I took a trip down to Panama City sometime in May.
Ostensibly, it was to fill Bolo in on the EBT scheme and to see if I could finally chivvy him along towards Pivot Number Two.
By this point in time, I knew without a doubt what that move had to be. I also knew our third and final pivot, but that was for farther down the road.
We were still currently stuck in the original scheme. The one that had stolen Black Star Shipping & Logistics out from under me, forcing me into PanStar’s machine.
Bolo had me meet him at his new office suite in Costa del Este.
“Mundo should be here soon,” he told me once I’d arrived. “I’m sure you’d like to catch up with each other.”
“But of course,” I replied. “Let’s go into your office and close the door. I have a lot of business to run you through before he arrives.”
Once we were situated, I hit upon all the main topics. Things had calmed down now that Mundo had been removed and the EBT scheme that the kids had brought to me was actually making enough money to justify its existence.
“I think it’ll wind up helping us cover at least a small part of the shortfall we’ve been experiencing while you’ve been trying to rebuild the pipeline,” I said, pointedly. “Pierre and I have been holding on to a contingency inventory, but it’s about to dry up completely. The cupboards are bare, Rafael.”
“Alright, Hopeton, let’s stop talking in circles,” Bolo, the king of circular logic, said. “You flew in to tell me something. What is it?”
“It’s simple,” I replied. “Your attention’s been pulled in other directions. I need to know for sure if PanStar is dead or if you’re planning some ill-advised scheme to drown us in one last massive shipment that we will not be able to handle. Because either way, what we’ve had for the past decade is over, Bolo. Are you going to pivot or are you going to close up shop and release me? Because I’m fine with either option.”
Bolo sighed.
“And do you know what this pivot needs to be?” he asked.
“I do,” I confirmed. “And you know what it is, as well. But I’m waiting for you to tell me.”
“Come back down here in July and we can talk about it then,” Bolo said. “I need to do a little reconnaissance to see if it all can be set up properly.”
I nodded in agreement. Bolo was still bargaining for further delay, but it was obvious he was on the edge of movement.
As soon as we’d wrapped that discussion, we moved onto the usual administrative items- personnel and payroll. But we didn’t get very far before Mundo knocked on the door, then threw it open.
Bolo stood up to greet his de facto heir. I remained seated.
Mundo pulled up a chair next to mine, leaned over and clapped me on the shoulder.
“Hey, that EBT shit worked, right?” he asked.
“Yes, it’s working,” I replied. “And I’m sure your tío is breaking you off a little piece.”
Mundo looked over at his uncle.
“Bolo?”
“Maybe not Bolo,” I conceded. “But if not your uncle, I’m sure your little friends back at the clubhouse are. Aren’t you supposed to be done in New York, Olmando?”
Mundo decided to let that remark ride.
“What do you think about Eula?” he asked. “She’s working out, right?”
“I don’t really pay attention to her,” I told him. “That’s Pierre’s problem. You might want to check in with your article bredren to see if he appreciates everything you’ve saddled him with. But yes, the money is starting to trickle in.”
I stood up to take my leave.
“I’m glad to see Panama’s treating you well, Olmando. I’ll let your father know that.”
I turned back to Bolo.
“I’ll be here for another day or two, Rafael. Let me know if you’d like to get together before I leave. If not, I’ll see you in July. We have a lot to discuss.”
The next day I met up with Mano at a little restaurant near his mother’s house. I needed to have a serious conversation with him.
“How’s everything going?” I asked. “What’s up with Delsy and the kids? How is your mother?”
“Pretty much the same,” Mano told me. “Delsy’s fine. Wilkie’s about to start a construction course at INAFORP. She’s happy about that because she wants me to get him set up with a good job. Marlon’s obsessed with fútbol, which is driving her crazy. My mother’s slowing down, but nothing serious. How long are you in town for this time?”
“I leave tomorrow,” I said. “But I’ll be back in July. I’m going to have to spend more time here from here on in.”
“Bolo still acting up?” Mano laughed.
“When is he not?” I replied.
“That’s just Bolo. It’s in his nature.” Mano had spent years watching Bolo lean on and wear down those nearest and dearest to him.
“And it’s in my nature to protect my own interests,” I said, quietly. “I’m very close to walking away, but I think there’s something I can do here, in Panama, for myself. And I need your advice.”
“Hit me with it,” Mano prompted. “And don’t worry- anything you tell me stays between the two of us only.”
“Thank you for that,” I replied. “Even though I already knew it.”
Mano smiled and asked me to proceed.
“You know how Bolo has tunnel vision,” I began. “If he had his way, I’d be helping him pump drugs into NY until the day I die, or get sent to prison. And I’m not interested in that.”
Mano nodded and murmured his agreement.
“So, as long as I’m tied to him,” I continued, “I may as well use Panama as another revenue stream- something that will help me get out from under it all. And I have something in mind that I know he’ll never even notice.
And it’s something I figured out the first time I met you, way back in 1993.”
