LOVE and WAR

From the R.M. Dolin novel, "Trophic Cascade" 
Read companion poem

Chapter 18: Love and War

The more Padre works through his sermon on social injustice, the more the crowds progressively thin, most opting to get back to wine tasting and other forms of merriment. With fewer people crowding around the tent and more milling around the gap behind her, that uneasy sense Padre just mentioned re-exerts itself on Sympatico’s fragile confidence. Anxiety sweeps across each frantic look over her shoulder; at least when she doesn’t find anything out of the ordinary, she’s able to calm down but only after a concerted effort and only for a moment. There’s no doubt she’d be more comfortable at the wine tent, but feels obligated to listen to Padre and is looking forward to her rendezvous with Jake. If she succumbs to fear now, it’ll become progressively harder to find the courage for innocuous things like being alone in a crowd of people.

“Padres for Peaceful Protest,” Padre reemphasizes as he plays his Spanish style lead-in to the protest song he’s promised, “welcomes all faiths. To my Catholic brothers and sisters, I say become a part of the change your faith challenges you to embrace. To my Muslim friends, I say paradise is possible when we work together to moderate for peace. To my Protestant neighbors, we all sit at the same table before God and only through peaceful protest can we achieve enlightened understanding and tolerance. To my Buddhist and Hindi compadres, I say this is the incarnation in which nirvana is achieved. To my Jewish cousins, let’s bring the lost home from the desert.”

Jake’s heard enough, he’s not upset about Padre high-jacking the festival to front his cause, he just isn’t interested, and with so much going on, has more important things to think about. Out of respect for his friend though, he waits patiently for Padre to look his way and once eye contact is made, Jake twirls his hand in front of his face while bowing, in an Arabic departure sign. Padre’s not offended Jake bails, Emelia would have stayed to the end and even helped sell buttons but Jake’s clearly not Emelia. Padre nods in appreciation as Jake retreats from the music tent quickly traversing the gap to his wine tent. Once back to the friendly confines he immediately resumes bar-back duties.

The thinning crowd worries Miguel because probabilities for discretion decrease while opportunities for grabbing Sympatico without causing a scandal multiply. Right now is not optimal but soon she’ll move and once in the gap, they’ll grab her in a way that she can’t offer public protest.

“The protest song I’d like to perform was written by our Canadian cousin Neil Young,” Padre pitches while increasing his Spanish tempo, “a guy who practically invented protest songs. It’s called Love and War, and I hope you like it.” Padre leans into his microphone as the lead-in melody transforms into the iconic song the remaining crowd easily recognizes,

“When I sing about love and war
I don't really know what I'm saying.
I've been in love and I've seen a lot of war.
Seen a lot of people praying.
They pray to Allah and they pray to the lord.
But mostly they pray about love and war.”

Jake makes a point of listening for the song, mostly out of curiosity. He’s impressed Padre picked this song because it’s a better choice than any of the candidate songs he’d have wagered Padre would choose. Sympatico’s never heard this song but likes the melody as much as the lyrics. Miguel is completely disinterested and unimpressed but is pleased people in tasting lines are slowly peeling off to head back to the music tent.

“I've seen a lot of young men go to war
And leave a lot of young brides waiting
I've watched them try to explain it to their kids
And seen a lot of them failing
They tried to tell them and they tried to explain
Why daddy won't ever come home again.”

For a moment, that sinusoidal sense Sympatico’s had about things not being right is suspended. The returning crowd chooses to stand along the outer edge of the music tent rather then move inside, which makes it difficult for Jake to hear or see what’s going on. Conversely, Miguel’s convinced the situation is rapidly approaching optimum. He signals to the Mexicans on his right and the New Mexicans on this left to move into position, which is about five feet on either side of Sympatico but still nonchalantly behind. A line of socially conscience patrons forms in front of Brother Bob to purchase a “Padre’s for Peaceful Protest,” button. The first person in line is an elderly Hispanic man wearing a maroon nylon jacket and baseball cap that both contain military insignias. On the back of his jacket, stitched in bold yellow letters is, “Bataan Death March Survivor.” He’s being helped by a woman who appears to be his granddaughter and by a young boy who’s probably his great-grandson. Brother Bob gives them each a button, but refuses their money.

