"This Is Not Happening!"
Mi Tio Joe has been driving for Desert Cab Company in Las Vegas for many years. He used to spend lots of time with our familia on his days off, but something bad happened between him and my dad and that all changed. Occasionally, I saw my uncle driving his cab when we went downtown or when we were near the Strip. My father ignored the fact it was him and would even pretend he didn't see him. I asked my dad many times why my uncle didn't come around any more? but he always said, 'You're too young to understand."
Before that, there were many times mi Tio would pick me up from school in his orange and white taxi. The kids would laugh when he'd honk his horn and yell, 'Rapido' Muchacho!'(Hurry up kid)
I'd always felt special being driven around in his taxi. Mi Tio always hammed it up and called me "Sir Little Joe" or "Senor." Then he'd drive me over to Sonic Burger drive thru for a cherry lemonade slushy before taking me home. Yeah, it was sure fun, but that's been over three years now and I'm now in the eighth grade.
It was last September, a little past Labor Day, when I drove my lowrider bike over to the Boulevard Mall to pick up a few more things for the new school year. After a couple of hours of shopping I had everything I came for. I walked outside to where I parked my bicycle and it was gone. 'This is not happening! Where is my bike?'
I'd just got the Schwinn bike last Christmas and really liked being able to get around on it, well not too much in the summer, but regardless I still needed to get back home.
What could possibly happen next? A monsoon downfall; yep it started to rain hard.
I ran over to the taxi stand and found several taxis parked there. Somehow I had hoped mi Tio would be there. There were two Yellow Cabs and one Desert Cab so, I went over to the orange and white taxi and asked if he could give me a ride. He pointed over to the cabs in front of him, "He's next kid," the driver said.
I told the driver my uncle also worked for this company and he said, 'All right get in.' His name was Willie Jones according to his taxi license. He motioned to the yellow cab in front of him to move and the driver let us out. He drove with the window down despite the rain.
"So what happened to you kid? Why are you so upset?" the driver asked.
I told him what had happened and about my Uncle Joe.
"Yeah, I think I've seen him at the yard a couple of times if I'm not mistaken," he said, "I think he's working a later shift than before. If I see him, do you want me to give him a message?"
"No," I said, " "just take me home."
My father was mad because I took the taxi home and he yelled, "I told you to get a bigger lock for your bike. Don't expect me to go out and get you another bike, money doesn't grow on cactus in the desert!"
He also said I should've called my mom for a ride home. She rolled her eyes and said, "Hey maybe he should've called you at work and maybe you shouldn't be so hard on your son!"
I spent the rest of the day in my room, stewing about my bike. I hated the feeling of knowing someone had ripped me off and now has my lowrider bike. It had stopped raining and when nighttime rolled around you could see the lightning bolting across the sky. The lighting flashes hypnotized me as they lit up my dark room. While lying there, I must've fallen into a deep sleep and started to dream. It was one of those dreams that carry a lot meaning.
In my dream, we were having a big family dinner of some sort and were all sitting around our dinner table. In front of me a huge piece of pumpkin pie with whipped cream on top. As I ate the pie, I could hear my father, mother and Uncle Joe talking.
My father told my uncle, "You know I've talked to my boss over in the personnel department and he asked if you were still interested in the 'Merchandising Coordinator' position and I told him, not only were you interested, but you were more than qualified to handle the job."
My uncle looked angry and said, "You shouldn't of done that Jessie. I told you I like my job and don't have any plans on doing anything else right now."
I looked at my mother and all she kept saying was, "This can't be happening, this couldn't be happening..."
"Is this what father worked for and sent you to College for, uh, to drive a stupid taxi! You're wasting your life away driving taxi. Take the job; I'm sure you would like to work the "nine to five" hours instead of half the day behind the wheel of a cab. I already said you would!"
My Uncle Joe turned and smiled at me, "You're going to eat all that pastel pac-man? He said.
"Get out of my house you idiot! Go drive your stupid taxi and throw your life away! Just get out of here and don't come back!" my father screamed.
"Well, I guess I'll see you around Little Joe," he told me before leaving and slamming the front door.
I was so mad I picked up my plate of pie and threw it on the floor. It seemed as though it moved in slow motion until it reached the floor and then it made a loud crashing sound as it exploded everywhere.
As it crashed, I woke to another sound. The sound of the gate bell rang on our rod iron fence. It had begun to rain again and I was still half asleep, but when I looked out my upstairs window I could've sworn I saw a taxi zoom away. I must've been dreaming.
