Into the Unknown

The Cooler: Chapter 17

JJ and Raul were able to get a cab fairly quickly, and the drive to Arnie’s was uneventful. After a brief discussion, Raul relented and let JJ pay for the cab.

“Just drop us off in front of the liquor store,” JJ told the driver.

“You got it,” the driver said as he pulled into an empty parking spot where JJ had indicated.

JJ and Raul got out and stepped up on the sidewalk in front of the liquor store. Arnie’s shop was a couple of storefronts in between.

“So, how close can I get before it will affect me?” Raul asked.

“I think if you stand on the edge of the sidewalk in front of the real estate office next to Arnies, you should be safe,” JJ said.

“Ok,” Raul said, walking over to where JJ had indicated. “Alright, I’m ready.”

“It will take me a moment to get prepared,” JJ said, closing his eyes and starting to repeat to himself, “I want to see Ahmonket, I want to buy a lucky gem.”

“Ok, take your time,” Raul said, interrupting JJ's reciting.

JJ stopped his recital, opened one eye to look at Raul, and then went back to his mantra.

JJ said the mantra a few more times and then, with his eyes still closed, reached out to grab the door handle. He pulled, but the door would not open. “Oh great, it’s closed,” JJ said after opening his eyes and seeing the closed sign. JJ stepped back to make sure the spell would not affect him if he thought about Arnie.

“I guess Arnie closed early,” JJ said once he had taken a step back from the door.

“Well, at least we know you can get in the door,” Raul said, walking over to where JJ was standing.

“Do you know where he lives? Maybe we can go visit him there,” JJ said.

“No, he was always cagy about where he lived and what he did when he wasn’t working,” Raul said.

“Hmm, I don’t see hours on the door. I’ve always shown up late morning or early afternoon,” JJ said.

“I don’t think he will open again today. Let's go visit your friend, and then we can decide what time we should try this again,” Raul said.

“Uhh, yeah,” JJ was standing, looking at the door, trying to figure out if the open hours were there.

“Are you ok?” Raul asked as JJ continued to stand there, not moving.

“No, I think I need to get some sleep,” JJ said, finally snapping out of it.

“Do you want a ride to your place?” Raul asked.

“Yeah, that would be great,” JJ said.

The two of them walked back to Bally's and to the self-parking section where Raul said he had parked.

“Here it is,” Raul said, pointing out a black and white Honda CR-X.

“How do you fit in there?” JJ asked when he saw the small car.

“It’s surprisingly big, inside. Besides, it was given to me. I’m not going to complain about a free car,” Raul said.

“Where to?” Raul asked after they got in.

“Sierra Vista Drive. If you head to Maryland Parkway and head north, it will get us there,” JJ said.

“Alright, we’ll be there shortly,” Raul said.

* * *

“Wake up, sleeping beauty,” Raul said to JJ after what seemed like just a few seconds.

“Uhh, wow, I guess I was sleepier than I thought,” JJ said. “Where are we?”

“Sierra Vista Drive and Maryland Parkway, just as you said,” Raul said.

“Oh, okay. Just head up Sierra Vista towards the strip. I’m living in the furnished apartments on the right, just past the Quickie Mart, a block up,” JJ said.

“How come you didn’t recognize where we were?” Raul asked.

“I was dreaming about the desert, and I was a little foggy,” JJ said.

“The desert, huh? That's interesting. What do you dream of being a cactus?” Raul asked.

“No, I dream about driving in the desert with the guy in the hospital,” JJ said while he stared out the window.

“Well, dreams about driving. Are zombies chasing you, or are you running from giant ants?” Raul asked.

“No, we're just driving. This is my place,” JJ said.

“Wow, really. The city is full of incredible apartment complexes with all kinds of amenities, and you're living in … in … I don’t know what to call it, but this is not the place I would expect. Why don’t you just go win a big slot machine jackpot?” Raul asked.

“I guess life has been too complicated for me to find a new place,” JJ said and then sat for a moment in silence.

“Do you need help getting to your apartment?” Raul asked when the silence stretched on.

