CHAPTER 19: GATHERING OF THE COUNSEL

The group was back in the car with Jak at the wheel. Just like old times. "This is weird" said Burke. They all were in agreement. All were feeling a similar feeling; that they never thought that they would be all together again, not like this.

After a few moments Jak broke the silence. "Are there any good radio stations left in town?" he asked.

"OK Jak, let's have this out in the open" Burke said with a sigh. "It's going to be in the background keeping us from having any fun, so let's deal with it and move on. What are you on parole for?"

"Nothing-I think WBUZ went rap" Jak said trying to steer the topic off parole and back on music.

"Come on Jackie... You don't go to prison for nothing. Tell uncle Burkie what you were in the big house for."

"Let's just say that drinking, computers, and guns are a baaaaad mix."

"Drinking, computers and guns?" It was all he could do to keep from blurting out in laughter. He had to be kidding.

"Yeah. Let that be a lesson to you. They don't mix."

"Jak what were you doing with a gun anyway?"

"It was left over."

"From what?"

Jak hesitated. He was more embarrassed than anything else. "My last profession. You know how it is. Sometimes when you take a new job, you might need new tool. A special tool-right? Guys in the trades might buy a certain type of saw or steel toed shoes. Like that. In my last profession I needed a gun."

"What were you? A guard? A night watchman?"

"No man, I was in free enterprise. This is America after all. Land of opportunity."

"What kind of 'Free Enterprise' Jak?"

"I would walk into an enterprise and take things for free-like cash." He grinned hoping that they would get his joke. The inmates always loved that one.

"I don't follow what you are saying."

He hesitated, debating whether or not he should say. "I robbed liquor stores," he blurted out. "But wait before you judge me let me say that I served my time and I am totally rehabilitated."

"That was your profession?"

"Well yeah, if you've never done it you may not realize that it takes a lot a training to get good at it. The guy I started with was an excellent teacher. He had lots of patience and a good eye. He could take out three surveillance cameras in three shots: Pop! Pop! Pop!. I worked under him for about a year and a half before I went into business for myself."

"Well you must not have been that good if you got caught-right?"

"I only got caught ONCE man that's all. That's a near impeccable record-and that wasn't my fault. But it's all behind me now. The second time I got busted was a mistake. A big mistake. That was totally avoidable."

Burke could see that he was getting agitated, but was too interested to quit. "Tell us about that" he said.

"I'll never drink when I'm trying to work the damn computer; they are so damn stubborn. I don't see how you can deal with them."

"You're not making any sense. How many times did you go to jail? This isn't Monopoly we're talking about here."

"Twice, once for robbery, and once for criminal vandalism. The second one was a mistake, I shot up a computer."

"Who's computer did you shoot out?"

"Social security office computer. Hey, it was bad judgment on my part. I know that now. Now whenever I use them damn things I PUT THE GUN DOWN. No matter how mad you get at your computer. Just put the gun down and walk away. It took me two years, but I learned that the hard way."

"Well OK then. I guess we can all learn from your little mistake." Burke looked over at that man behind the wheel and wondered what had happened to him. "Liquor stores eh?" He was dwelling on the new Jak.

"As I've mentioned, Burke I've moved on from that. I tried it. It paid well. I liked the hours, but discovered that it wasn't for me. I'm even trying to develop a geek nature like you. I'm taking a word processing course."

"Computers eh? You're not packing at class are you?"

"No way! I told you guns and computers don't mix."

"Good for you. Listen I've just had an idea. It's about a line of work that you may be very good at. It testing computer games. You get to shoot people and things in the game and get paid for it. I've got some contacts in the business. You might be a good candidate for a job like that."

"Testing games. Man that sounds great."

"If you are good, it could be a great living. It's not all the fun you might imagine though. They give you a scene, or a special part of the game and you may have to hammer on it all day, sometimes all week. The same scene over and over. Testing all scenario's and reporting all glitches. Still with many companies you can work at home. Like I said it's not for everyone, but you may be good. Sounds like you enjoy shooting, perhaps blowing things up?"

"Yeah who doesn't?"

"I'll pretend I didn't hear that" Sunni said.

"But wait Burke, I don't even have a computer."

"Don't worry about that. I can take care of that." He paused for a moment. "I sure wish that Maggie were here. She's my secretary. She would take care of everything. If we were back in Chicago you'd be getting a call for an interview tomorrow, and your PC would be arriving by express tomorrow too."

