Chapter 6

Tossing Armando Through The Dining Room Window

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TOCAYO
Part 1
Prologue
Playa Norte
Charly the American
A Catholic Education
Cold Showers
Tossing Armando...
Bob Cousey's Shorts
Inside Immaculada
Warming the Bench...
A Little Socrates...
Running From Lola
Ping Pong Politics
A Perfect Basketball Day
A Man Needs His Friends
A Pig In a Hole
Condors Over Ticlio
Wrestling in the Plaza
Handcuffs and Curfews
Rochabus
A Hero Hiding
Hitting A Brick Wall
Part 2

Moments later the rest of my family invaded the dining room and took their places at the table. Mamina came out of the kitchen and sat down, trailing two maids carrying plates of food. While they were being served soup, Mamina introduced Charly to Papito. "Charles is a friend of Carlos, on his basketball team."

Papito looked at Charly over the top of his glasses and told him it was a pleasure to meet him. Then, looking for the butter dish with his knife in one hand and a steaming, freshly opened bun in the other, he told Charly that he was always glad to welcome a friend of his son into his home. Alessandra removed the top of the butter dish while Charly both nodded and frowned at Papito. After Papito had taken a slice of butter, Armando opened the Pandora’s Box God gave him for a mouth. “Carlos,” he said, “Does your friend, perhaps, speak Spanish?"

I tilted my head side to side, weighing my answer. "Like a gringo, but he's learning."

"I hope you're not the one he's learning from," Armando said.
I shrugged, oblivious to the insult, so Armando spoke directly to Charly, brandishing his excellent English. "Did you know that my illustrious brother occupies the last place in his class?"

“Position,” Charly said, stepping on one of Armando's many land mines.

Papito chuckled into his soup. Armando closed his eyes. “I propose a bargain," he said. When he opened them he was staring at Charly. "I expect that you will profit from it more than I. What do you say, gringo? Does it interest you?"

Charly stared at him.

"Here's what I will do. I will refrain from correcting your Spanish if you refrain from correcting my English. How does that sound?”

Charly stared at him.

Armando took his eyes off Charly and searched the table surface for his utensils. “Excellent. Now where was I?”

“You were pointing out how dumb I am,” I said.

“Actually," Armando corrected me, grasping his knife and fork, "I was suggesting to your friend that he not learn his Spanish from you.”

“Because of how dumb I am.”

Mamina frowned. Papito dipped the bottom of his spoon into his soup, watching the broth flood over the sides. Alessandra took the opportunity to ask Charly whether he had joined the school's basketball team.

"Yes, with Carlos," Charly said in Spanish.

Alessandra smiled sweetly. “Of course,” she said in a voice dripping with honey. My sister was very pretty. She had made Charly nervous, but she was not exploiting her advantage. "Is he a good basketball player, my brother?"

"Uh, you mean Carlos?"

“Now I understand why you are friends with my brother,” Armando muttered into his soup spoon.