“Oh, uhm, no, I can make it,” JJ said and then opened the door.

“What time and where?” Raul asked.

“I will probably be up by ten tomorrow morning, but I have to go to UMC,” JJ said.

“Alright, ten it is and I’ll give you a ride to the hospital,” Raul said.

“Ok,” JJ agreed and then stopped for a moment. “Thank you, that would be great.”

* * *

Bang Bang Bang “Police. Open up, we have a warrant.” JJ was woken by someone banging on his door.

“Coming,” JJ yelled back, and then he started to grab his jeans so he wouldn’t answer the door in his underwear.

“We're coming in!’ JJ heard, followed by a door being kicked in.

JJ stumbled out with only one leg in his pants and realized that it wasn’t his door that had been encouraged to open with a boot.

“We have a warrant for the arrest of Robert Calun, AKA Roger Wilcox. Officer, read him his rights and cuff him and put him on the couch while we do our search.” JJ heard from Roger’s apartment.

“I wonder what the grump did that they are smashing down doors,” JJ said to himself, then pulled his jeans off the one leg he had them on. He caught a glimpse of the clock above the TV as he was performing the jeans gymnastics. “Wow, five twenty am. I always heard that the cops prefer to do dangerous takedowns early in the morning, but how dangerous could Roger be?” JJ stood for a moment, trying to decide if he was awake for the day or not. “Well, I guess I’ll get my day started.”

He showered and completed the rest of his morning rituals, then started looking for a clean pair of underwear. “Hmm, I guess it's time to brave the laundry room again,” JJ said after finding only one pair of underwear that would not be considered a biohazard.

He grabbed all the clothes he could find, stuffed them into a few plastic grocery bags, set them by the door, and headed out to find breakfast.

“Good morning,” JJ said to a cop who was standing in front of Roger’s now missing door.

“Hmmph,” the officer said after looking at JJ to determine if he was a threat.

“Have a good day,” JJ said as he walked by him. The officer just watched him go by with his hand resting on his gun.

“Wow, what did Roger do to warrant all that?” JJ said to himself when he got out of earshot of the officer. “Well, I think it's breakfast time or at least coffee time.”

He walked over to Maryland Park and then headed north to an all-night dinner he remembered seeing on one of his cab rides.

The sky was quickly lighting as he made the walk to the dinner. By the time he made it the tip of the sun was just poking up over the buildings to the east.

“Take a seat anywhere,” a waitress at a counter said to JJ.

He looked around, seeing that the place was about half full. Some of the patrons were just starting their day, and some were getting dinner. JJ opted for the counter, where there were a few empty seats, so that he could sit with an empty seat on both sides of him. JJ grabbed the menu from the condiment caddy and started to look for some way to start his day.

“What will it be?” The waitress asked when she made it over to JJ.

“Coffee and the basic breakfast, with an English muf..,” JJ said.

“My usual, Rachel,” a customer said, interrupting JJ as he sat down at the empty seat next to him.

“Got it. Basic breakfast with an English muffin,” the waitress said to JJ. “I’ve got yours too, Mike.”

The customer opened a newspaper and started to read.

“Nice, not a talker,” JJ thought to himself. He sat for a few moments watching the kitchen staff do their thing.

“Cream,” the waitress asked as she dropped off the coffee for JJ and the customer next to him.

“No, black is fine,” JJ said.

“Suit yourself, but I’ll leave it here just in case,” the waitress said.

“You’ll want it,” Mike said.

JJ took a sip and then reached for the cream and sugar. “Wow, you're right,” JJ said to him.

“You want the front section? I’m finished with it,” Mike offered to JJ.

“Thanks, I’ll take it,” JJ said, taking the section of the paper while Mike started on the crossword.

“It’s not the New York Times crossword, but it's still good,” Mike said.

JJ opened the front page of the paper and casually looked through the headlines. When he reached the third page, a headline caught his attention.

“Hawaiian community on edge,” the headline of the article declared. The rest of the article talked about a series of attacks on Hawaiian natives and then referenced another story about the Hawaiian community center covered in graffiti. The article about the graffiti was in the section that included the crossword puzzle.

