afford to buy them and the library didn't carry them. (This was before the era of big bookstores with coffee bars that you were welcome to sit down and read in.) That's how much I like Maupin.

I think Maupin is the Denzel of modern lit. Who doesn't love Maupin?

(blushing) Aw, shucks. Just tightening up the weak spots. I still want another shot at "Tales of The City" but not such a bald imitation this time...hopefully not being twenty means I learned stuff besides who Adena Watson is. I may ask billytea to explain love "iguana style" one day though.

"Iguana style" probably doesn't involve basking on hot rocks, I'm thinking.

Hell, the only reason I'm not missing H:LOTS as fiercely as I did before is because of your fic, erika.

That is the best compliment I've ever gotten. Including naked ones.(Ok, that came out more Munch than I wanted. But it's still true.) I may have to delete some of this section or face the Canon Police...cause in flipping around, I'm not sure what year I'm writing in, anymore. But I need for y'all to see it or I'm just another loser without a place to be on Saturday night. "I like the sound of that," Munch said.

"Shut up, you! God...forget I said anything. I take it back."

"You know that image is gonna haunt me," Munch said.

"The image of me arm-wrestling?"
"My image is of a different kind of wrestling."

"I'm shocked,"

"You should be. I never think of the same woman two days in a row."
"Some men just send flowers. I get John Munch pervo-grams."
"When you care enough to send the very worst." -more-

"Some men just send flowers. I get John Munch pervo-grams."

"When you care enough to send the very worst."

(heads off into kitchen to replace saliva-diluted coffee now all over keyboard, cat and lap of "kitty touchdown!" pajama bottoms)

A few more minutes went by. Pembleton paced around like the whole place was the Box and the walls were closing in. "Let's book, you guys. These dead guys aren't getting any better and we'll be like them soon enough. Let's live while we can."
"Way ahead of you, " Munch said. "There are hot women out there and I want to meet one. Or two. Or five."

"Five?" Tim said, shocked. "No way...five. What would you *do* with five? Somebody'd get shortchanged."
"The same as you do with one, my innocent friend. Just in shifts,"
Pembleton pretended to consider."If we look at the Munch track record, that means creating resentment and dissatisfaction among five crazy women. Who will then call the squad repeatedly, on the pretext of getting some obscure book or record back, but really just to become enraged on being told you are out doing your job. For once. My ear is bracing for the furious hang-ups now. How do you do it?"

"Hey, don't take it out on me because you're bought and paid for for fifty years. And they're not crazy...they're passionate."

"Passionately crazy," Kay offered.

"God, why don't I just move in to the Watergate? I'm sure there's a bug somebody missed."

"I think Monica Lewinsky lives there. Could be your lucky day, Munchkin. Just make sure she takes in the dry-cleaning, huh?"

"Eh, she probably uses 'impact' as a verb. And listens to complaint rock. And think about it...the ultimate in at the White House, second interviews out the yang and she still doesn't get the jobs. I could never be happy with a dumb woman...might forget my sorrows for an hour, though. She has a beautiful mouth."
"You'd be better off licking a water fountain spigot," Kay said, " And I was kidding...you've really thought about this."
"Hey, I've read the Starr Report...I'm only human."

'That's your story, anyway." Kay said. " That guy Starr reminded me of a peeper I busted while I was in uniform. After I caught him, he read me Bible verses and stroked my hair, which I almost cut off. Then he offered me a 'pearl necklace'...little perv."
"Of course that's bribery... But I don't see what's perverse." Tim said.
"Aw, Bayliss, you're breaking my heart. I'll bet you squeak when you walk." And she whispered in his ear. Tim blushed painfully
"I'm sorry that happened to you, Kay. All guys aren't like that."
"I know that, babe. No big thing...just makes me grateful for Homicide...where the guys on the street are stiff all over."

erika, you just left me essentially speechless.

This is fucking perfection, is what it is.