Oh yes, Angela and Charlie met behind the rodeo grounds Saturday night, and she might’ve let him get away with more than she intended. Yes, when she was still engaged to George. And all the time planning to dump George. No, no she wouldn’t. Yes, yes she would.
Yes they were planning a big bash. The party was organized with great haste and quite a bit of fuss. Excitement was building, and guests were coming from all over: among them Sarah Bright, Bill Fisher, and Ricky Young. Yes Danny really was coming and bringing his new bride. Mrs. Martinez treated him the same as a son-in-law and hoped he could pacify Anna. Anna had been throwing fits and astonishing those around her. Those who knew her stayed away from her.
Mrs. Martinez worried. Yes, she needed to worry. Did she have enough beer? Applied for worry. Beer, pretzels and canapés and hats. Wouldn’t have been alive without some worry. Don’t forget the sparkling cider for those who don’t drink. Knowing Angela, Mrs. Martinez knew nothing was settled. Ricky Young, who would’ve thought? Yes, she was counting on the appearance of Ricky Young. If Danny couldn’t control Anna, no one could. What about her future son-in-law? Would it be Charlie or George? The party was planned before anything was certain. .
Charlie seemed surprised when all of the attention focused on him. Being the focus was damn hard on him. What did he expect? Still he wanted Angela badly. But he knew it was too soon. It had happened too quickly. And now there was the damn party. With each passing day Angela grew more erratic. Everyone saw how she mistreated George. Would it now be Charlie?
“I don’t know what mamma is up to, but I don’t want you to be embarrassed. She can be so insensitive, and she holds the trumps in her hand,” Angela explained to Charlie. “Mamma will be hysterical.”
“I don’t care about your mother.”
“You’re not listening.”
“Yes, I am.”
“You say I’m beautiful. Will you be able to say that when we’re old?”
“I’m not sure about the party.”
“We don’t have to have it.”
“Yes, we do.”
“So stop worrying!”
“I’ll do my best.”
“Stop! You’ll do fine,” Angela reassured Charlie.
For several nights in a row George felt shaky. And he confronted voices: his old enemy, voices! Easy. Breathe. He was the son of trouble and knew it. Calling Nurse Lumbert. From a headache he felt like jumping off of the Congress Street Bridge. The Space Needle. Any damn bridge…into sand…quicksand. Where was Faust? It wasn’t his fault. Once he grieved Ms. M. Now he grieved Angela.
George heard that Cesar would be one of the guests, but how would that work? George hadn’t yet decided if he’d go.
Cesar appeared in the middle of the night. He’d ditched his suit coat and tie and forgotten his wraparounds.
“There’s been a misunderstanding. A misunderstanding,” Cesar repeated in a tragic tone.
“A misunderstanding?”
“I don’t tolerate misunderstandings. But let’s forget that for the time being. Tell me what it would take for you to turn off the heat?”
“What do mean?”
“I heard about your private investigation.”
“Sam is gone. That ended when Sam left.”
“On the level? Okay. We’ll leave it at that. I’ve always liked you George. As you can see I’ve come with my hat in my hand.” Then and there Cesar wrote him a check. “Take this and buy yourself a Cadillac.”
“Keep your money. I can buy a Cadillac without you.”
“Whoa, how tactless of me. Perhaps insulting to you. Punks like me forget that some people can’t be bought. Your integrity is what I’ve admired about you. But let’s get something straight. The spreading of certain falsehoods would be…a mistake. Yes, a big mistake. I hate mistakes when they can be avoided.”
“What do you want from me?”
“I want you to join my team…get on the bandwagon. You could be mayor.”
“Mayor?”
“Yes, Tucson deserves a mayor with integrity. You’re already popular. With a little backing….”
“I see.”
“Think about it. I don’t need an answer now. I don’t ask much.”
“Not much could be big. I’m thinking of Higgs and Zimmerman.”
“Zimmerman was a fool. Anyone who takes their own life has to be….”
“Michael?”
“Michael was a kid and was already on his deathbed. Michael and Zimmerman made mistakes. You’re smart. You won’t make mistakes. Don’t worry about it. Let me do the worrying. How about it?”
“My goodness. Mayor! What if I said mayor wasn’t good enough and that I wanted to be president?”
“Why not? But first we’d have to….”
“What?”
“Turn off the heat. You don’t know how pesky you’ve become….how close….”
“Go on. Say it.”
“I don’t think I need to. I don’t like to repeat myself. George, you’re getting on my nerves. Take it or leave it.”
“Here’s your check,” George declared, handing the check back.
George against Cesar: George knew that he couldn’t win, so he shifted the conversation to something safe. “How’s your mom?”
“She’s not doing well. Well, I’m sorry we couldn’t do business. Oh by the way, I heard about Angela and Charlie.”
With that George exploded with such rage that it startled Cesar.
“You’re dangerous!”
“And rotten! That’s me.”
“Get out of here!”
However it took more prodding to get Cesar to leave.
Randy Ford
