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Ricardo had an offer right out of college for an apprenticeship, at Rockwell and Jones Landbank and Saving, in New York City. They dealt in real estate loans and were interested in Texas properties. If that had not been the case, they never would have hired a Mexican as their apprentice, although this fact had never crossed Ricardo’s mind. He truly believed his hard work was paying off at long last.
He had been there a year when Claude showed up on his doorstep. It was a cold day in September. Ricardo was dating Mister Rockwell’s daughter, Beth Ann, in secret. She was somewhat of a rebel and dating forbidden fruit was right down her alley. Ricardo called it love.
The knock on his door that morning scared them both. “Ricky, are you expecting anyone?” Ricardo was still trying to get used to the white name they had given him.
“No. Get dressed and stay in here. I’ll see who it is and run them off.”
He opened the door and almost fell down. “My god, Claude? What are you doing here?”
Claude pushed past Ricardo. “I just came to see you. I finished a job on the ranch that I was doing for dad, and with winter coming, I’m on my way to France. I need a place to sleep for a couple of days until my ship leaves.”
Ricardo hurried after Claude. “Wait, wait. Don’t go into the bedroom. I have someone here!”
Claude laughed. “Hell, bring her out. I won’t bite.”
“Please, I need you to drop your stuff here and leave for a few minutes. There’s a pub around the corner – wait for me there. We’ll have a beer and you can catch me up on what is happening back in Texas.”
Claude dropped his suitcase, walked to Ricardo, and leaned close. “What? Are you sleeping with a married woman?”
Ricardo was trying to inch Claude toward the door. “Something like that. I’ll explain everything when I meet you in a few minutes.”
Claude stepped out and Ricardo closed the door and hurried to the bedroom. Beth Ann was behind the curtains. “You can come out now. The coast is clear.”
She rushed out of the bedroom, pushing Ricky aside. “Who was that?” She looked at the suitcase. “What’s going on, Ricky?”
“Nothing is going on. My oldest friend in the world has surprised me and wants to visit for a couple of days. He’s gone to wait for me at the pub around the corner. It’s safe for you to leave now. It wouldn’t be a good idea for us to see each other for a few days.”
“Can your friend not afford a hotel room?”
“He is more than a friend – he is family. We were babies together and have been at each other’s side from the being.”
“Is he Mexican too?”
“No! No, he’s not Mexican. Why would you think that?”
“I was told that in Texas, Mexicans are considered to be brown niggers. I didn’t think you had any white friends back there, and that was why you stayed here.”
“You need to leave now before I say something that we’ll both regret.”
Beth Ann huffed out into the hall. “I hope you and your best friend in the whole world have a wonderful time.”
Ricardo wasn’t surprised. When Beth Ann didn’t get her way, the spoiled brat in her came rushing out, and she would attack with some of the vilest statements that Ricardo had ever heard. But he would deal with that later. His friend was waiting.
They fought their way to each other through the crowd. Suddenly Claude had his big arms around Ricardo, picking him off the floor. “Who is my little brother fucking that is such a secret?”
“Put me down, you big ape. Let’s get out of here and I’ll tell you everything.”
They pushed their way out of the bar onto the street, where they found a wind chilling the air and dropping the temperature. Ricardo led the way to a nice restaurant and bar two blocks down the street. As they walked, he asked, “Why are you going to France?”
“I’m going to find a wife.”
Ricardo looked at Claude and almost laughed. “That’s a hell of a long way to go for a wife. There are plenty of available women right here in New York City.”
“I’m looking for someone more enlightened than the women in our country. Racists are again in control throughout the South, including Texas. If you’re black or brown, you stand a good chance of being hanged. I won’t have a wife who feels that way.”
Ricardo understood what his friend was saying, but he didn’t see how going to France was solving the problem. So, marry a Mexican girl, or even a black.”
They stepped into the restaurant and were met at the door by the maître d’. “A table for two?”
Ricardo had been there a number of times with people from the bank. “Yes, please.”
At the table, the waiter brought them menus. Ricardo looked at Claude. “Do you want to eat or drink.”
“Let’s drink!”
Ricardo waved off the menus and ordered two double whiskeys on the rocks.
They waited before either spoke again. Once they had their drinks, they toasted. Claude clinked his glass to Ricardo’s and offered, “To a long and happy life.”
Ricardo repeated it. “To a long and happy life.”
They drank and placed their glasses on the table at the same time. “Now, tell me about the married woman in your apartment.”
Ricardo shook his head. “It wasn’t a married woman. It was my girlfriend.”
“Bullshit! Why would you not introduce her to me if that was all there was to it?”
“No one knows. She’s my boss’s daughter.” He put his glass to his mouth and took a large drink.
“Your boss’s daughter? Rockwell or Jones?”
“Rockwell. Jones has no children.”
Claude picked up his glass. “Jezz, Ricardo, you’ve only been working there for a little over a year. If her father finds out, you know he’ll fire you.”
“I can’t help it. I love her, and I believe she loves me.”
Claude sat his glass back on the table. “Before this goes too far, you’d better ask her if she’s willing to run off to Texas with an unemployed banker. Because that’s what you’ll be if her daddy gets wind of this.”
“We’re very careful.”
Claude wiggled his head. “Stop and ask yourself, why would she leave the comfort of being the daughter of one of the richest men in America – for you? That’s not even considering the fact that you’re a Mexican and these people are racists. I was surprised you got the apprenticeship to begin with, and then it dawned on me that they were picking your brain about the land grabs in Texas.”
Ricardo emptied his glass and signaled for a refill. “What makes you think they’re racists? Hell, you’ve never met them.”
“I don’t have to meet them. They’re WASP – the upper white class of the East Coast that believes the white race was intended by God to rule over every damn thing.”
Ricardo was vigorously shaking his head. “I don’t believe you. They’ve been very nice to me, and Beth Ann wouldn’t be sleeping with me if they were like that.”
“White men owned slaves and slept with the females. Why do you think you’re any better?”
“It’s not the same thing.”
Claude paused for a moment. “What do you want out of this relationship?”
“I want to marry Beth Ann and move back to San Antonio, where I will open the first Mexican-owned bank for Mexicans.”
“My God, Ricardo! Can you not hear yourself? That girl isn’t going to leave NewYork City with a broke Mexican to live in a dusty cowtown in Texas.”
“You’re so damn smart, why are you going all the way across the ocean in search of a wife?”
“I guess we are both fools, but you’re in danger and I am not. Think real hard about what you’re doing before something happens and you can’t get out of the way.”
Ricardo laughed. “Stop worrying about me. I have things covered. Now tell me, how is J.F. doing? I got a letter from my papi saying he bought a ranch and moved down to the Rio Grande Valley. I guess J.F. is alone.”
“He’s doing okay. I have a new stepsister.”
They both burst out laughing. “You’re fucking joking,” Ricardo said. “Please say you’re joking.”
| Copyright © 2019 by Ed Rogers |
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