The first time I saw Mickey Spillane’s name in print I was thirteen years old. My father had brought home a paperback copy of The Erection Set. The cover featured a photograph of a beautiful blonde, naked, with one long leg extended straight up, toes tickling the black block letters of the author’s name.

Entering Peggy’s, we interrupted a conversation between the barmaid and Sal about when infants get their first erections. Sal speculated that it was around age two, but Sylvia disagreed vehemently.