Suddenly Mike and Mitch’s cell phone rings. Mitch looks at the cell phone. He then says, “It’s Miss Margarita.” Mitch opens up the cell phone. He speaks into it and says, “Yeah Miss Margarita what’s up? …. Okay.” Mitch closes the cell phone. He turns to Mike and says, “Miss Margarita wants us to come over there for a minute.”
“Miss Margarita?” Nathaniel asks. “She wants everybody?”
“No, just me and Mike.”
“Come on let’s ride the bike there,” Mike says.
Mike comes down on the other side of the fence. He goes to Mitch’s bike. He gets on the back of Mitch’s bike and sits behind Mitch. Mitch starts to ride the bike around the fence and rides Mike away. Nathaniel shouts to them, “Y’all coming back, right?”
“We don’t know yet,” Mitch shouts.
“We‘ll call you,” Mike shouts as Mitch continues to ride him away on the back.
Several blocks away, Margarita and Tomas are still at the back of the van. Mitch suddenly rides the bike towards the Margarita and Tomas with Mike still in tow. Margarita and Tomas turn to Mike and Mitch as Mitch shouts, “Hey Miss Margarita, Mr. Tomas!”
“Hey fellas,” Margarita says as Mike and Mitch approach her. She then says, “We have to get on the tour buses in a few days. Y’all have everything packed already?”
“Yeah most of it,” Mike says.
“Good.”
“How about the rest of the guys?” Tomas asks. “They’re packed yet?”
“I don’t know. The rest of the guys are still at the court.”
“Okay.”
“Miss Margarita,“ Mitch says. “You have any juice in those bags?”
“Yeah,” Margarita says. “There should be some juice in there. See if there’s juice in there.”
Mitch pulls the bike closer to the back of the van. Tomas hands the bag to Mitch. Mitch lifts the bag and brings it to him and Mike. Mike and Mitch look and dig into the bag. They talk with each other as they pull four juices out then hand a couple of juices to each other. Mitch then brings the bag back in front of himself and hands the bag back to Tomas. Tomas puts the bag back into the van. Mitch then says, “Okay Miss Margarita Mr. Tomas, we’re gonna go back to the park.”
“Okay guys,” Margarita says. “Just remember, we’re going to be on the tour buses in a few days.”
“If y’all be at the basket ball court that day,” Tomas says, “be on the buses on time or we’re gonna send the staff members to come get you all.”
“We’ll be on the buses on time Mr. Tomas,” Mike says.
Mitch turns the bike around and says, “Later.”
“Okay guys,” Margarita says.
Mitch pushes the pedal and starts to ride the bike away with Mike in tow as Margarita and Tomas turn back towards the van and continue to pack bags and belongings into the back of a van. Alex approaches Tomas and Margarita again. He says to them, “Hey, there’s people taking merchandise out of that abandoned appliance store two blocks away.”
“Yeah we know,” Tomas says.
“But don’t worry Alex,” Margarita says. “I called the police and the police are going to be here shortly to arrest those people.”
“You called the police?” Alex says.
“I sure did. Let’s try to finish packing more stuff in the vans. Alex go in the building and bring some more bags out the storage closet?”
“Okay.” Alex turns around and heads to the organization building.
Alex approaches the front door of the organization building. He sees Diane D and Michael standing in the doorway looking down two blocks towards the abandoned appliance store. “Hey guys,” Alex says. Diane D and Michael turn towards Alex as Alex says, “Hey Diane? It looks like you just woke up.”
“I did,” Diane D says.
“You know those people are taking merchandise out of that abandoned appliance store.”
“Yeah I see.” Diane D, Michael and Alex look towards the appliance store again. They see one of the people, a heavy set black male coming their direction walking with a cart of appliances. The black male goes in the next house. Diane D starts to call out to him and says, “Hey bro!” The man stops and turns to Diane D as Diane D says to him, “You gonna hold something for me?!”
“Excuse me?” The man says. Diane D steps down the steps.
Michael and Alex look at Diane D as Michael asks, “Where’re you going Diane?”
“I’ll be back Michael,” Diane D says. She turns and heads towards the man as Michael and Alex look at her stunned. Michael and Alex look at each other then back at Diane D.
Back at the park, the Youth boys are sitting on the park benches. Some of the boys sit on top of the benches, some of the boys sit on the seat of the benches while other boys sit on bikes as they face the other boys that are sitting on the bench.