“I said a lot of things I can't take back
But I don't really know if I want to.
There've been songs about love
I sang songs about war
Since the backstreets of Caracas
I sang for justice and I hit a bad chord
But I still try to sing about love and war.”

Though tasting lines have thinned, those who remain are buyers, which keeps Jake so busy packaging bottles, running credit cards, and making change, that he momentarily forgets about Padre and his song, or that Sympatico has yet to return. The two Mexicans are in position, but the two New Mexicans are dealing with the awkward problem of running into some of their buddies who are clearly drunk. Miguel, who remains across the gap, has just been joined by Ramon who approvingly surveys the strategy being deployed.

The cyclical anxiety that comes and goes with increasing periodicity has returned and Sympatico suddenly feels an intense need to find Jake. Her plan to wait until Padre’s song is over before crossing the tent rapidly evaporates. ‘Something’s not right,’ she now knows this with certainty. She looks left but nothing’s out of place, she frantically glances right. ‘With all the people around, what could happen?’ her brain attempts to rationalize. Then again, she’s a long way from Jake, and being on the opposite side of the tent’s a strategical blunder. The debate rages in her head pulling her in conflicting directions, at the very least she should move closer to her tent, to the security of Jake and Dario. What was she thinking walking all the way over here without an escort? She should wait for the song to end. No, that could be too late, but too late for what? She should get back to the tent. No, she should wait for the song to end and then find Jake on the other side. No, she must go now!

From his vantage point on stage Padre catches Sympatico’s break from the crowd, hastily darting to the other side along an empty row of chairs. She looks stressed but not frantic. What’s concerning though, is the two Mexicans who quickly cross the tent five rows back seeming to be follow. Brother Bob, who’s in the midst of selling four buttons to a young family of Sikhs, sees Sympatico cross followed by the two cowboys and looks at Padre who worriedly nods.

Miguel and Ramon are not sure why Sympatico bolted mid-song, but they agree she’s not on to them. After directing the two New Mexicans to cut around the back of the music tent blocking her ability to reach Jake’s wine tent, Miguel and Ramon cross the tent to join the two Mexicans. There’s no need for panic as their plan works better on the west side of the plaza since that’s closer to where their RV’s parked. It’s a straight shot from where they intend to make their play to the RV, and this turn of fortune maximizes the probability of their plan working without being noticed.

Padre continues to play keeping a careful eye on both Sympatico and the stalking Mexicans.

“The saddest thing in the whole wide world
Is to break the heart of your lover
I made a mistake and I did it again
And we struggled to recover
Then I sang in anger, hit another bad chord
But I still try to sing about love and war.”

Things have pretty much returned to normal at the wine tent, Dario and Chance are flirting up pretty prospects and Armando’s regaling folks with embellished tales romanticizing Northern New Mexico and himself. Monica and Bridget are diligently serving wines while fending off advances from increasingly embolden men wanting to maximize their silly season charm. Jake’s entering the busiest and most profitable part of his day as the end-of-fiesta-rush is starting, and people who spent the day tasting wines from the different wineries are now ready to make purchases before heading home. This is the moment when a Bar-back earns his keep.

Sympatico’s anxieties have calmed now that she’s closer to her tent. Slowly she works her way toward the stage near where Brother Bob’s selling buttons. Being near Padre and knowing Jake and Dario are close provides the reassurance she needs to stay at the music tent until Padre’s song is over. She regrets not having five dollars, because of all the things at the various artisan tents, she would most like a protest buttons, with the exception of the Marquez Mountain painting, the magical pond where she fantasizes Jake’s taking her in the Fall.

The two New Mexicans have circled the back of the music tent and repositioned themselves only a few feet from Brother Bob. They quickly spot Sympatico working toward them and make eye contact with their Mexican associates who trail just far enough behind Sympatico to remain undetected.

Padre cannot see the two New Mexicans in position beside him and Brother Bob but is convinced the two Mexicans are following Sympatico. Miguel and Ramon have casually made their way to the northwest corner of the plaza. From their vantage point, the two Mexicans are twenty feet in front and on their left. Across from the Mexicans on Miguel’s right is Jake’s wine tent where five lines of tasters extend about half-way into the gap. Straight ahead at the far end of the plaza is Miguel’s rented RV where he’ll soon have Sympatico, and if all goes as planned, Ramon’s satisfied approval.

