the others stood around him in a semicircle , pretty much as johnny supposed the wise old wallahs had once stood around the boy jesus while he gave them the scoop , the lowdown , the latest buzz , the true gen. johnny 's clearest view was of the little punk-chick , steve ames 's catch of the day , and she looked pretty much the way he himself felt : mesmerized , amazed , but not disbelieving .