The New York city lights-Set-up and conversation.

A new chapter.

  The New York city lights

Me and Dorthy were left alone. Our friendly bartender and the manager of the bar went back to work.  I asked her. Tell me your brother name, first and last? What he liked to do and what you know about his time in the service? She looked very sad and she told me. "He loved baseball. Starting pitcher for the High School team and he loved playing chess. He was a joker with a strong personality. He was always tricking me and making me laugh. He told me to have some fun. Quite studying so hard. His name is Paul. 210 pound of laughter before the war. I believe it is the alcohol and drugs that messed him up. He never spoke of why. He came to my apartment early last year. Pissed off and didn't want me near him.  He left my apartment and I received a call. The police took him to Albany Veteran Hospital." She begin to cry and I went to her. Allowed her to release her  sadness as I held her tightly. I lost two brothers to suicide. Both barely twenty years old. I died myself after the second funeral. No emotion or need for human contact till I rejoined the Army.

I liked the bar, the Nuyorican Poet cafe Old fashion feel to the bar. You could feel the ghost still haunting the old bar. I ordered one more whiskey and beer for us. I told Dan. Thank you for your kindness. When I return to New York. This will be my new home. Dan smiled and he told me. 'Son, find a sweet woman like Dorthy. No utopia in the dark taverns and the whiskey." He slapped my back and kissed Dorthy's forehead and he told us. "I hope everything goes well. All we can do is prayer, give love, concern and kindness and hope for a good ending."

We went to the Copacanbana. Dorthy loved to dance. We danced till 12 midnight. I told her. Big day tomorrow. We must arise early. Dorthy smiled and she whispered. "Thank you Johnnie. I appreciate you spending time with me. I feel tomorrow will be okay."  At her apartment. She stripped bare in the living room and she danced to Eric Clayton song "Tears in heaven."  I went to her. Picked her up and I took her to her warm bed. I caressed her like a child. She fell fast asleep quickly.

She awoke early and was dressed in simple brown dress and her hair ties back. I awoke and I saw her. I went to her and released her hair and I told her. Just relax my love. Today will be a good day. She spoke little on the train. She was lost in her thoughts. I saw in her eyes. She feared the outcome. She asked me. "Why did you bring a chess game and the journal?"  I told her. Always plan the mission and have a back-up plan. . Have tools to make the mission a success. She laughed at me and laid her head into my chest.

We arrived at the Veteran Hospital in Albany. Dorthy went to talk to the Doctor. The doctor told her. He don't speak much. He sit alone and looked out the window. The drugs are out of his system. He is upset at his decisions, his world. The Doctor went to Paul. The Doctor told him. He had a visitor. Paul told the Doctor. "I don't want no visitors. Tell them to go home." The Doctor smiled and he told Paul. Your sister came a long way. Please give her some time. It will be good for you. Paul looked out the window and he whispered. "No, please tell her to go home." The Doctor went back to Dorthy and he told her. He won't see you. She begin to cry and the Doctor gave her a gentle hug and pat on her back.

Dorthy came back to me. She told me. "The Doctor told me. He won't see me." I embraced her and I asked. Where is he? Dorthy with flowing tears told me. "In the break room." I brought her near and I told her.  I will go talk with him.

I went to the break room. Dorthy described a large man with blond hair. I saw him by the large window looking out at the rainy day. I brought my journal and the chess board. I went to his table and I sat with him. He tried not to pay attention to me. I spread out the chess game on the table. I put the white pieces toward him. He looked at me and he asked. "What the f**k do you want? You ain't no doctor, are you?" I smiled and reached my hand to him. I told him. My name is Johnnie and I'm looking for a good chess game. If you don't want to play? I will find someone else.

He gave me a smile and he told me. "I can play chess and I will kick your a*s." He took my hand and he told me, his name was Paul. I told him. You are the white and you must lead off the game my friend. We played in silence and he was kicking my a*s. He asked me. "You are a soldier? Damn ugly haircut. What are you doing here?" I told him. My war physical. Ensuring my brains and balls are connected. He laughed at me and he told me. "I know a liar my friend. You are a set-up of a sort. Trying to make me talk." I smiled and I told him. You are right Paul. I'm here for conversation. Paul smiled and he told me. "Checkmate and let's play again. You suck at this game, but you are good company. I smiled and I asked him. Where is you family? He looked outside at the rain and he told me. "I don't deserve no family. I ain't worth a s**t." I told him. Hard to be alone." I set-up the chess board and I played the white. This time the game held a heavy sadness. I won the game. He smiled and laughed. He told me. "You played sleeping dog  and I want a rematch.

I looked at him and I took him. Read five poems and I will give you a rematch. He told me. "F**k off, I knew this was a set-up." I rose-up to leave. He told me to stay. "I will read your damn poetry." He read the five poems and he looked at me and he asked."Can I be saved?"  I told him. You need family to help you and your family needs you. He started to cry and I went to him. I gave him a light hug. He told me. "I told my sister Dorthy to go away today. I wish I didn't now." I told him. Dorthy is here. Let's play the game, regather our thoughts and bring your sister in. I allowed him to win. I asked him. Do you feel you can be okay again? He told me. "I'm trying to get off the drugs and forget the s**t I done. I'm trying to be clean." I told him. You can repair your self and defeat the drugs with help. Do you want to see Dorthy? He smiled and he said. Yes.

I left him and I went to Dorthy. I told her he would see her now. She fell into my arms with joyful tears. I took her hand and I led her to her brother. When she saw him. She released my hand and she ran to him. She embraced him with loving force. I walked a away. I left them, crying in each other arms.

    John Castellenas/Coyote



 

Author's Note

A new chapter.

Reviews

[barleygirl]

Totally mind-blowing sensitivity & humanity & understanding being illustrated thru your actions here. If only others could be like this, there would be so many fewer family feuds. You gave Dorothy & her brother a huge gift here. I feel your actions & words have been made wise & gentle becuz of what you lived thru with your own brothers. Thank you for sharing this. If only one other person could take down a wall after reading this, your writing would be worth more than a million dollars.

[Coyote Poetry]

Thank you my friend. Soldiers and all people need kindness. Life is hard. Some people are like the mountain. Solid and strong. Some people are like the willow tree. Emotional and wild in life and in thoughts.