The line of people waiting to buy protest buttons now extends halfway down the music tent, and it’s increasingly difficult for Miguel to see Sympatico bouncing in and out of view depending on who in Bother Bob’s line is between them. He can, however, easily keep an eye on his two New Mexicans because their white straw hats stand above the crowd. Padre starts the last stanza understanding that when he finishes, something bad’s going to happen and he’s running out of time to figure out what he can do to stop, divert, or mitigate what he’s powerless to prevent. Regardless of outcomes, he continues.

“I've been in love and I've seen a lot of war
Seen a lot of people praying
They pray to Allah and they pray to the lord
But mostly they pray about love and war.”

As Padre finishes his song the crowd erupts in a long loud applause with several moving into the tent for a button. Sympatico stays long enough to ensure she’s the one who claps the loudest and longest. As the applause dies, she turns back to the wine tent a mere forty feet away disappointed Jake didn’t wait and worries something must have happened as a new wave paranoia sweeps over. Why else would he not keep his promise? He’s the one always saying, ‘a promise is a promise.’ She’s a third of the way across the gap convinced something’s not right when suddenly, with movement so swift it takes her breath away, the two Mexicans overtake her, one on each side. They grab her by the arms discretely lifting her off the ground.

“If you scream,” one Mexican whispers in her ear. “My friend here will slit your throat and leave you to die a horrible and most unnecessary death. You will come with us quietly. Back to where you belong.” To make their capture look somewhat natural, the Mexicans return Sympatico’s feet to the ground so she’s standing on her own.

Choosing death over capture is a decision Sympatico makes without hesitation; her first thought is not to scream but get away. Working as much on instinct as methodical planning, she raises her right leg and stomps one of the Mexican’s foot as hard as she can. His reactionary impulse is to release his grip on her arm to grab his probably broken toe. With her free hand, Sympatico swings in an effort to poke the other Mexican in the eyes but misses, scraping instead along the side of his head both jamming her finger and cutting a gash along his temple with her fingernails. Her pointer finger, however, does find the soft white sclera part of his eye making an incision just above the cornea causing the Mexican to release his grip to clasp a hand over his profusely bleeding eye. Sympatico pivots toward the wine tent in a desperate attempt to cover the thirty feet between her and safety. She’s less than two full steps toward safety when she’s blocked by the two New Mexicans, who she immediately recognizes from her time at Miguel’s ranch.

“It is so very nice to see you again,” one cowboy says grinning through his chewing tobacco-stained teeth.

Sympatico spins around uncertain where to go or how to hide. She quickly concludes if the safety of the wine tent is blocked, she can seek sanctuary with Padre. She starts her dash to the music tent while still spinning only to run straight into the Mexican with the broken toe who aggressively puts his arm around her waist pressing a knife against her stomach. The guy she poked in the eye is standing next to his partner still clasping a hand over his cut. Behind them she sees Miguel approaching with Ramon, which causes Sympatico to tremble to the point of near collapse. Surrounded and out of options, she contemplates all possible outcomes and concludes throwing herself onto the knife pressed against her stomach is preferable to capture. She knows why Ramon’s here and can’t go back; she just can’t. In a situation devoid of options she understands that as good as things have been the past few weeks, and as quickly as she’s been able to mount a limited recovery, everything in this instant has been lost to a darkness she can’t re-enter. With nowhere to go and devoid of options all that’s left is to-.

Suddenly a woman a few feet beside Sympatico screams in a terror so loud and curdling it causes Padre to stop playing, wine tasters to stop talking, and a hush to fall over the fiesta. The crowd queued up in the serving lines in front of Jake’s tent turn in unison. The Mexican with the damaged eye is no longer able to contain the blood in his clasped hand and when he pulls his hand away from his face, not only does all the blood gush out spewing all over his face and shirt, but it also reveals the still oozing wound that now more freely flows blood from his eye down his check creating a horrific sight. Caught up in the moment and certain everyone is now staring at him and his captive, the Mexican with the knife in Sympatico’s belly releases his hold.

