CHAPTER FIFTY-EIGHT
2003- My Peoples’ People
June was still a sweetie- he drove two and a half hours just so he could buy me lunch and catch up on old times. I’d put him through a lot over the years- he bailed me out of a lot of situations, both literally and figuratively, but I think he understood that at the end of the day, I had so much love and respect for him. I abused his friendship because I was a mess, not because I was an asshole.
We both arrived at Flor de Mayo on time- definitely a sign of maturity that neither of us possessed last time we were in the same room. We jumped right into it as soon as we were seated. It felt exactly like it always felt with June- family. I was the exasperating little sister. He was the bemused older brother. It worked for the two of us and kept our relationship forever in the platonic zone.
June kicked it off. “Okay, Eula, catch me up.”
“Well, June,” I began, “Mundo dipped to Central America. I fell for Cabrón’s bullshit and got 4 years. I heard he’s in jail but don’t really know the full story and am afraid to find out. I feel like I can never go back to Brooklyn ever again. And I’m living with two dominatrixes who got the sugar baby game on lock.” With that, I folded my hands in prayer position and flicked them towards June, indicating it was his turn to fill me in.
At that moment, the waitress came over with our cafés con leche and a plate of tostones with garlic sauce- “Extra spicy, just like you like it,” June said, laughing. It gave me an instant flashback to Mundo, that night outside of Kum Kau.
I picked up a tostone and took a bite. “Go on, tell me,” I said, my mouth full of hot plantain. “What’s going on in your world?”
June told me he’d calmed down, taken a huge step back from hustling and was working on getting his HVAC certification.
“My uncle is in Local 777 and he’s trying to see if he can get me into the apprentice program but it’s almost impossible to get a spot,” he explained.
“But once you’re in, you won’t ever have to worry about anything, right?” I asked. “That’s amazing, June. I am so happy to hear this from you!”
“Yeah, fuck it,” he sighed. “There’s nothing more depressing than an old-ass hustler.”
I felt like it was time to broach the elephant in the room.
“You spoke to Biz or Lucci lately?” I asked quietly.
“Fuck no,” he replied. “I can’t be involved in that shit anymore. Those kids are all fucked in the head. Once Mundo dipped it was a wrap for me on that. You?”
“Nope. Once I got locked up, they ran through my crib, never put money on my books, got me evicted and went ghost on me.”
June shook his head. “Trife muhfuckas.”
I didn’t want to do it, but couldn’t control myself. “You heard from Mundo?”
June looked up from his food.
“Yeah, we email here and there,” he said cautiously.
“What’s he up to?” I knew I sounded pathetic. Oh well.
“Well, he’s been in Panama since he left Brooklyn- but I guess you knew that,” June said.
‘I do now,’ I thought.
“Tío Bolo has a bunch of real estate ventures going on and he has Mundo overseeing the development companies. Staying on top of their project managers, making sure Bolo doesn’t get ripped off.”
“That makes sense,” I replied. “He was always good at getting people to do what he wanted.”
“And he’s engaged to this girl who was second runner up in last year’s Miss Panama Universe pageant. He told me she’s about to start med school in a few months.”
I kept my face still and changed the subject, quickly.
“You know, I know how Mundo and ‘Brón met- they went to high school together, but I never asked how you and Mundo met.”
“Oh, we met when he was in school in Hartford.”
“School?” I asked, confused.
“Yeah, Eula. He went to U. Hart. Graduated with a Bachelors in International Studies. You didn’t know that?”
I shook my head. I did not know a lot of things about Mundo, obviously.
“Welp, at least you and I are here, alive and kicking,” June said gently. “And when you gonna introduce me to those fine-ass dominatrixes?”
“Donya said you should stop by when we’re done with lunch.”
