Sergio De La Pava - A Naked Singularity

“okay but i’m not going to miss recess right?”

“Recess? What’s recess?”

“you don’t know what recess is? oh my god, recess is only the bestest part of the day.”

“You mean like at school?”

“recess! we go outside. it’s the only time we can go outside.”

“Oh I understand, you have recess every day?”

“of course, they have to give recess every day.”

“What time is recess?”

“it depends on the day, what day is today?”

“Today’s Saturday.”

“saturday?”

“Yes.”

“saturday is 1:15. saturday is 1:15 to 1:45. every saturday is the same.”

“Well it’s almost one o’clock now.”

“almost one?”

“Right. So I think that, yes, you are going to miss recess today only.”

“i can’t miss recess, they have to give recess every day, half-hour every day.”

“I’m sure they do but because of our meeting today I think you’re going to miss it.”

“that’s what allan hale said but i didn’t believe him, but he said that’s what happens when you have a visit and that i didn’t know that because i ain’t never had one was all.” Kingg looked up at the fluorescent bulb above us then back at me. He put his face in his hands.

“I’m sorry but this is very important and it’s just one day okay?”

“okay.”

“I want you to listen carefully to what I’m about to tell you because it’s very important that you be informed okay? Okay?”

“yes.”

And he did sort of. And I didn’t look at my notes once because I knew everything about his case cold. And it took a long time but he seemed to understand. And I felt good and he looked sad and scared and then I felt bad too. And we were both tired and there wasn’t much time left and The Guard was hovering but in a nice apologetic way.

“We’ll talk more tomorrow.”

“tomorrow?”

“Yes I’m going to come back tomorrow to talk to you again.”

“every day?”

“Tomorrow for sure.”

“monday?”

“Not Monday?”

“tuesday?”

“No.”

“when next?”

“I’m not sure but tomorrow for sure.”

“okay.”

“We’re running out of time today Jalen so I want to cover one last thing. Remember I told you about your statement to the police and how that was bad evidence against you at trial?”

“bad?”

“Yeah, how it hurt you, your chances of winning the trial?”

“i remember you said that, yes.”

“Well earlier you seemed concerned about Mr. Joe, your first lawyer, that he would think you said something bad about him or didn’t want him to be your lawyer.”

“no, I never said mister joe was bad mister casi.”

“No I know, because it would bother you if he thought you had right?”

“yes.”

“Okay now remember Detective Irisland?”

“the detective?”

“Yes, the one you gave the statement to.”

“yes.”

“He told you you should make a statement right?”

“he said to tell what happened so i did. i wrote it down. he helped me. i told the truth like he said.”

“Are you sure it was the truth what you wrote?”

“yes.”

“Or were you trying to make the detective happy so he wouldn’t be upset with you? I won’t get mad, you won’t get in trouble, if you tell me the statement wasn’t the truth.”

“it was the truth, i wrote the truth.”

“And you understand that if it wasn’t true, what you wrote, you can tell me that now and nothing bad will happen right?”

“yes.”

“Okay we’ll talk more about that tomorrow.”

“okay.”

“And we’ll talk about what happened that night you were arrested okay?”

“yes.”

“Maybe we’ll talk about your life before that night too.”

“before?”

“Yes.”

“okay.”

“Goodbye Jalen.”

“bye.”

And you had to sit there until they had taken Kingg off the floor. The Guard would get the okay on his radio then escort me out. Walking down the hall after he got the signal The Guard told me things about Jalen, how he interacted with the prison staff and the other guests as he called them. We got to the log where I would schedule the next day’s visit.

“What time is recess tomorrow,” I said.

“Recess? What?”

“Does he ever go outside?”

“Rec is one half hour every day for each guest counselor.”

“What time is that tomorrow in Jalen’s case?”

He told me and even though it severely curtailed the amount of time we could meet, I scheduled the next day’s visit so Jalen wouldn’t miss recess.

In less than an hour I was back at The Orchard, which stood lonely against only dull remnants of sun. Everywhere I looked I saw nothing but hurried human activity. In the lobby, through a crowd’s noise, I saw B.M. Santangelo. He acknowledged me with a nod of his head and came right over.

“I hope you like bananas,” he said when he was about five feet away.

“They’re okay.”

“Trust me these exceed okay. I just left a bunch of beautiful bananas outside your door. These bananas were on a tree in a remote part of Honduras this very morning. They will be perfectly ripe in exactly one hour, which is when I recommend you eat the first one for a fruitful experience you will not soon forget.”

“Okay, thank you.”

“You’re of course welcome.”

“What’s going on Big Mac? What’s with all the people?”

“These people are here for the party tonight.”

“What party?”

“Tonight is S.E.R.P.E.N.T.’s twice-yearly annual gala.”

“Wait—”

“Undoubtedly the social event of the year around these parts.”

“Really?”

“Oh yes.”

“What’s so good about it?”

“Well I’m not at liberty to disclose too many specifics but suffice it to say that quite a number of highly prominent people will be in attendance tonight.”

“Really? Prominent? Highly?”

“Yes and the food for example will be superb, prepared only by the finest chefs in the world. We provide all the fruit of course. Everyone will be dressed in the finest garments pieced together by the finest designers. The entertainment will be provided, again I’m not at liberty to disclose, by this country’s most popular and in-demand entertainers. I’m talking about music, comedy, performance art you name it. It’s all very exclusive, Serpent members and their invited guests only, security is impenetrable. You get the picture.”

“So it’s for Serpent people?”

“Right. Well as I told you before almost everyone staying at the hotel this weekend is with Serpent. So it’s for them during the convention.”

“Oh good because I was meaning to ask you about that. When you said yesterday that I was the only person staying in the hotel who wasn’t a Serpent you were exaggerating right?”

“No, not at all. You are in fact the only person currently in the hotel who’s not affiliated with Serpent. Well except for my staff of course, but you get the idea.”

“Yes I think I do. You’re saying that tonight at this very hotel will occur the greatest party known to man, an event of such decadent delight that to merely witness its opulence would provide untold pleasure. In essence, tonight The Orchard is one big party and I’m literally the only person not invited.”

“Well in a manner of speaking, I suppose, but remember you’re speaking with one B.M. Santangelo. There are strings that can be pulled, even yanked if need be. I will get you into that party young man.”

“No thanks B.M. I was only curious… and kidding.”

“Are you sure? It’s really not a problem.”

“Thanks but no. Good night Herr Santangelo.”