Sunni jumped in. "She does a lot for you, doesn't she?"

"Well yeah, I mean sometimes" he answered switching to his defense team.

"More than sometimes?"

"Yeah. What's your point Sunni? Maggie is great but don't give her too much credit. After all she is just a good secretary, but there are many good ones out there. She helps me whenever she can."

"What about the time she posed as your wife for your Japanese clients? Or how about the time she accepted that award on your behalf when you were so sick. You still say that she's only good?"

"How did..." Burke suddenly got quiet. He had been betrayed and busted royally. He began thinking about Maggie and all the things she did do. Sunni was right; she was a great woman and a great friend. He was saved by the bell as Jak pulled into the airport. Jak found an excellent parking spot and the group went in to meet the happy couple.

After a short wait, the plane arrived on time. Jak, Sunni, and Burke had their faced pressed up to the glass trying to catch a preview of Mostly-Bob and Fauna. They couldn't wait. "Look! There they are!" All three started calling and waving but of course Mostly-Bob and Fauna did not see them because of the tinting of the glass. Burke studied the couple for a moment. They looked so-so normal. It was as if they had returned from a different past; different from the one burned in Burke's memory. They looked professional-successful; like middle class royalty. Not at all like two alley cats scamming for scraps so many years ago. Maybe they still were, just real good at it.

A moment later they emerged.

Mostly-Bob gave Burke a big hug. "Man I thought I'd never see the likes of you again" he said beaming with a joyful grin. "Likewise" said Burke. "Last time I saw you was in the hospital-having just had the shit kicked out of you."

"Wow-remember that! I almost forgot that!" Mostly-Bob said. Burke was having a hard time believing that. It all seemed like yesterday to him. "Aren't you going to introduce me to this gorgeous babe?" Burke asked him as Fauna approached. She looked at him for a moment, deeply into his eyes. He didn't say anything but looked back; it was like looking into a one way mirror. The kind at some department stores-others can see out, but when one tries to look in, one can you only see himself. Fauna stepped up to the plate and grabbed him by the jaw. She planted a long steamy kiss on his lips. He could hear the group chuckling as he pantomimed trying to get out of her grips, but she had him in a good, tight lip lock. "I really missed you lover boy!" Fauna said. Then catching herself "This is quite out of character for me these days. My students think I'm cold. Much of the time I am. I don't know, somehow I feel different here-it's different here isn't it Roop? Do you feel it too? I've only been in town for two minutes, and I feel good; I feel alive." She smiled that captivating smile. She was wearing the same perfume that Burke found irresistible.

The group began catching up on what they've been up to as they casually wandered down to baggage claim. "So when is the big day?" Burke asked Fauna. "What big day are you referring to? Aren't you having a big day this weekend?" Sunni walked up between the two and grabbed each by the arm as she lead them toward the Lexus. "How was your flight?" she asked Fauna.

"Fine. By the way, Sunni be sure to thank Maggie for arranging the flight" Fauna said.

"Maggie?" Burke asked.

"Yes Maggie is Sunni's secretary" Fauna answered.

"OK Sunni what the hell is going on..."

Sunni didn't let him finish. "I guess I need to explain about the relationship Maggie and I have" she said as Burke began running the nightmare in his imagination. "Oh no. No, not you two. You-you aren't?" he asked.

"You guessed it we are!"

"Lesbians?"

"NO! Maggie is my sister" she said not believing the question he just asked. "Maggie is my sister. Let me finish. Maggie got hired at your firm as a temp years ago. Just by coincidence—really. She saw you name somewhere and remembered it; remembered some of the stories I told about a guy with the same name. Then she called me. It took some time but we verified that you were the same guy. I mean there aren't many guy's walking around with a name like yours. Anyway she became intrigued. She began working her way toward your group. She was really lucky to be hired by you, but I helped her chances a bit. I told her what you liked, and how to do the right things."

"Set up like a bowling pin. That makes sense. That's why you knew my calendar and why she was so cooperative running interference for me back at work."

"Yes. We've been planning our meeting for some time."

"But you two have different last names."

"Mom remarried when Maggie was little and her step dad adopted her. Behind the new brand name lies a Shanahan chassis."

"So what you are saying is I've spent the majority of my life running to and from the Shanahan sisters?"

