NOTE: If you haven’t been following this from the beginning, and if you want to know the full sequence of events, start with the introduction. Click on Archives on the right.
The bar is full. I am standing in a crowd under the thin light from overhead halogens having a drink with Lou in the H-Bar. The lights tend to localize their illumination immediately under the bulb while leaving an impression of dimness overall. The duct work stretches across the room high up, in darkness under the black painted ceiling. I haven’t seen Lou since the gathering at his house to watch the Spin Show with Albrecht and the others. Also I am curious as to his reaction to the discussion that evening, given his confidence in the cooperative spirit of Fauxmont. It didn’t seem to me we reached any common ground. Where was the spirit? In fact the differences between Frank Dumpty and the Albrecht and Boyd faction seemed all the more irreconcilable.
Diddlie walks over unexpectedly as we lift our first beers. Her face is flushed. Lou steps forward to put his arm around her shoulder. His thick stubby paint stained fingers spread across the upper arm of her royal blue blazer. Diddlie speaks without looking up, leaning gently against Lou. A bounding silver rabbit leaps from her lapel broche toward the white silky scarf around her neck.
“Where’s Lark?”
“I don’t see her Diddlie. Are you expecting her?”
“Lou I came in with her a few minutes ago and didn’t see you at first. Hi Fred, sorry didn’t realize you guys are here together”. Diddlie speaks softly holding her right hand in a tight fist up by her cheek.
“What is the matter Diddlie?”
“I am very angry. I am, and I don’t know what to do Fred!” She opens her fist spreading her fingers palm up as if to offer me something, though her hand is empty.
“What is it?”
“You mean you guys haven’t heard?” She pulls away from Lou and rubs her eyes.
“No Diddlie. Oh there’s Lark. She’s over there talking to Tinderbrush and someone else … see over there.”
“No Lou, I can’t see over all these people. Oh! I am so disgusted!”
“Shall I go over Diddlie?”
“Theo! What’s he doing here? No no, don’t interrupt them.”
“So what happened Diddlie?”
“Lark came over right after I called this morning. We’re going to have dinner here. I mean I called her after all this, and she dropped everything.”
“ All what Diddlie? I didn’t know Lark was around.”
“She’s occupying DC. Spending time down at Lafayette Square organizing a library in a tent for them. Well I have her cell number. I mean we needed to catch up anyway, then this happened”.
“Oh it’s something about Tinderbrush and the Washington Monument thing with … ahhhh … what’s his name Fred?”
“Congressman Bean … no no, I mean the artist was Tarantula wasn’t it?”
“Is that what you’re so upset about Diddlie?
“No Lou, listen this is different. I heard a lot of doors slamming outside at about four o’clock this morning. It was down at the Trips. I mean a SWAT team was invading their house … seemed like a whole lot of them. It was overcast and dark except for their flash lights. I mean what happened to all those security lights Jake has? Anyway, I went out to see what was going on and Mr. Liddell went out before I could stop him. Then it started raining.”
“Were they real police or Jake’s rent-a-cops?”
“I couldn’t tell Lou. Well, I think these were real government types.”
“Diddlie, Mr. Liddell has run off before but we always find him.”
“I know, this time he may have be run over by those SUVs. I don’t know.”
“Did you look around when it got light?”
“No those creeps were still there and they won’t let me near the place.”
“You mean they are there now?”
“I don’t know. We have been out most of the day. Lark and I just wanted to get out of there Lou.”
“So you have lost Mr. Liddell, okay. What was the SWAT team doing at the Trips?”
“Lou there were all these flashing lights, and I could hear Gale yelling ‘Juanita, Juanita’ over and over.” Diddlie stops and sobs and stares silently down at our feet.
“Do you mean they arrested Juanita?”
“I am sure they took her away, Lou.”
“It must have been ICE. Have you talked to Gale or Liberty, Diddlie?”
“I was talking to Gale about Juanita’s status here not long ago.”
“Oh, what was that about Fred?”
“It just came up in conversation.”
“I am sure all her papers are in order Diddlie.”
“Maybe not Lou. Is that what she said, Fred?”
“No she seemed rather vague about it.”
“There it is Lou. See! They have taken her as an illegal.”
“It must be a mistake.”
“Lou, mistake or not, now she will have to prove she’s legal. It’s making me crazy, I mean so many things are screwed up these days. It’s like spring already in February and these Gestapo types raid my neighbors in the middle of the night, and this is America? Can this be real?”
“Relax Diddlie, enjoy the nice weather!
“Don’t you find this early spring kind of creepy Lou?”
“Yes when I think about it. I kind of enjoy a big snow. It slows things down and people can’t use their cars so they come out and walk around. It brings on a ‘spring’ in social contact“.
“That’s right, remember how we all caught up during the big snow a few years ago, helping to shovel Derwent’s driveway?”
“Oh that was quite a crowd by the time we finished.” Theo Tinderbrush walks towards the exit. It looks like Congressman Bean is with him. Lark squeezes toward us past a large group standing around a nearby small table.
“Why aren’t all these folks down in DC supporting us? We need a crown like this!”
“Lark, what happened to you?”
“Nothing, I was talking to Theo and you disappeared.”
“I told them about Juanita, Lark.”
“Yea Theo says they can’t even find where Juanita is being held.”
“How did Theo get involved?”
“Lou he’s been trying to get hold of Jake Trip, but Jake has been out of town, and now Liberty is away too.” Diddlie looks up at Lou and gently runs her finger along his right eyebrow. “Why don’t you trim these things Lou?”
“It just makes them grow more.” Lark puts her arm around Diddlie’s waist.
“Diddlie, leave the poor man’s face alone.”
“Somebody’s got to take care of him. I mean those …” She trails off and starts again. “Wait a minute. What about Gale?”
“What about her?”
“Is any one with her. I mean she must be freaked out Lark.”
“Theo has gone back over to Gale’s. He saw the convoy of SUVs leaving on Wicket Street when he came over.”
“Why can’t they come during the day? You know, a couple of guys in business suits. What’s with the terror tactics?”
“Diddlie, they think it’s drugs. They always do with Hispanic illegals, so they come in prepared for a shoot out.”
“Juanita Gomez selling drugs! Can you imagine? Lou, that’s absurd. There’s nothing to stop them calling up or writing first. Who’s to say Juanita is here illegally anyway?”
“Diddlie, they want to catch the fugitive at home, before they can get away. Besides things were a lot more relaxed when the Macadamias first brought Juanita back to the states. No one thought about papers that much.” Lark smoothes back her thick grey hair with its shock of black flowing in the front wave, but stops in mid motion with a hand above each ear. Her bony elbows jut out like two horns pointing at Lou.
“Lou Juanita is not a fugitive. That’s a police state mentality. Don’t talk that way. This is what it’s come to since 9/11. We get our homes raided by thugs in the name of homeland security.” She pushes her hands further back completing the motion she had started, and brings them forward spreading out her arms with palms up to each side of her waste. “That’s another reason to get out there and organize and protest, and get the country back from these finance crooks, and their cops.”
“Okay Lark, okay …
Lark brings her arms down to her side and presses her palms against her thighs bending slightly towards Lou. “Come on Lou, don’t okay me, join in!
Looks like I’ll have to catch up with Lou some other time about our gathering to watch the Spin Show. The lights flicker. We all look up into the black beyond, as if we could see what is going on.