Mitch suddenly appears as he rides the bike back towards the rest of the boys with Mike still riding in the back of him. Mitch approaches the other boys and stops his bike near the other bikes as he faces the other boys that are sitting on the bench. Mike gets off the bike. He bends down to tie his sneaker again. Mike finishes tying his sneaker. He then sits on a basketball right next to Mitch as he faces the other boys that are on the bench. Two other boys sit on basketballs as they face the other boys that are sitting on the bench. Chuckie, one of the boys that is standing turns to Mitch and says, “Hey Mitch, Josh said you and your brother had caused Miss Mary and Miss Margarita’s first maid Nadia to quit.”
“What!” Mitch shouts. “Yo, my brother and I didn’t cause any goddamn maid to quit man!”
“Don’t get mad at me, that‘s what Josh told us before. He said Miss Mary and Miss Margarita’s first maid complained to them that y’all were ordering her around then y’all got mad and threatened to call immigration on her!”
“Well the bitch is lying man!” Mike shouts.
“Ah come on now everybody!” Nathaniel shouts. “I told y‘all not to bring up the maid story to them!”
“I was just kidding!” Chuckie says.
“Kidding?! Well you need to stop kidding like that Chuckie because all you’re gonna do is cause unnecessary trouble here!”
“Yeah man!” Timmy says.
“I’m sorry,” Chuckie says.
“Yeah and I’m sorry for telling your big mouth!” Josh says.
Chuckie turns to Mitch and says, “Hey, sorry man.”
Chuckie is about to give Mitch a slight hug, but Mitch angrily jerks his body away from Chuckie and shouts, “Yo get the fuck off me man!”
Chuckie quickly backs away from Mitch as he holds his arms and hands up and says, “Sorry man. Sorry.”
“Oh come on y‘all!” Pete says. “Can’t we just get along?” Few of the other boys laugh a little. The boys start to talk with each other as Mitch continues to sit on the bike and Mike continues to sit on the basketball.
Suddenly, seven black and Hispanic pre-teen and little girls walk down the pathway in the park. They pass by Mike, Mitch and the other boys looking at them. Mike, Mitch and the other boys continue to talk with each other as Mitch continues to sit on the bike and Mike continues to sit on the basketball. The girls finish walking past Mike, Mitch and the other boys and start to giggle to each other. When the girls finish walking past Mike, Mitch and the other boys, they turn their heads around to look at them. They see Mike, Mitch and the other boys talking with each other, not paying them any mind. The girls turn to each other as one of them says, “They’re not even paying us any mind.”
“Yeah I know,” a second girl says. “Come on let’s go.” The girls take one last look at boys then continue to go about their way.
Mike, Mitch and the rest of the boys continue to talk with each other. Gordon suddenly smacks his arm and shouts, “There’s mosquitoes around here!”
“There sure is,” Pete says. Pete and Gordon turn to Mitch as Pete asks, “You feel mosquito bites Mitch?” Mitch holds his left arm out. He looks down at it and feels his skin for Mosquitoes. He then holds his right arm out. He looks down at it and feels his skin for Mosquitoes. Pete looks closer at Mitch‘s arm and asks, “You feel mosquito bites yet?” Serious looking Mitch looks his eye balls up at Pete then shakes his head no. Mitch puts his right arm back down and turns his head back towards the other boys that are on the bench and listens to them as they continue to talk.
Chapter 21
Family Learns Diane D Stole A Refrigerator
There is commotion going on outside the abandoned appliance store. Police are in front of the store. There is a crowd of people outside the store. Margarita, Mary and Tomas are fussing with police as the police hold several people. Nicolas is frustrated as he looks on. The Youth Performers and Athletes suddenly approach the commotion. Mitch pulls up on the bike with Mike sitting and riding behind him again holding their shirts on their shoulders. Mitch pulls up to Margarita as Mike asks, “What happened Miss Margarita?”
Margarita and Tomas turn to Mike and Mitch as Margarita says, “Nothing happened boys. Just stay back.” Margarita and Tomas turn back to the police and continue to fuss with them.
The heavy set black man who Diane D was talking to earlier, who is now being held by the police, turns to Margarita and shouts, “You had no right to call the police on us Ma’am!”
“I had every right to call the police on you!” Margarita shouts back.
“No you didn’t!”
“Yes we did!” Mary and Tomas shout.