Miguel decides in that instant that even though their goal of being discrete is foiled, he can use the wounded Mexican as a distraction to whisk Sympatico away under the cover of confusion. He lunges for Sympatico pushing the Mexican with the bloody eye aside. Just as he reaches her though, he feels his shirt tighten around his neck as his momentum reverses and he’s pulled backward. He feels powerless as he’s spun around by whatever has him by the collar and the last thing Miguel remembers before waking up hours later is Brother Bob’s fist closing in on his face at warp speed. The momentum of Brother Bob’s punch flings Miguel into the Mexican with the bloody eye knocking them both to the ground.

By now more women are screaming and the crowd rapidly disperses in all directions. Dario’s is the first to figure out what’s going on. “Doc!” he yells while flying over the table without thought as to where he might land. Luckily there’s no one in Sympatico’s line or else people would have been injured. As Dario races across the gap toward Sympatico he sees one of the New Mexican’s take a swing at Brother Bob, connecting with his jaw, but it seems to have little effect on the significantly larger campaigner for ‘Peaceful Protest.’ Brother Bob responds by punching the cowboy in the nose with so much force he drops to his knees and falls face first in the elegant grass. The Mexican with the broken toe decides to use his knife on Brother Bob and since he’s behind the proselytizing giant, he’ll have unfettered access. Just as he starts his thrust, Dario dives in knocking both himself and the Mexican to the ground. The impact of Dario’s dive dislodges the knife and they roll around on the ground, each striving to gain the upper hand. Unfortunately for the Mexican, his need to succeed cannot match Dario’s desire to destroy. Before long Dario wins the battle winding up on top of the Mexican.

It takes Chance a couple seconds to process what’s going since he’s less familiar with things like this happening. Once he’s figured out Sympatico’s in jeopardy though, he hops over the table with considerably more agility than Dario demonstrated, managing to land softly on the customer side of the table without hitting anyone. He dashes to join the melee without any thought as to what he’ll do when he gets there other than to protect Sympatico. With Miguel knocked out and on top of the incapacitated Mexican with the still oozing eye, Dario on top of the other Mexican whaling on his face with repeated blows, and a cowboy face down in the grass, Chance doesn’t know who to fight. Brother Bob and the other New Mexican are trading blows, the problem is Chance doesn’t know which one’s on his side. Either one could adequately fill the role of henchman while at the same time neither of them look much like a hero.

Chance decides to focus on getting Sympatico back to the safety of their tent. “Are you alright?” He asks, putting his hand on her arm. Rather than accept his help, Sympatico pulls back in instinctive self-preservation. It’s as if she doesn’t know who he is. Mentally and emotionally she’s back to the near-animal person she was on Cinco de Mayo at the Al Azar. Chance can see from the terrorized intensity of her eyes that she’s in shock. “Sympatico,” he says to re-assure her he’s on her side, “it’s me, Chance. Let’s go back to the tent, to Jake.”

Sympatico still can’t associate Chance with safety because everyone is an enemy and escape is only possible on her own. She breaks away from Chance and starts to run but unfortunately, her timing could not be worse. Miguel’s two bodyguards have just arrived, and she runs smack into them. One bodyguard grabs Sympatico, wrapping his long arm around her waist in a way that pins both her arms to her side.

Miguel’s henchmen are nearly as tall as Brother Bob and are each more muscular. For a split-second Chance considers how ironic life is, the problem of not knowing who to fight has ceased to be an issue, replaced with the problem is how a small guy like him is going to get the better of two over-sized bruisers. Without thought to probable outcomes, he lunges at the free henchman punching him as hard as he can on the jaw, he feels the jaw move faster than the rest of the henchman’s face so knows he did damage. The henchman stumbles backward spinning a hundred-and-eighty degrees before arresting his momentum. It only takes an instant for him to regain composure and launch a counterattack. In one step the henchman collapses the distance between himself and Chance and during that journey he initiates the motion that will all too suddenly culminate in his first punch. With the power of a grizzly and the quick agility of a mountain lion, the henchman connects with the edge of Chances chin.

