Look both ways before you go to sleep

[graphicub]

The black private cab was going fast enough, for me, not to be aware of where I was going. The driver could only speak Spanish. There was some communication but it was limited. We were running errands for my dad. The specifics of the errands were fuzzy and also there was not one time that I got out of the car.

The sun was going down and for some reason, I could see better in the vehicle. The driver was wearing a black suit and his Spanish was very slow and deliberate. Was it for my benefit? I could definitely understand a faster speaker. Whatever?

He looked back at me, "okay, end of the day, end of the road, I call your father." He was going to find out where to drop me off. I found this news to be utterly reasonable. He chatted with my dad, on the phone, for a few seconds then hung up. I said nothing. My phone rang.

My dad's voice was fine, like nothing happened: "tonito...tonito." I responded evenly, "hey pop." There was small talk, then baseball talk, ending with my dad's usual, final exclamation: "ah they stink," (he said in English) referring to a sports team but revealing the New Yorker, within the Puerto Rican. He asked about mom and I told him, she's having a tough time. "You have to watch her now. Don't forget your mother."

The road the driver was taking was bumpy, like some ride. I almost lost the phone, "Papi!" "Si Tony," he said. I paused and he said, "he's going to take you home. You guys need to check in on your mother. Your cousin is not doing to well either." "Cousin," I said and opened my eyes.