As I settled into Los Hellas with my voter registration mailed in, things started to…make sense. For whatever reason a ticking sound was in my head for days on end yet I was also getting little life “signs” and following them was proving to work and be fruitful. I didn’t need to understand the game to know something was working.
There was still some time to decide if I wanted to run for Los Hellas city council against Amy Huang, however registering to vote was a crucial start nonetheless so I did that. It felt like something was missing.
Another sign was needed or another clue piecing things together.
On my morning walk I tried to spot things that were not there. Connect dots that did not need connecting. I was out of clues and signs.
In desperation I walked into a vintage shop and grabbed a Tarot deck I saw placed in their window. I decided to be as random as possible, on this walk, on this day, not at home to select a Tarot card and fast as to not be a weirdo. Maybe that could be my next clue? Right there in the Tarot?
Doing so quickly—because I did not want to buy this Tarot deck only use its knowledge- I pulled a card: Judgment. I run out of the store.
Well duh, isn’t everything going on right now related to Judgment? Not helpful.
In the downtown business district Chelsea runs into Nicolas who has a small bag over his shoulder. Chelsea hasn’t seen him in a decade but was around in Italy to clean up Ella and the mess he made somehow getting Ella into a coma after a bad fall. Chelsea is more amazed Nicolas is still in town and she has questions;
Chelsea: Nicolas? That you, ole coma boy?
Nicolas: Chelsea! Omg hey you! You look as Chelsea as ever
They both hug which is somewhat from a genuine space. Both equally as curious as ever to trade information
Chelsea: I’m not sure I have time to grill you… on… so many things
Nicolas: I know. I know.
Chelsea: Just one thing? Are you or are you not still married? To a man?
Nicolas: Hey. Yes and Yes
Chelsea: Really?!
Nicolas: Yes, we got married five years ago and are still married as I know. We met when I did some grad school on the east coast
Chelsea simply stares at Nicolas. She needs a minute. Why is a gay, married man from Los Hellas getting Ella’s head bashed in, in Italy, whose dad is a real estate developer in Los Hellas?
Nicolas: I’m sure we need like a full night of therapy or some intervention or something but, I’m still happily married and my feelings for Ella are genuine. Both things can be true at once.
Caught off guard by Nicolas’ simple answer combined with wanting to interrogate Nicolas for the next several days at an unmarked island, Chelsea mentally prioritizes this fast interaction
Chelsea: That’s a lot to unpack and lucky for you I have a crush on a girl and on a deadline to order her flowers in the next half hour
<Chelsea looks at the Apple Watch on her wrist>
Nicolas: Toodles. Let’s do that group therapy thing soon. Please tell Ella I will reach out once things are not so, crazy
They pass each other in familiarity and as strangers at the same time.
Chelsea finds a small flower shop called J’adoube to order a delivery for her latest crush.
Bureaucracy of Democracy
The morning of girls lunch with hacker Chelsea and childhood friend and serial offspring, Kelly, I get two pieces of bad news:
I receive a letter in the mail that my voter registration for Los Hellas was rejected and I have 5 days to remember only the letter is dated 3 days from now, so clearly someone wanted me to not get this or make it impossible for me to simple, vote.
Chibuzo calls me with upsetting news:
Chibuzo: Guess who is here, at my office?
Ella: no clue
Chibuzo: our friend Amy Huang and her crew. They are in my office “auditing” and writing me up for all kinds of business permits
Ella: oh, wow
Chibuzo: it’s stupid to watch. Let’s talk later about what this means. See you.
Ella: see you
So frustrating. I can’t even register to vote and now my pawn-homie Chibuzo is starting to take some city mafia heat. And this is BEFORE the city corruption realizes I am the one behind last years leaked filed.
If this is what they are doing to Chibuzo, I would be toast.
Furious that my voter registration was rejected I change whatever I’m working on and make my NEW registration a priority AND candidacy packet. That’s it. I am doubling down.
I fill out my forms and walk down to city hall itself to register to vote and run for city council, IN PERSON. The person at the counter uses their computer and it’s clear my name is on some blacklist. After calling her manager over and they both inspect my papers you can tell they have no choice. The first gal stamps the received date on both copies of my submission and hands me one. “Good luck” she says.
Ecstastic and also still furious I now run back to my apartment as in my distraction, I realize I have a client zoom in minutes and shame starts to fill my body. Was I really so unfocused I almost neglected a client? All this hooray and signs and superstition and I can’t follow a damn calendar invite?Huffing and puffing up the hill to get back quickly enough to do my client zoom, I see something on the sidewalk ahead.