Chance is able to pull his head back in advance of the blow, not enough to avoid being hit but sufficient enough to miss absorbing most of the energy. Nonetheless, the motion of pulling back coupled with the punch’s power transfer, knocks him back several steps and the only thing stopping him from falling back farther is Dario who decided moments earlier he’d done enough damage to the Mexican trying to knife Brother Bob. Dario’s just stood up when Chance crashes into his back causing Dario to step on the Mexican’s face to maintain his balance. He immediately spins around instinctively expecting to punch someone and barely gets his swing halted before connecting with Chance’s face. Somewhere between glad he stops in time and laughing to himself about what it would have been like to smack him, Dario helps Chance regain his balance, turning him back toward the two henchmen.

Ramon joins the two henchmen and about six feet separate Dario and Chance from the evil holding Sympatico. Chance uses the momentary pause to pull himself together while the henchman holding Sympatico prepares for what will happen next by transferring control of his prisoner to Ramon. Dario uses the pause to look at his knuckles not sure if the blood belongs to him or the guy back there on the ground. He feels his hands stiffen as swelling begins. He looks at Chance, and then the two larger adversaries fully aware of what’s about to happen and how it’s likely to end.

“You know what this is?” Dario quietly asks Chance while flexing stiff fingers.

“What?” Chance asks has he rolls his shoulders around his neck to loosen his muscles.

“A good hill to die on.”

“Suppose so,” Chance adds empty of emotion.

“See you on the other side,” Dario says as he jumps into the space between himself and the henchman. His plan, insomuch as he has one, is to hit the henchman with so much energy he knocks him back. In part two of his partially perfected plan, he’ll go after Ramon to free Sympatico.

Chance is a split second behind Dario, but unlike his partner, he has not worked up an attack plan. As he’ll later describe, his intention is to keep the other henchman occupied until some sort of help arrives. As he repeatedly retells this moment for years to come, his strategy is to bob and weave around this monster of muscle until he tires out. He accepts as the cost of doing business that he’ll have to take a few punches along the way, but in his ill-conceived logic, that will tire his advisory even faster. At least that’s his thinking as he accelerates through the space separating him from the henchman. As Chance gets in range, the henchman does what anyone in his situation would do, he throws a punch. To Chance’s credit, he anticipated that and ducks under the swinging arm and with reasonable damage delivers a strong upper cut to the henchman’s chin.

While so much has transpired, it’s all happened in a few seconds, which is how long it takes Jake to clear the tent and close the distance between himself and Sympatico. Unlike Dario and Chance, Jake’s not the hop over the table kind of guy so he response time lags as he has to run to the end of the serving line before cutting into the gap. The delay provides time assess what’s going on and how best to join the melee. Just as he starts into the gap, he collides with Armando who’s also rushing out the end of the serving line. “You got the tent,” Jake shouts to his friend as he pushes past him into the gap. Armando’s frustrated to be relegated to sidelines but understands someone has to keep an eye on things.

Step one of Dario’s plan does not go as smoothly as projected. While he lands a powerful blow to his enemy’s face, the impact does far less damage than anticipated. The long and short of it is that he must remain engaged in battling the henchman rather than working to free Sympatico. Chance’s strategy is more or less working, he’s dancing around his opponent in a way that will eventually tire him out. However, as Chance is learning firsthand, for a big man the henchman’s pretty damn quick with his hands and his blows land with greater frequency than Chance imagined when he first devised his strategy.

While racing across the gap Jake quickly surmises Brother Bob and Dario are holding their own and don’t need his assistance. By the look of things Chance could use some help but he’s doing well enough to allow Jake to focus on freeing Sympatico. Without knowledge of who the man holding Sympatico might be, Jake positions himself in a way that blocks Sympatico’s captor from continuing to where he appears to be heading.

“Step aside old man,” Ramon sternly demands. “You don’t want to screw with me.”

Jake takes a breath in a desperate attempt to breathe any portion of a plan into his head. When that fails, he straightens himself to look more menacing, and as flawed as this tact may be, it’s all he’s got. Besides, as they say in politics, ‘you don’t go to war with army you want, you go with the army you got.’ His army’s not sufficient to launch a full-scale assault. “Here’s the deal,” Jake responds trying his best to sound calm and confident. “First you release the girl, then we’ll discuss the terms of your surrender.” He tries making eye contact with Sympatico, but in her quasi-comatose state she’s incapable of recognizing Jake or in any way comprehending that help is battling all around her. She’s overcome by the terrified realization that she’s been captured by the biggest evil she’s ever known and will soon be returned to a situation she rather die than re-enter. If breathing were not reflexive, Sympatico would long ago have passed out from lack of air.

