31. Pots at the bridge

“From here you to go to the bridge and pick up some Tarahumara urns that haven’t sold and take them back to Aldama,” said Don Carlos, “one of my muchachos will accompany you to point out the spot. Just drive by here on the way back and drop him off.”

“Sí, señor,” said Ervey.

“Omar!” yelled Don Carlos to a young man lingering at the back of the truck.

“Sí, Don Carlos,” responded the young man.

“Go with these men to pick up the Tarahumaras at the bridge,” ordered Don Carlos, “they’ll bring you back here on their way back to Aldama.”

“Sí, señor,” said Omar.

Don Carlos turned around and walked back into the store.

“Vámonos,” said Ervey.

The three men got into the Kodiak. The youngest, Omar, sat in the middle. Ervey turned the Kodiak back onto Internacional and headed back down the long hill. On their left they passed the residence and offices of the ranking officer leading the army’s local presence, sometimes a colonel and other times a brigadier depending on the size of the contingent.

“Who’s in charge right now, colonel or general?” asked Lilo.

“Colonel,” said Omar, cheerfully, “things a calm right now because the narcos know they need to lay low or they’ll into a Ciudad Juarez, where the army and special forces are after them everywhere.”

Lilo looked over at Ervey, who looked back expressionless. Omar noted this and frowned. They kept rolling downhill until they reached the traffic light with the highway.  The international bridge again came into plain sight. Traffic was very light, nothing incoming and only a couple of border license plates waiting for a permit to go past the 20 kilometer limit into the interior of Mexico. Lining both sides of the highway right up to the curb all the way to the toll both and customs inspection stations were open-air stores selling curious and pottery to tourists wanting to make their last purchase before crossing back to the other side. There were no customers.

“Which one?” asked Ervey at the traffic light.

“Whichever one you want?” said Omar tersely.

Ervey turned to Omar and saw he had a sullen look on his face. Next to him, Lilo raised his eyebrows but remained silent and focused from something on far of them. The light turned green, and Ervey moved the Kodiak through the intersection and turned and parked at the middle of the block in front of a vendor that sold tombstones and polished marble figurines. Next to this stand on both sides were vendors selling clay pots. 

“Well then?” said Ervey.

Lilo opened the door and got out. Omar followed him without saying anything and promptly walked down the block a short ways and picked up a stack of pots from a stand  that stood back considerably from the curb. Lilo looked at what Omar was carrying and gave Ervey a brief inquisitive stare. Ervey looked over at Omar and spotted what had piqued Lilo’s incredulity.  

“Güey, those aren’t Tarahumara pots. They look like common glazed flower pots,” said Ervey from inside the Kodiak.

“It makes no difference. These will do,” said Omar.

“You sure?” asked Ervey.

“Sí, güey,” said Omar, “in Aldama thye don’t know and don’t care which pots.”

“And how about Don Carlos? What’s he going to say?” asked Ervey.

“He’s not going to look at what you have,” said Omar.

Ervey looked at Lilo, who stood motionless starring back at him.

“I just don’t want to get in trouble with him,” said Ervey.

“Look you don’t tell him about this and I won’t tell anybody about the bundles,” said Omar, turning stern.

“What about the bundles?” said Ervey, “they’re what Don Octavio gave us to bring here from Aldama.”

“You’re wrong,” said Omar, “they were opened, so maybe something’s missing when Don Carlos goes to open them.”

“Only one was opened, and noting was missing,” protested Ervey.

Omar only smiled. Ervey looked over at Lilo and back at Omar. 

“No, we’re not going to play along with this. As far as I’m concerned, you’re also lying about the they’re expecting back in Aldama.”

“I assure you that Don Octavio will be preoccupied with other things by the time you get there,” said Omar.

“Still no,” said Ervey adamantly.

“Well it makes no difference anyway, like I said,” said Omar coldly, “Don Carlos is depending on me for what’s in the bundles anyway.”

“What do you mean it makes not difference,” Ervey said in a low voice, clearly challenging Omar.

“Listen, you get too brave and I’ll have somebody come kick both your asses right now,” menaced Omar.

“You don’t threaten me you sorry little wet-nose townie, this Mulateño’ll give you two black eyes right right away and drag your ass back to your neighborhood to see who else wants to get in on it. I know who your people are. They’re nothing,” said Lilo pointing to himself then raising his hand as if he was going to chop the young man, “go ahead, call your boys right now. Let’s see, anybody out here with this asshole!”

Lilo’s callout got the attention of everybody around them. The entire block hushed, every head was turned in his direction. Nobody came forward.

“What’s happening, chiquito? Nobody’s coming. How about I slap you around a couple of times to see if that brings them out!” said Lilo, still in a loud voice.

Lilo was not bluffing. He stepped up to Omar and drew back his arm, his lips drawn tight and eyes already reflecting the act.

Omar stepped back and closed his eyes, trying to shield himself with the pots he was carrying.

“Está bién, está bién,” pleaded Omar. 

“Está bién qué?” said Lilo.

“I’ll go for the Tarahumaras,” said Omar.

“Well, ádale pronto because my blood is now hot,” said Lilo.

Omar walked back to where he picked up the flower pots, then walked across the street to another stand and grabbed two large pots embellished with deer hide and sinew. He walked back to the Kodiak and handed them to Lilo.

“They’re a couple of dozen, so you need to get the truck closer,” said Omar.

“No to hell with that,” said Lilo, “I’ll secure them in the back and you keep bringing them over.”

Omar did not protest. He walked across the street and picked up more pots, this time four at a time.

It did not take long for all the Tarahumaras to get loaded into the truck. When Omar said he had brought over the last one, Lilo walked across the street to look around for good measure. After a quick inspection, he walked back across and reported to Ervey that there were none left.

“That’s all,” he said.

“Está bién, vámonos,” said Ervey, “let’s drop you off at the store, Omar.”

“No, I’ll get there on my own,” said Omar.

Lilo immediately got into the cab, closing the door behind him. 

“Vámonos. It’s late,” he said.

Ervey engaged the Kodiak and made a quick u-turn on the highway. As he drove off, he looked in the rear view mirror on both sides of the truck to catch a last glimpse of Omar, but Omar was nowhere to be seen.