Early the next morning father called to me, "Wake up sleepyhead," he yelled, "Come see the surprise mom has for you."
There on the front porch was a primered gray lowrider bike. "Your mother must've got up very early today. Make sure you call her at work and tell her, "muchos gracias."
I brought the bike inside and gave mom a call like dad told me too. She said, "I thought your dad had got it for you because he acted like a big jerk. You better not ride it until we get to the bottom of this."
I walked back outside to the porch and there was a brown bag on one the chairs. Inside the bag were a heavy-duty pad lock and a chain. There was also a note, which simply read, "Take care of this one Little Joe."
As I read the note I then remembered the taxi from the night before speeding off. It had to be my Tio Joe. The taxi driver who brought me home from the mall, must've of told him what happened to me at the mall. I had to find out, but it was still too early.
"I better keep this a secret from mom and dad for now." I thought.
That afternoon, I rode the old schwinn bike over to the mall, even though mom told me not to. I was going to get to the bottom of this so I figured it was okay. At the taxi stand were four cabs but no Desert Cabs. I waited and watched; Checker, Western, Yellow, but not one single Desert Taxi.
I decided to ride up to the strip and maybe, just maybe I'll find my uncle.
The strip was busy as I rode past Circus Circus and continued up to the Frontier. It was getting to be way too hot to be riding around and I almost had given up when a taxi cut right in front of me.
"What's happening baby," it was Willie Jones. "I see your uncle hooked you up nicely with that sweet looking oldie."
"Hey Willie, have you seen my uncle today? I've been riding all over looking for him"
"No man, I think he's got the day off today kid.If I see him though, I'll give the word. Hey man I got to go. Take care of that little cruiser and everything will be cool."
Willie Jones sped off and I so did I. I'd better get home and talk to mom, I thought. She'll be home before dad and she'll know what to do.
All through dinner mom gave me the eye that was the signal to tell my father about the bike. It seemed kind of funny though, my dad didn't even mention anything about it; maybe I shouldn't either.
It was now close to nine when mom patted me on the shoulder. "You better say something soon to your dad, it's getting late."
Dad was relaxing in front of the television when I told him. "Dad, it wasn't mom who bought me the bike it was Uncle Joe." There I said it; straight and to the point. I had said it.
For a moment, the house was quiet. Dad looked over to mom, got up, grabbed his keys and said, "Is that right! Come on, were going for a little ride."
"Are you mad? Don't be mad at him! Where are we going?" I asked but he didn't answer me.
We were headed east towards Sunrise Manor. My uncle lived up near Hollywood and Bonanza so we must be going over there.I just knew it.
"What are you going to do Jessie?" my mom asked. You know if Joe bought the bike, he was only thinking of his nephew."
Dad still said nothing.
I remembered once a long time ago my uncle told me, "You know your dad used too 'tirar bronca.' (Kick ass) He was just like Roberto Duran."
"Who's Roberto Duran?" I asked.
"Well, you know who Oscar De La Hoya is don't you? Roberto Duran was one hundred times better a fighter than him and so is your father."
I hoped dad doesn't do anything like that or fight with. I sure loved my uncle and really missed having him in our lives.
Dad pulled right up into the driveway where my tio was working on an old car in the garage. "Stay Here," he said.
As he walked closer to the garage he yelled, "Jose!"
Mom looked at me and I looked at her. We both said at the same time, "This is not happening!"
Tio Joe slid out from under the car he was working on and walked towards my dad. They both stopped and stared at each other for a minute. At first, my father looked angry, but he reached out his hand to my uncle and they both smiled. I jumped out of the car and ran over. My dad said, "I thought I told you to wait in the car."
My Uncle Joe looked at me as I started back to the car. My dad said, "You forgot to give your uncle a hug."
"What are you working on? What is that, a 1950 Fleetline?" my dad asked.
Tio Joe laughed and said," Man Jessie, you don't know your cars. That's a 52 Chevy, just like the old one primo Gigs had."
We all stood there in the driveway as my dad and uncle talked about old cars for a couple hours. Out of the bad came something good and we were all happy again.
A Few Weeks Later....
It was on a Friday, when I walked out of the schoolyard and found my Tio Joe sitting in his taxi. "Excuse me Senor," he began, "did you call a cab?"
"I sure did."
"Well get in and where can I take you today sir?"
"How about over to Sonic drive-thru and then home James."
"Uh, excuse me, the name's Jose."