CHAPTER FIFTY-NINE
2009 - It’s My Thing
Doe and I got to the Mandarin Oriental lounge at 9pm- right on time. His people were already all in the lounge- someone in the party had reserved a big corner banquette. I tried to get a sense of who these people were and why we were with them. It was, like, five guys and three women- so, not a “wives and girlfriends” dinner.
I was always extremely indifferent to scenes like this- it’s one of the reasons I never had any desire to do something like get a job at a record label, work my way up the A&R ladder, like so many of the kids I grew up with wound up doing. Expensive meals in blonde wood dining rooms have never been my thing.
Everyone at our table stood up as soon as they saw Olmando make his entrance. The guys all reached out to clap Mundo on the shoulder and give me a quick handshake. One guy gave me a fist bump and then gave himself a quick tap on his chest, over his heart. That man was a zoe for sure. Two of the girls leaned up to accept a quick kiss from Mundo. The third girl was busy tapping out a message on her iPhone- she looked up and smiled.
Mundo made quick introductions- two of the guys, Filo and Skip were Panamanian.
“We know Mundo from the Business Club,” Skip told me.
“That’s the club for Panamanian Americans who’re investing heavily in the country,” Doe explained to me. He then turned back to Skip and Filo and said, “Pierre’s going to be signing on to my company in a few months. I wanted you to have the opportunity to meet, since we’ll all be seeing a lot of each other back home.”
Inwardly, I sighed. Outwardly, I stretched my lips across my teeth, in an approximation of a smile.
Next, Mundo introduced me to Daniele. He was a regional development manager for the Decameron hotel chain.
And the fifth guy, Edouard (“rele’m me Edo”), was indeed Haitian.
“I’m originally from Jacmel, but went to school in Orlando from high school through university,” he told me.
At that moment, a waitress came over and handed me a dark and stormy with a gaudy pineapple and cherry garnish. I needed that drink, bad.
“And where are you based these days?” I asked, once I’d finished taking a gigantic sip of the cocktail.
“My family still has houses in Jacmel and Laboule,” he replied. “But I split most of my time between Jamaica and Colombia. I’m an emerald dealer.”
Sure, he was. Just like Hopeton was a wire transfer agent. And Bolo was a real estate developer with a side business in managing political campaigns.
We chatted for a few more minutes. I told him about my exciting job working as a policy analyst for Mundo’s father and about my upcoming family visit to the DR and Haiti.
“Let me know your dates,” he said. “Even if I’m not in town, I’d love to connect you with some people.”
I gave him my cell number and mentioned our dates at Hotel Montana. He nodded approvingly and texted himself my info.
I said I’d catch him in a bit then went to go say hello to the girls. From what I could see, the girls were just girls. Not wives. Not girlfriends. Not mistresses. Not old classmates. Just girls that someone knew from somewhere, who were invited along to even out the testosterone balance. I excused myself after three seconds and went back to where Doe was standing.
“Hey Pierre, you need another drink?” he asked.
“Hell, fuckin’ yeah,“ I replied.
Skip nodded and said, “We all do!” and called the waitress over.
By 10pm we were all obviously not going anywhere for a while, except for the girls. They bailed at exactly 10 on the dot, saying there was a party they absolutely had to attend or else they’d be in so much trouble. None of the guys questioned that too closely and the girls floated off.
As soon as the drinks arrived, I knew we weren’t going anywhere. This was it for the night. The Mandarin Oriental with Mundo’s international business posse.
And honestly, it was okay. I was going with the flow and trying to enjoy everything on a simple, surface level.
At around 10:45, Daniele asked us all if we wanted to head up to his room and play dominoes.
“I can order up a platter of sandwiches, some drinks, a pot of coffee,” he suggested.
We were all down.
“Gone are the days of clubbing until dawn,” Edo remarked.
I don’t think I’ve ever once clubbed until dawn. But then, I was not an international emerald dealer or a face man.
Mundo called our driver and told him we were good for the night.
Daniele closed out our tab and we walked towards the elevator bank.
