All Characters In This Story Are 18+ Years Old
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Thursday, November 12, 1992
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At ten o'clock, while La Rose Washington was knocking on Dr. William Carter's door at the University Counseling Center in Los Angeles, Mariana Flores de Guerrero was walking with her daughter Luz from the parkade to the mall at The Citadel in the City of Commerce. At the same time, in Palm Springs, Eduardo Guerrero angrily slammed the telephone receiver to its base in his office at La Familia Authentic Mexican Restaurant and cursed, "¡Malditas perras! ¿Con quién creen que están jodiendo?" Outside, in the alley, Raúl Diego parked his S-1600 refrigerated truck and set its emergency brake.
Moments later, Gwen, the senior morning waitress, tapped on Eduardo's door and informed him, "The meat truck just pulled up."
Eduardo looked up from his desk and replied, "¿Ah sí? Bien. Un momento, gracias." Though still pissed at women, in general, but Mari, Luz and Alice in particular - whom each, in one way or another had seemed to have deserted him - he had to admit that Gwen was reliable. "And, for a gringo, she speaks Spanish pretty good," he thought. "Plus, she has a cute little ass. Maybe I could get up in that," he mused as he stood to go meet Raúl and Fernando Diego.
When Eduardo stepped into the kitchen, he was much surprised to see his father-in-law, Juvenal Diego Flores, standing at a counter conversing with the day cook, Manuel. Neither Raúl, nor Fernando, were in view. Walking across the tiles with his hand outstretched, he exclaimed, "Suegro! ¿Cómo estás? ¿Ha sido qué? Veinte años te has ido?"
"Yes, twenty years last month," confirmed Juvenal. "I am well, thank you. Are Mari and Luz here? I need to speak with them in person, which is why I have returned." His perfect poker face gave his son-in-law no reason to be wary.
"Oh, Juvenal," Eduardo sighed. "I don't even know what to say... Mari and I had an argument a few days ago. She's gone somewhere to cool off. I don't know where she is. As for Luz? She has not been at work for two days. I think she is sick, or something. I was just going to go to her apartment and see what is wrong. Is there any way I can help you, instead?"
"Well, that is bad luck, then," Juvenal replied evenly. "But, perhaps you will be able to answer some questions that I had for them. Let's go out for a drink this afternoon. Raúl can handle the last few deliveries alone, then return to pick me up later." He smiled and suggested, "How about four o'clock at The Cactus Chophouse? Is it still there? They used to have a pretty nice Happy Hour with specials on blue agave tequila."
Glad for the excuse to quit brooding over Alice and Luz, if only for an hour or so, Eduardo grinned, "Bueno, pero no nos emborrachemos. Necesito volver para el turno de la cena."
"Of course," agreed Juvenal. "It goes without saying the restaurant needs you to supervise the dinner. Don't worry!" Then, seeing Raúl exit the walk-in freezer, he squeezed Eduardo's shoulder and excused himself to help finish the unload.
"Yeah, the Chophouse still has the best drinks in the desert," answered Eduardo to his father-in-law's disappearing back. "I'll meet you there at four." Then he went into the main dining area to ensure that things were getting going for the expected upcoming lunch crowd.
The University's Great Clock had just delivered its second bong, declaring the hour to all within earshot, when Dexter Harris rapped his knuckles on Carter's office door. Anticipating his scheduled visitor, Carter pushed the 'play' button on his built-in bookcase stereo, turned around and called out, "Come in." As the tall lanky second-string basketball player entered, the iconic hi-hat and synthesizer ninety-second introduction to Isaac Hayes' 'Shaft's Theme' began.
Harris immediately flashed an ear-to-ear grin and commented, "That's some ol' school funk you got goin' there, Doctor C." Popping his fingers, he added, "It ain't Doctor Dre, or Kris Kross, but it's cool." Unasked, he sauntered to Monstro and flopped loose into the chair with his long right leg hooked over the arm. His suspended foot tapped the air in time with Willie Hall's cymbals.
Carter chuckled and adjusted the sound to a lower level as Isaac Hays' voice said, "Damn Right!" Walking behind his desk, he twisted the blinds three-quarters-closed then continued to the credenza where he sat straddling its straight chair with his arms casually folded across its back's top rail. Calmly mirroring the student's insouciant mien, he said, "What, you don't think a sixty-six-year-old white college professor can dig R&B, or hip-hop, or funkadelic? I'm surprised by that."
Dexter was taken aback by the counselor's mild confrontation. He lowered his eyes and said quietly, "Naw, Doc, that wasn't it. I mean, I guess it was, maybe, a little bit that, but I didn't mean nothin' by it."
Satisfied the twenty-two year old had adjusted his attitude, Carter laughed and lied, "Actually, I thought that was going to be Montovani's Golden Hits. So, maybe you weren't far wrong, after all." Standing up again, he returned to the bookcase and shut off the CD player. Over his shoulder, he further fibbed, "Also, I had forgotten our appointment." Turning about-face he went to his desk and sat as he continued, "But, I'm glad you didn't. I met with La Rose Washington this morning and we had a very productive session. I'm hopeful I can help you two to get back to where you were, or maybe even onto more solid ground."
Dexter asked, "Yeah? Wha'd'she say? She gonna help me with my homework again?"