“Listen!” Margarita shouts. “Anybody that’s stealing merchandise out of that store is ignorant!”
“Ignorant?” the man says.
“That’s right ignorant?!”
“Okay fine then! But if we’re ignorant, I guess your granddaughter Diane D is ignorant too!”
“What!” Margarita, Mary and Tomas shout. “Diane?!”
“That’s right, if we’re ignorant, I guess Diane D is ignorant also!”
“What the hell are you talking about Diane is ignorant?!” Tomas shouts.
“What does she have to do with this?!” Margarita shouts.
“She asked us to hold a refrigerator for her!” the man shouts.
“What!” Margarita, Mary and Tomas shout.
“Diane D asked me to hold a refrigerator for her!”
“What are you talking about Diane asked you to hold a refrigerator for her?!” Mary shouts.
“When we were taking merchandise out of the store, Diane D asked us not to take the refrigerator, she said she wanted it!”
“What!” Margarita, Mary and Tomas shout again.
“So if we get arrested for grand larceny or theft, then Diane D should get arrested too!” a second man shouts.
“Diane didn’t take any doggone refrigerator out of that store!” Mary says.
“Yes she did!” the first man says. “The refrigerator is gone!”
“That’s right,” the second man says. “The refrigerator is gone and she’s the one who took it!”
One of the police officers turns to another police officer and asks, “Did you see any refrigerators in the store when you just left out of there?”
“No,” the other officer says. “There was no refrigerator in there. I didn’t see one at all.”
“Well Diane didn’t take it!” Mary shouts.
“Yes she did take it!” the second man shouts. “She said she was going to donate the refrigerator to charity, that’s why she wanted us to hold it for her!”
“Donate the refrigerator to charity?!” Margarita shouts.
“We don’t donate stolen merchandise to charity!” Mary shouts. Mitch pulls the bike closer to Mary with Mike still in tow.
The police officer turns to the man and asks, “Do you know where Diane D might be storing the refrigerator sir?”
“She said she was going to put it in the basement somewhere!” the man says.
“Did she say what basement?”
“No she didn’t say!”
“My child still didn’t take any damn refrigerator from there!” Mary shouts.
The officer turns to Mary and says, “We have to make sure she didn’t take the refrigerator ma‘am. To prove it, we might have to check the basement of your organization.”
“Well by o’means Officer. We have nothing to hide.”
“Okay.” The officer turns and walks away. Diane D’s family start to fuss with each other as Mike, Mitch and the rest of youth performers and athletes look on. Mary and Margarita turn to Mike and Mitch as Margarita says, “Come on guys, let’s get your shirts on.” Margarita grabs Mike’s shirt as Mary grabs Mitch’s shirt and start to help put Mike’s and Mitch‘s shirts back on them.
Ten minutes later, Mary, Margarita, Tomas and Nicolas lead two police officers down to the organization basement. Tomas turns on the light. They all look in the corner and are stunned to see a refrigerator there. “What!” Mary, Margarita, Tomas shout.
“Whose refrigerator is that?” the officer asks. Mary, Margarita, Tomas and Nicolas remains stunned. The officer turns to them and asks, “Is that your refrigerator?”
“No officer,” Tomas says. “I’m afraid it isn’t. That’s not our refrigerator.”
“It isn’t?”
“No. We don’t know where it came from, we didn’t put that there.”
“Well maybe this is the refrigerator the people said your granddaughter Diane D had taken. Where is Diane D? Because if she’s the one who took this refrigerator, then she will have to be arrested.”
“What!” Mary, Margarita, Tomas and Nicolas shout.
“You can’t arrest Diane!” Mary shouts.
“Why not Ma’am?” the officer says. “If I arrest the other people, then I will have to arrest anybody else who has any stolen merchandise in their possession.”
“You can’t arrest Diane!”
“Why not?”
“You just can’t that’s all! I’m going to deal with her!”
“Ma’am, the only way Diane D won’t get arrested and be let go, is that I let the other people go too. It’s only fair. I can’t arrest some people while I let others go.”
Mary, Margarita, Tomas and Nicolas worriedly look at the officer. “Okay officer,” Mary says. “You win. You can let those people go.”
“Are you sure about that?”
“If it’s the only way to keep Diane from being arrested, then we’d rather for you to let those people go too.”
“Go ahead officer,” Margarita says. “Let those people go.”
