City of my Life: Stories about Maiami III – Dan Brat

November 1, 2012

Court is adjourned. Desiree sighs in desperation of utter boredom. She puts her sunglasses back on. The judge asked her to remove them before commencing trial. She walks down the aisle past indignant expressions, a mix of shock and horror. She sends a mass text. All she wants is a fucking blunt already.


***
“I don’t even get what you’re still showing up for.” Lindsay laments Desiree’s dilemma with a slight-mouth gesture. She clicks on Chris Brown’s “don’t judge me” stream. Desiree hits the blunt. “Like, I know you’re the one who fucked up initially, but  like why can’t you do something you actually believe in if they want you to do community service?” I know, that’s what I’m saying, agrees Desiree.
***
Adrian sets down his keys on the red-tile kitchen island. His wife comes up from behind and places her hands on his shoulders. He sighs. He listens to the footsteps of his children trotting up the stairs. “I just can’t believe it. I can’t. I can’t forgive her.” Pilar shakes her head. “The look on her face, like she didn’t care, the amount of disrespect for my mother!” Teresa attempts to bring down Adrian’s arms. “NO! I’m ANGRY baby! I have been insulted. My mother, Teresa, MY MOTHER, SHE MURDERED MY MOTHER. She got in the car, she HIT my mother, she was DRUNK, and now she sits there with that look on her face like we’re wasting her time, IT’S A DISRESPECT TO MY MOTHER!”
***
Frankie grips his humid pint glass. “I agree Adrian, I agree. I fucking agree. It’s messed up.” The bartender glances at Adrian. Adrian waves two fingers her way. “It’s not right, man. It’s not right. The little whore!” Frankie chugs his beer and slams it on the bar. Two whiskey shots and two heinekens are set in front of them. “She commited a sin, a crime, she KILLS YOUR MOTHER, JANIE AND BABO’S GRANDMOTHER, AND SHE THINKS SHE CAN GET AWAY WITH IT BY DOING COMMUNITY SERVICE @ULTRA!?”