Jake’s about to resume his macho façade when suddenly, and quite unexpectedly Ramon shoves Sympatico at him in a way that this mostly paralyzed woman compels him to divert all his attention to catching her as she stumbles forward. As soon as Jake secures Sympatico in his arms, he returns his attention to Ramon only to discover he’s not there. Before Jake has time to ponder why his enemy surrendered such a prize, he has his answer. With blitzkrieg ferocity a dozen or more law enforcement officials representing the Albuquerque Police Department, the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Department, the New Mexico State Police, and even SID swarm over the combatants. Moments behind them come four paramedics who had been on the grounds mostly treating dehydration and sun stroke. The paramedics are immediately drawn to the passed-out Miguel and the Mexican laying under him with the still bleeding eye.

APD take control of the situation forcing all combatants on their knees with hands behind their heads and fingers interlocked. In a slightly less overt ways, the Police, Sheriff’s Deputies, and State Troopers all compete to be the ones in charge. While there to assist in any way they can, the SID agents are not trained in this sort of response and gladly hang back. Just as Jake starts a slow retreat to his tent while gently guiding Sympatico, a State Trooper confronts him. “Are you part of this?” The Trooper demands in an authoritarian tone.

Jake’s about to respond with an incredulously lame story not fully developed and probably lacking convincing pathos when the Trooper interjects, “You’re coming with me. The woman will get checked out by Paramedics.” A paramedic attempts to separate Sympatico but she clings to Jake unwilling to go. “It’s alright,” Jake tells her while handing her arm to the paramedic. “Be gentle,” he tells the paramedic, “she’s been through a lot.”

Padre pushes through the crowd at a near panic pace, rushing up to Jake and the Trooper. “Officer Sanchez,” Padre says extending his hand. “Odd you’re all the way down here.”

“Could say the same for you,” Officer Sanchez warmly shakes Padre’s hand.

“I saw the whole thing,” Padre offers as he lays out a plausible story. “Those two guys there, started something with some woman.” Padre points at the passed out Mexican and the one with the cut eye, while pretending to look for the woman he can’t locate. “She’s gone now, but when that Mexican grabbed her, she put a slap on him that was something. She must have caught him in the eye with a ring or something. Then the other guy there, he grabs her, but by then my man Bob, you know Brother Bob, right?”

OOfficer Sanchez nods as he gestures for his colleague to help Brother Bob up. “He put a hurt on that guy, knocked him out clean. I thought everything was over at that point but then,” Padre pauses to point at the two New Mexican henchmen, “those two cowboys jumped Brother Bob from behind and were getting the better of him when this guy comes to his aid.” Padre points at Dario.

“You just can’t say no to a fight can you Martinez?”

Dario is still sorting cobwebs from his head but is at least able to stand upright. He wipes blood from his mouth. “Couldn’t let Bob have all the fun.”

Padre continues pointing at the Mexican with the broken toe whose been handcuffed and being led by a paramedic to another van. “He tried to grab the woman, and she stomps on his foot.” Everyone turns toward Sympatico whose sitting on the back bed of an ambulance with a blanket around her. What they don’t seem to notice is that the paramedic helping her is not the same one who escorted to the van.

“And then what,” Officer Sanchez asks.

“Well, Chance and Jake, who are working in the wine tent come over to help, but those two bouncer-built guys jump in from the other side.” Padre points at the two henchmen who helped Ramon escape. “There were more of them, but they’re not here now. Jake’s still trying to sort stuff out, but the pieces are coming together. “Miguel’s not here,” Jake whispers.

“Shit!” Padre shouts.

“Come again,” Officer Sanchez looks at Padre bewildered.

“Their leader, he’s not here.”

Simultaneously, Padre and Jake have the same manic thought, they turn in horror to find Sympatico’s no longer recovering in the paramedic’s van. Jake starts for the van but Officer Sanchez commands him to stop. In his pause, Jake looks down and sees something silver laying innocently on the lush green grass. He bends down and picks up the necklace Sympatico was wearing. This is now the second time he’s lost someone who matters more than life who wore this necklace.