In my rush to get back I took the opposite side of the street I usually walk so while I am on the same route, I am not on the same sidewalk and path I normally take. Something catches my eye. I powerwalk even faster to get up the hill and also to see what’s on the sidewalk, its… a bag… a pile of something?
Finally as I reach the corner where I need to turn I see what it is on the sidewalk: it’s a spraypainting. Of a King’s chess piece. I laugh out loud and pick up my speed.
The signs ARE THERE and I AM on the path.
Now if only the ticking sound in my head would stop…
For Immediate Open
Once I finish my client zoom I go back outside to the mailbox to see what other mail there is in there. There’s some junk paper mail and a little thicker envelope addressed to Chibuzo. I debate on calling him back, then again his office is being audited so I debate on if I should open it since there feels to be a little something in it.
Since I do not have much time before heading out for girls lunch, I grab my Tarot card deck from the across the room and pull a card: The World.
After a few minutes I decide to open the envelope. The name on the return does not ring a bell. Within seconds of ripping the top open I see that it’s only 1 USB stick. Just one. Maybe as a sick joke, on the end is a small plastic chess piece glued to it. Okay, this is no longer funny stuff.
I find a harddrive to connect to my laptop and put the USB in the hard drive. Not sure what to expect when I go to open the USB there is only one folder. I click on the folder, only one video file. Interesting. Should I hit play?
Just kidding. Absolutely I am going to watch this video.
Or that is what I think until the video player pops up and I see
… its Nicolas?
Nicolas: Hi, Chibuzo, you don’t know me. I wanted to send you a video to explain a few things and also maybe give you something to help with all the Amy Huang heat
See the thing is, I know for a fact some people are after you. Maybe the same people I have some issues with, we will have to see. Time will tell.
I do know that there’s a target on your head and you have always seemed like a nice business guy. Here for 20 years, from Nigeria right? I grew up walking by your first office near St. Ignatius…
That said. Use this for what you can, I only ask that you keep a copy so that should anything happen to me there’s this video. Thanks Sir.
My jaw dropped. Nicolas sending a video to Chibuzo- directly? How brazen. How, smart?
The video then cuts to the view of Nicolas gym bag, pointed at Mary Poros in her Los Hellas waterview office. Its “under cover” video from Nicolas he is asking particular questions to Mary Poros
Mary: What do you mean Nicolas? What now?
Nicolas: Are you really sure that backing Amy Huang is the way to go?
Mary: Yes, NICOLAS. Like who else in that district could be possibly endorse? I’m not even sure Amy even has a competitor? She’s likely to default in.
Nicolas: Okay. Up to you. We are good on our deal right? The deal between you and me
Mary: I already cleared the payment for your father
Nicolas: Ah-oop!
<Mary coughs>
Mary: Well, I already approved a payment when you TELL ME IT IS OKAY WHICH YOU HAVE SAID NO SO FAR, at any time I am ready to make a payment to your fathers development construction project.
Nicolas: Nooooooo. Remember we, he, we do not need your money. We need your peace.
Mary: Okay fine. I will stop bothering you to be a spy or get intel on Ella Taylor. There I said it. Happy?
Nicolas: A little bit happy. You know I am not a fan of yours but I also want no issues with you
Mary: Nicolas, it’s always been this way. I want to enhance your life, really. If you want out of the local politics that is your luxury I guess. Your father knows how this works.
Nicolas: there’s a girl out there who had to recover from a coma from literally, your crazy text messages
<Mary looks down at her nails and mumbles>
Mary: I have that effect
Nicolas: Alright AS PLANNED I am leaving for my retreat. Keep me out of things. I am not your spy, I also don’t care about taking you down or anything bitch moves like that. Just. Keep it real Mary, Ciao.
Mary: Ciao darling, always a pleasure!
The clock ticking noise in my head that had been a bit quiet for the day gets louder watching this video. Tick Tock. Tick, tock.
omg. I save a copy of the video and text Chelsea right away “girl, you are not going to believe this” only the text message doesn’t go through, it hangs. Eventually turns green. Dammit she’s not gotten the message.
I rush to change my clothes and throw the USB into my purse and head out for girls lunch. I cannot wait to share my new video finding with Chelsea and Kelly. Still perplexed however… how would a video of Mary Poros will help Chibuzo? And why would Nicolas make such a video?
The more I thought about it, the more it seemed devine intervention I stumbled across this video. Had to be part of the plan.