“Here you go,” The waitress interrupted his reading with his breakfast and Mike’s.

JJ positioned the plate and then tried to fold the paper so he could eat and read at the same time. After trying multiple times to fold it so he could read and still eat, he finally gave up and concentrated on the food.

“More coffee?” The waitress asked JJ right about the time he was putting the last forkful in his mouth.

“Mmmm,” JJ started to respond with a full mouth and then swallowed quickly. “No, thank you,” JJ said once his mouth was empty. “That one cup was strong enough to last me all day long.”

“Are you finished?” the waitress asked Mike.

“Yes, thank you, it was as good as ever,” he said.

“More coffee than?” The waitress asked.

“No, thank you, that was the same as ever,” Mike said with a smile on his face.

“Well, if you are finished with that section, I think it's time for me to head out,” Mike said to JJ.

“Oh, yes, thank you,” JJ said and handed him back his paper.

JJ finished his breakfast and then headed back to his apartment. He still had close to two hours before he was going to meet Raul, but he figured his couch was as good as anywhere to wait.

The weather was nice for an August morning in Vegas. The sun had not had enough time to turn the sidewalks into a concrete oven.

“What’s ya need?” A new entrepreneur asked from one of the payphones at the quickie mart.

“I’m good,” JJ said and then continued.

Walking through the parking lot to cut the corner, JJ saw a couple of big late-model Cadillacs with four big, scary-looking guys just sitting there watching the activity. Only one of the two payphones was occupied, so the two cars were for the one salesman.

“Wow, he’s taking his safety seriously. With that many guys on the payroll, it must really eat into his profits,” JJ thought as he continued on his way.

Walking into the parking lot for his apartment complex, JJ could see Raul’s car. He was sitting behind the wheel, his head resting on the window. He looked asleep, but there was no evidence that he had been there very long. JJ walked up to the passenger side and knocked on the window.

“Good morning, Guardian,” JJ said.

“Uh, oh hey, JJ,” Raul said as he lifted his head from the window. “It doesn’t feel like ten,” he said, then rubbed his eyes.

“How long have you been here?” JJ asked.

“I don’t know. What time is it?” Raul asked.

“It’s about half past eight,” JJ said.

“Oh, then only about an hour. I couldn’t sleep, so I figured I would come over here and wait,” Raul said.

“Did you have breakfast already?” JJ asked.

“Yeah, I ate before I left home,” Raul said.

“Ok, well, are you still up for taking me to the hospital?” JJ asked.

“That’s why I’m here,” Raul said.

“Ok then, do you know where UMC is?” JJ asked as he got in.

“Yep,” Raul said.

JJ settled in and watched the city go by as Raul started the drive. They didn’t get far before the silence got to him, and he had to ask, “So why are you willing to do this? You are obviously tired.”

“I didn’t have anything to do today, and any friend of Arnie is a friend of mine,” Raul said.

“Ok,” JJ said, not entirely believing him.

They were both silent as Raul negotiated the shift change traffic until he was sitting at a red light onto Charleston, and then said, “So you said that you don’t know magic, but you are learning.”

“Yeah, since I lost my ability to be a cooler, I had to do something. Arnie helped me learn a spell to drain luck from someone or something,” JJ said.

“Arnie told us that every spell takes energy. Where does the energy for that spell come from? When I did that lightning spell, you gave me the last word, for it was like I had run a marathon, I was drained,” Raul said.

“You know what I don’t know? When I do the spell, it doesn’t seem to take any energy,” JJ said.

“That makes sense. You are taking something from someone else, so it's being powered by the energy you are taking,” Raul said.

“Hmm, that's interesting,” JJ said and then returned to looking out the window.

The rest of the drive was quicker now that they were on a bigger street and the shift change traffic was lightening.

“Here you go. I’ll wait here so you don’t have to call a cab to go back to your apartment,” Raul said.

“Come on up with me,” JJ said as he got out of the car.

“Ok,” Raul said a little hesitantly.

“It will be okay. I barely know my apprentice — I mean the guy,” JJ said.

