The news that my biological father died of colon cancer 2 years ago.
The resurfacing of my fathers "brother" via a phone call.
The promise of money due to several accidents my father endured while still alive.
When I last wrote I told you the details of a conversation I had with my "fathers brother." Some of you feel that the way I addressed him was a way of me separating myself from someone I didn't like. A person who I think is a con artist. Why not just call him an uncle? Well that's the thing, he's not really my uncle and he's not really my father's brother. My father and he were cousins who grew so close to one another that they consider themselves brothers. But if he were my actual uncle, I would use that terminology, so you guys know me pretty well or do you? The more I reveal about myself here, the less you'll actually know. Call it mystery, call it mystique, I just call it the nature of things.
For the sake of continuing our story, we will call this "brother" of my father, A. And we pick up with A and I continuing the conversation from the previous post.
A: I just couldn't get involved so, you know I left it all up to your uncle. He knows all about the case. The one with your father getting hit by the car. It's not settled yet but there's money.
Me: These things can take years...yes.
A: I really begged your father to at least leave something behind for you. He was never there for you and...it's the least he could have done. Like I said, there's nothing else left but his bible. Everything else is gone. I'm giving things away too because the end could be close.
Me: I'm not here for the money.
A: Oh, no one's saying that. It's just a nice thing he could have done for you. One more thing, your grandmother is in a nursing home now, she would love to see you if you can visit. I can't make it down there all the time with my condition.
Me: Well I.....
A: It's been a rough few years for me but as long as I'm alive you have a place to stay here in Brooklyn. After all, we're family. That's what really matters.
Me: Thanks. You know...while I can't top your news today...I had a rough few years that I almost didn't make it out of....
A: Yeah well, you sound great and be sure to call your uncle. I have to go to church. Take care. Bye.
CLICK!
If he didn't jump off the phone so quick I would have told him to be sure to bring my fathers bible along with him. He'd need it to keep up his new religious front.
All About A
A is a character, late 50's to early 60's, pencil thin mustache, slicked back hair, diamond earing in one ear and an early 80's Cadillac that makes him look a bit like an over the hill pimp. A spent his better days drinking and dancing at the Copacabana. Yes it's a real place in New York City and I've been there and wish never to return. But I went, A forced me there. It was a free buffet night which was A's favourite. I got
yelled at for wearing my leather jacket inside by some over the hill attendant that really wanted me to pay 5 bucks to have it hung in the coat room. I told him to "go fuck himself" and demanded to A that we leave. A was too busy hitting on a cigarette girl less than half his age. She was a stunner but looked to be annoyed at lugging around a box full of cigaretts and his advances. "I've spent so much money on her through tipping, my God." He declared to me with awe and lust. But all the tipping in the world wasn't going to get him laid, not by her at least. He was a stud only in his mind and seemed to be comfortable with that. Every man has their bliss I suppose.The food at the free buffet was awful by the way and the clientèle were very Latin in all the wrong ways. And while I despised the Barry Manilow song named after this place before the incident, it causes me to shudder now. Actually, anything by Barry also induces me to vomit, but that's another post.
The astute reader will recall that I had a grandmother that recently died, she was on my mothers side and the one that mattered most to me. The one on my fathers side I barely knew nor did I really want to. This was all becoming too much for me at once. I placed a call to my uncle per A's orders. I got the voice mail.
Me: Hey, it's your nephew. Listen I know my father's dead, I talked to A about it and he says there's some lawsuit and money and you're overseeing it but this is A so...I don't know. I don't know about this. Call me and tell me what this is all about because...I don't know about this.
My first meeting with L
When I became reacquainted with my fathers side of the family at 21 this uncle was one of the few bright spots. We'll call him L. L is very business minded and has his head screwed on straight or at least more so than everyone else in my so called family. I liked him, even though our first night out involved infiltrating a gay bar so he could sell designer shot glasses to the owner. It was supposed to be a quick run but the owner kept disappearing in the back to do blow. While L chased her around trying to hammer down a deal, I was left to my own devices with L's friend who we'll call P.
This is not a good situation for a straight man to be in and P was ready to cause trouble. He was a straight man with an agenda. When not trying to provoke the bar patrons he would interfere with my only source of refuge, a hot bar maid that knew, just by looking at us, that we didn't belong there and thought I was cute. Every time I would move in P would make a move on her as well. I finally asked him what his fucking problem was. He gave me a speech on how he doesn't take BS from anyone, took out his gun, put it to my head then tucked it back into his jacket. I told him to do it again. He was taken aback. I demanded that he say what he said to me and do what he just did, again. If he thought he was such a bad ass, then I would show him bad ass sans weaponry. I don't need weapons to get my point across, just a few well placed words. He did it again. I leaned my forehead into the barrel, looked into him eyes and told him to "go fuck himself."
He put the gun away, hugged me and said anyone with a set of balls like that would be his friend for life. He vowed that if anyone crossed me, that they would be taken care of promptly. I never took P at his word but appreciated the gesture of friendship.
The stupid things men say and do when drunk and in the presence of a beautiful woman.
Yes L would hold the answers and shed new light on my fathers final moments. And these details will be shared with you here, on this blog, in full detail.....
(looks at the clock, takes a sip of wine and eases back into his chair)
But not tonight.
Tonight I will venture outward. Tonight I will fall into the sensual world known as the night life and welcome it's touch, it's embrace, it's rapture. Tonight I will attempt to feel the warmth and power of a woman's body next to mine. Tonight I will temporarily forget this madness so I can return and tell you the rest.