“Alright,” the officer says. “I‘ll go release them. I’ll send for the refrigerator.” The officer turns and walks up the basement stairs as Mary, Margarita, Tomas and Nicolas turn and puzzled look back at the refrigerator.
Later on in the evening, Mickey is walking towards the living room inside Margarita and Tomas‘ home. The phone suddenly rings. Mickey goes to pick up the phone receiver. He speaks into the receiver and says, “Hello?”
“Hi Mickey,” Keyara says. “It’s me Keyara.”
“Oh hi Keyara. Listen Keyara, I can’t stay on the phone too long.”
“You can’t? Why not?”
“There’re problems going on with my family right now.”
“You mean like your sister Diane taking that refrigerator, huh?”
“Yes. First my family have to deal with Mike and Mitch’s issues with threatening the other maid Nadia with reporting her to immigration and worrying that her husband might file harassment charges against Mike and Mitch!”
“What? Her husband is planning to file harassment charges against Mike and Mitch?”
“He might! And now we have to deal with Diane’s issues of possible theft charges and hope she doesn‘t wind up getting arrested later and wind up back in jail! I don’t know what’s going to happen with my family right now. All I know is that I have to be with them.”
“Okay Mickey I understand. Just hang in there. Things will start to smooth out in time.”
“Yeah I hope so.”
“It will. Well I won’t hold you up any longer. Soon as you sort things out with your family, call me okay?”
“Okay Keyara, I will. Thanks.”
“No problem Mickey. Talk to you later. By.”
“By.” Mickey hangs up the telephone and walks away.
The following day in the afternoon, the Diaz-Davidson Organization performers and some staff members are down the block from an arena building boarding around 5 or 6 tour buses. Mary comes out of the arena building. She hurries down the block to the staff members. She approaches the staff members and asks, “Are all the kids on the bus yet?”
“No not all of them,” Crystal says. “Mike and Mitch and some of the other boys are still at the basketball court.”
“They are?”
“Yeah,” Crystal says. Mary firmly looks at Crystal as Crystal nervously hides behind Stephanie and says, “I just thought you ought to know that.”
“Well all the kids are suppose to be on the buses already!” Mary shouts. “I thought I told you all to make sure all the kids are on the bus first!”
“At least we made sure most of the kids were on the buses first! We even called out to them at the basketball court while they were sitting and hanging around the benches. We told them it was time to pack their belongings and get on the bus. Most of the kids in the basketball court packed their belongings and left the basketball court and came to the buses, but Mike and Mitch didn’t pay us any mind! They and the other boys continued to hang out at the benches chit-chatting!”
“Plus they gave us such a hard time last time we tried to get them off the basketball court!” Stephanie says.
“That’s right,” Harvey says. “They caught a bad attitude and tried to knock Howard’s head off and the security guard’s head off which made the ball ricochet off that security guard’s head and hit Stephanie’s head! I really don’t want to deal with those two! I don’t want them trying to knock my head off!”
“I don’t want them trying to knock my head off either Mary,” Monique says.
“Oh come on now you all cut it out, alright!” Mary shouts. “Mike and Mitch aren’t going to do anything to anybody this time, they know better! I have to go back in the building and get the rest of the things out! Now when I come back, I expect to see all fifty kids including Mike and Mitch inside these buses alright! I’ll be back!” Mary turns and hurries away. The staff members look at Mary as she hurries back to the arena building. They then turn and worriedly look at each other.
“Well what are we going to do?” Crystal says. “Should we try to get Mike and Mitch and risk them trying to knock any of our heads off with that basketball again?”
“No not me,” Stephanie says. “I’m not going through that again. Are you going to get them?”
“No. Are y’all going to get them?”
“I’m not going anywhere near those two,” Phyllis says. “Why don’t you go get them Monique.”
“I’m not going anywhere near them either,” Monique says.
“Me either,” Evette says.
“Listen you all,” Harvey says. “If Mike and Mitch or all the kids aren’t on any of these buses, Mary might fire all of us!” The staff members worriedly look at Harvey. “Listen I’ll go get Mike and Mitch, but in order for me to do that, I need to round up some men to come with me.”
“You actually need other men to back you up?”
“Well y’all not doing it!”
“Well if you do round up some men, be careful just in case Mike and Mitch kick on any of you guys! The way Mike and Mitch be fighting, kicking and hurt