``It was as if nothing had ever happened!'' Brown said.

``What can I say?'' Hallinan tells us. ``It's all so off-the-wall. I'm just trying to think of some measured response.''

As for the face-to-face meeting that went nowhere, Hallinan said: ``I heard him say he was going to take it up with me. But when I got there, nothing came up.''

No mention of the mayor's criticisms of the D.A.'s drug prosecution record and no mention of Brown's call during the weekend for the state attorney general to get involved.

Instead, Hallinan said, he and Brown talked only about the transfer of the Family Support Unit over to the mayor's office -- and then they went out to meet the reporters gathered outside.

``I didn't sense any hostility or anger at all. Then I wake up the next morning and read where he's asked the feds to come in, too!'' Hallinan said.

``And I have to tell you I have some concerns about the DEA and the FBI coming in and dictating our drug policy. They might want to shut down our medical marijuana clubs.''

As for what's really behind the mayor's slams -- well, that depends on whom you talk to.

Brown just says that he came to the conclusion about ``five or six months ago'' that Hallinan wasn't cutting it.

``Attorneys I know told me that we were an open city when it came to drug prosecutions -- that no one ever went to trial. We just can't have that,'' Brown told us yesterday.

And it wasn't just Brown's buddies at the legal bar.

``I got tired of merchants and people calling up my staff and complaining,'' Brown said.

Interesting words from a guy who just a couple of months ago had Deputy Police Chief Rich Holder walk the plank for criticizing Brown's housing director for not evicting drug dealers from the projects.

``Yeah, but that was someone attacking one of Willie's guys -- you don't do that,'' said one cop who witnessed the deputy chief's ouster up close.

``This whole thing is about Kamala Harris,'' chimed in another Brown confidant, referring to the very good friend of the mayor who exited the D.A.'s office after not being picked for the No. 2 slot. ``Cross one of Willie's friends and there will be hell to pay.''

Others point to it being election time -- with a whole new Board of Supervisors up for grabs.

``Hammering Hallinan on the drug issue is a winner with the West Side -- and that's where Brown's candidates need a boost,'' offered one political consultant.

What does Hallinan think?

``One thing I've learned about Willie is that nothing he does is ever simple, and it's never easy to figure out what his motivations are.''

If it were any other way -- it wouldn't be Willie.
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