“You must be hungry this morning,” my friend George said, as I picked up the bags of food and cups of coffee in the deli.
“No. I lost a bet last night shooting pool so I have to buy breakfast for the guys. I made the shot but scratched on the eight ball.”
I took the food out to the deck of the Holiday Hotel and distributed it to the other members of the Boca del Rio Eight Ball team. Just before we started to eat, George came from the deli and joined us at our table.
“Good morning, boss,” Juan said to him. “I’m sorry I couldn’t make it in to work yesterday. I had to take my old auntie to the doctor.”
“We managed to trim the hedges without you,” George said, “but it would have been nice to have you there.”
“It’s my old auntie. I didn’t have much choice.”
Juan has been working as a landscaper and gardener for George as long as I’ve known him.
“I guess you didn’t get to see the World Cup final because of your auntie,” George said.
“Uh-h-h, it was on TV at the doctor’s office while we were waiting,”
“I guess you didn’t get to see when Mexico beat Germany last month.”
“Oh, yeah!” Juan said. “I was born in Mexico. Every Mexican watched that game.”
“But your old auntie had to go to the doctor that day.”
“She did?”
“Yes, and she was sick on the days Mexico played Korea, Sweden and Brazil. I think there’s something funny going on here.”
“You know, boss – you’re right,” Juan said. “You don’t suppose the old lady’s faking it, do you?”