"'Fraid so!" She said, now beaming with pride.

"Son of a bitch!"

"Well where to?" Jak asked punctuating Burke's son of a bitch! the way he had done so many times before. They were all together and it was almost like the '70's, except this time they all wore designer sandals.

Sunni answered. "To the train station; it's almost four o'clock and I have a surprise. "I'll bet this weekend will be full of surprises" Mostly-Bob added.

"Gee Rupert, you're so perceptive..."

There they were at the train station waiting for the City of New Orleans to arrive. Burke counted people. Sunni, Mostly-Bob, Fauna, Jak. General Marchbank was married, and Fluke was in a cult. Norb was already in town. Who could be arriving?

It wasn't long before the City of New Orleans arrived. They waited and guessed who would be the next guest. One of the last people to get off was Maggie! Burke was absolutely delighted. "You have no idea how pleased I am to see you young lady" he told her. He liked the way she looked in blue jeans. He had never really seen her in anything less formal than business casual. He liked her appearance very much.

"Well you're lucky that my last performance review was good-else I wouldn't be here!" she joked.

The group was reunited and even had recruited a new member.

"Jak find a hotel near downtown. This stay is on me" Burke ordered.

They did find one close by the strip and proceeded to check in. "Let's meet for dinner at seven o'clock" Burke suggested. "My treat--Maggie can I afford it?" Maggie smiled but did not say anything.

The Shanahan sisters roomed together, Mostly-Bob and Fauna, who had announced that they had been married for seven years, roomed together. Burke wasn't sure about how Jak was with other men after prison so they each got their own room. The group split up and settled in. Seven rolled around and they once again joined each other's company.

"Tell us about acting" Burke asked Mostly-Bob.

"Well it's fun-sometimes. But it's also real. Very real. You helped me out quite a bit with it" he said.

"How so?"

"After you left I thought about things. I was thinking about my role in the group. I figured it out one day. Neither you, nor Jak or anyone else for that matter could define my role, or decide my worth. I and only I can do that. Once I got that concept, I mean really got it, I took it on the road."

Fauna continued Mostly-Bob's thought. "I guess that's why I married Rupert. We are so alike. We are both actors in our own way. I'm not really the person you thought you knew years ago. My so-called wild behavior was really my personal advertising blitz to a young man's biology. The velvet touch paid my way all the way through grad school. Everyone tried to, but only I could decide who I was and what my value was-especially to myself."

"That is way cool you guys. OK tell me I'm dying to know. Where is Fauna's tattoo? She's had me thinking about that for many years" Burke said.

"That's funny. We discussed that on the flight in and decided that it would be more amusing to us if we kept you in suspense for another twenty years!"

"Not fair!" Burke said.

They finished dinner and were out on the street. The streets were calm, especially contrasted with what they were remembering. It was nice to be out walking about. Although the day was fairly hot, it had cooled off nicely. They had to go slowly because of Burke's foot. But no one seemed to mind. It was a beautiful night; one to remember always.

They passed the bowling alley. "Hey look!" Burke said. "Mr. Bumpity is playing in the bowling alley lounge tonight" he said as read the sign aloud.

"Mr. Bumpity. Great Band" Jak said enthusiastically . "You could either dance or storm troop to Mr. Bumpity."

"That's right!" Sunni agreed. "Pay attention lil' sister" she said to Maggie. "You'll see one of the great Wakefield bands in action. Chicago doesn't have anything close to these guys" she told her.

They eagerly entered and were greeted by the distant clap of pins striking a hardwood surface. The place smelled wonderful, a cross between liqueur and charred steaks. The were surprised to find the place nearly empty. The bowling alley lounge certainly was not the packed venue's that they remembered 'Bumpity playing in the '70's. Sorrowfully, in the distance they heard that lonesome whine of a pedal steel guitar.

"They must be on break" Jak said as they all hustled in to try and get a good viewing location of the band. They were surprised to find a trio-a keyboardist, a drummer and a pedal steel guitarist playing a sad country song. The bass drum had a faded sign that said:

Mr. Bumpity.

Everyone had the tragic realization of what had happened to the band. "This is pathetic" Burke quietly said. He was feeling old. Maggie looked at him and tried to understand. "Want a drink?" she asked.

"No mead for me" he answered.

"They're not the same" Sunni said. She was at a loss of words.

"No" he said. "Neither are we."