“Your apprentice, what do you mean by that?” Raul asked.

“Nothing, ah, uhm, nothing, it was just a slip of the tongue,” JJ said, a little flustered.

“Calling him your apprentice doesn’t seem like a slip of the tongue. Who is this guy?” Raul asked as he stopped walking.

JJ stopped and thought for a second, trying to decide how much he wanted to let his new friend into his life.

“Ok,” JJ said, finally deciding to share with Raul. “There is a cafeteria in the hospital where we can get a coffee and talk. Who this person is is not a short discussion.”

“Lead away, I always like a good story,” Raul said.

JJ looked at him, trying to decide if Raul was telling him he expected him to lie to him or if he was serious and enjoyed a story, whether it was true or not. Finally deciding it didn’t matter, JJ turned and led them to the cafeteria just inside the front door.

“How do you like your coffee? It's on me,” JJ said as they stepped into the dining area.

“A little cream and a little sugar,” Raul answered. “I’ll find a table.”

***

“Here you go,” JJ said to Raul as he set down the coffees.

JJ sat and took a long drink of his coffee, trying to decide where and how to start. “Alright,” JJ said, gathering his courage. “I already told you about how I was a cooler because of a spell and how I thought I was a twenty when I first got into town …” JJ started when Raul interrupted.

“Yeah, so does any of that relate to how this guy upstairs is your apprentice?” Raul asked.

“Yes, I’m getting there. Sorry, some of this has been hard for me to accept, and I don’t know where to start,” JJ said.

“Well, I already know how the story ends, that you have an apprentice, so start at the beginning,” Raul said, trying to prompt him to start telling the story.

“Ok, here goes. I arrived in town about a month ago, towards the end of July. When I got into town, I had to park in the Big Top back parking lot, where my car caught fire … “ JJ started.

“Wait, your car caught fire? Cars don’t just catch fire normally,” Raul said.

“That was when I was cooler,” JJ said, then went on to tell him about how he got paid to be a cooler and how he figured out the luck was coming from a Buddha statue in the Imperial Palace.

“Hold on, the Buddha was full of luck? How?” Raul asked.

“That I don’t know yet, but I drained that luck and spent a few days in the hospital because of it,” JJ said.

“You had told me that you had been the victim of a redirect spell at the Palace. Was that related to it?” Raul asked.

“Yes, because every time I tried to go in when I was thinking about finding the source of the luck, I ended up somewhere else hours later. Arnie was the one who told me how to get around it. Oh, we need to still go there,” JJ said, remembering they still had not made it into the store to check on him.

“Yeah, we can go there right after this if you are up to it,” Raul said.

“That sounds good, I’m not concerned about the spell now that we have gotten by it once,” JJ said.

“Good, now tell me how this guy is your apprentice, I think you are stalling by telling me everything else,” Raul chided.

“Alright, alright. Okay, well, it started shortly after I got into town. I started having dreams about two men in the desert … “ JJ started when Raul interrupted him.

“Is this going somewhere?” Raul asked.

“Yes, yes, it’s important for the story,” JJ said and then continued telling Raul about the dreams of the desert.

“Ok, so you were having dreams about being the subject of a spell, but a dream is not reality,” Raul said.

“No, you are right, a dream is not reality. When I started to have them, I just thought it was weird, but not really relevant at that point. I still thought I was from Salt Lake City and in my early twenties,” JJ said.

“Yeah, you keep saying that you remember, what do you mean by that?” Raul asked.

“Well, when I met with the Hawaiian goddess Ka … ”

“Wait, now there is a goddess in your story,” Raul said, and then reached for his coffee cup and found it empty. “I think we need something stronger than coffee for you to finish this story.”

“I think you’re right. Let’s go see my …uhhmm … apprentice, and then afterwards we can continue this,” JJ said. “Thank you, by the way, this is really helping me.”

“I’m glad I can help. This is getting to be an interesting story, Hawaiian Goddess, you really have a good imagination,” Raul said as he stood up to follow JJ to the room.

JJ looked at him and then went to the desk to find out what room Peter was in.