Chapter-1: The Old Business of Men
“Nothing’s changed with you,” said Diego. “A true woman of chaos.” He gave a brief smile with a nod and walked away. A few steps and he turned and looked back one more time. An old thrill soared from below as he watched her walk away.
Esmehraude extended her arms wide, searching for a hug as she entered the old cathedral. In her laughter she spun around and blew a kiss at Diego, and offered one last courtesy, and failed. Satisfied, she turned back and continued deeper into the church.
The clap of her heels echoed all around with each deliberate step down the aisle. She reached the altar and knelt on her left side. And she blessed herself with the sign of the cross. All set, she rose, pushed up her cleavage and headed to Father Philippe’s office.
Diego shook away his memories of their old business together, and headed to the open market, Mercado Principal.
His routine for today required him to purchase a few items to snack on during his 1:00 pm consultation. Within a short walk, Diego arrived at the market and explored his usual stalls. He purchased plump purple higos, fresh baked pan dulces and other essential items.
Finished with the market, Diego wiped his forehead and walked the remaining blocks to his bank at a brisk pace. The heat of the afternoon burned his head and neck, and shoulders.
Despite the stickiness under his brown business suit, Diego moved faster. He crossed Guadalupe Road with long steps, maneuvering around horses, side stepping carts and smiling at unfamiliar faces that eyed him with curiosity.
Diego arrived at a quarter past twelve to his favorite bench. It rested within a wide shadow, beneath his favorite oak tree. The cool shade relaxed his muscles as he eased into another routine. He sat and observed the bank’s fountain in action.
In the middle of the fountain, a three-tiered simple structure overflowed and created three waves of careless falls. On occasion, a light mist reached Diego from the seven spouts of the fountain. His face cooled with tiny dew drops that tickled his mood.
Mocking birds, blue jays and golondrinas raced about the fountain, climbing and diving, unencumbered and free. Diego smiled.
The muggy heat of the day lifted from Diego. Even his thoughts released their tight grip over his perplexing dreams. He felt better, all calm. He breathed in deep and slow, and let it all go, allowing more of his tension to melt away.
Wind chimes, two buildings north of Diego, broke the tranquil scene he relaxed in. The door to the barber shop slammed. It rattled him. The surging shock forced his eyes wide open.
A little boy raced in front of Diego. The four-year-old moved with urgency to play on the fountain. The boy reeked of pure joy, even as he struggled up onto the ledge and scraped his knees. The little one yelled at the birds; and he scampered along the edge with playful imitation. A step more and the boy held his arms out to the side. He laughed into a tightrope along the fountain’s edge.
Diego’s heart pounded faster at the sight of the little boy. He straightened up on his bench and stared with a strained look at the animated child. The little boy skipped and jumped and laughed far too much.
All around, Diego searched for relief. He found no one to aide him: parents, gone; other people, far and away. The wind chimes settled down, and he expected someone to appear. But no one moved to help his tension as he stood. The furnace carried on.
Diego scratched at his soaked collar and returned his sight back onto the little boy. His legs quivered with the two half steps he took forward. Decades as a banker flowed up with risk analysis.
The water level of the fountain reached high enough to cover the boy’s nose: the child could drown easily. On the outer side of the fountain, the height of the edge dropped low enough: the child could crack his skull open and bleed to death.
Guiding questions for Comments: (What do you see?)
For those interested in leaving a comment, here is a list of questions to help guide your critique.
Within these two pages of the story, from my perspective, I think I have provided enough information to answer the following questions. But what do you see?
1. What business did Diego have with Esmehraude?
2. Where does Diego work?
3. Why does Diego follow his routines?
4. What significance does the little boy playing on the fountain have in the story?
Bonus:
5. What do you think, The Old Business of Men, means?
Thank you
I appreciate your time in reading this blog post. Next Saturday I will upload the next part of Chapter One: The Old Business of Men, from my first novel: Guerrero of Passions.
Total Consciousness 