Mafia Romance

Posted: April 5, 2024 in Consulting, Experiences, Thoughts
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6

As most of you know, I work for a mob-boss because he knows my secret that I can read minds, and he finds it beneficial to his business dealings to know if anyone’s lying to him.

Recently, his wife, Jackie began writing mafia romance novels (I know, right?). To further her career, Uncle Joey purchased a small publishing company and renamed it “Manetto Books.” So far, her first book is doing great in the mafia-romance genre, and she is nearly finished writing the second one in the series.

With all that going on, most of her work in the office is answering phones and writing books. Somehow, Uncle Joey doesn’t seem to mind. Of course, since they’re married, she doesn’t have to worry about getting fired.

Usually when Uncle Joey asks for my help, it’s to help him with a client, or a business associate, but not today. After I arrived, Jackie invited me into Uncle Joey’s office where he was talking with a suave-looking guy in his thirties. As I entered, they both turned to greet me, and Uncle Joey introduced me to him.

“Shelby, this is Tommy DeVine, he’s an agent who’s interested in the movie rights to Jackie’s books.”

My eyes widened. “Oh wow! That’s great.”

“Hello Shelby.” Tommy held out his hand for me to shake. “It’s nice to meet you.”

“Nice to meet you, too.”

Uncle Joey nodded. “Shelby’s my niece, so I like to involve her in these types of decisions.”

“Of course,”

“So tell us about your offer.” Uncle Joey was thinking that I needed to listen closely to make sure this wasn’t a scam.

Tommy sent a smile Jackie’s way. “My agency liked Jackie’s book so well, we thought it would make a great TV series, so we wanted to represent her if the rights were available.”

Uncle Joey cocked his head. “I can’t argue with you there. She’s a great writer. Yes, the rights are available. What did you have in mind?”

“That’s great.” He glanced at Jackie again. “I understand you’re continuing the series?”

“Yes. I’m almost done with the second book.”

“Great. That’s what we were hoping for. We would have a contract written up that would include all future books, and I can have it to you in the next couple of days.”

“I see.” Uncle Joey’s brows drew together. “And how soon would you have a producer for the TV series?”

“We’d like to start pitching it as soon as all the legal matters are taken care of.” He was thinking that it could take a while, because pitching it to all his contacts might not get the results he wanted, but getting the rights would bring him one step closer.

My brows rose. “But we wouldn’t be giving you the TV rights. You’d just represent Jackie’s books, correct?”

“That’s right… I’d just be her agent and I’d start working on it right away.”

I nodded, but picked up that he was pretty booked for the next little while, but he’d get to it as soon as he could. He’d recently overheard a competitor talking about Jackie’s book, and knew if he wanted to get to her first, he had to act fast. He hadn’t even read the book yet, which he’d always done in the past, but he didn’t want the opportunity to slip by. He could always read the book after that. If it wasn’t any good, he wouldn’t waste his time pitching it. So – he didn’t have much to lose, and everything to gain.

I glanced at Uncle Joey. “I guess it wouldn’t hurt to look at his offer.”

Uncle Joey nodded, thinking that I’d picked up something, so he’d go along with it for now. “Sure. We’d like to see it, then we’ll decide what to do.”

“Great. I’ll get to work on it and have it sent over right away.”

We all said our goodbyes, and he left. Jackie was so thrilled, she could hardly think straight. I didn’t see any reason to burst her bubble, since it could still work out. After she went back to her desk, Uncle Joey turned to me.

“So what did you find out?”

I told him all the particulars and he nodded, thinking it was about what he’d expected. “Thanks Shelby. I am surprised he hasn’t read it, but I guess it makes sense.”

“Yeah. So what are you going to do?”

“We’ll see what his offer is. I’ll most likely turn it down, which is what I had in mind anyway. I mean… I know people in the entertainment industry, so I’m not about to go with this guy anyway. I just wanted Jackie to have a thrill, you know?”

“Oh. Right. But aren’t you worried she’ll be disappointed?”

“No… she’ll understand. She’ll want the best agent to represent her anyway, so it’s all good.” He was thinking that he wasn’t sure he wanted her books turned into a TV series. It was a little too personal, so he wanted to take it slow. Plus, if it ever did make it to the big screen, finding someone to play him would be hard… there just weren’t that many actors with the chops to do him justice.

He glanced my way and winked.

I chuckled. “You have a point.”

“But… of course, I won’t completely rule it out.” He rubbed his hands together, thinking he could make a lot of money on a TV deal, and, with the right wording in the contract, it wouldn’t come back to haunt him.

“Sounds good. Let me know what happens.”

“I will.”

I left soon after that, stopping at Jackie’s desk to share in her excitement before heading home. I knew that, depending on how much money he could make, Uncle Joey would definitely consider it.

Just thinking about it triggered my imagination. What actor could play Uncle Joey? And then there was Ramos. Who would play him? Was there even an actor alive that could do him justice? Not that I could think of. Still, I could hardly wait to get home and do a google search of hot Latino actors who could do the job.

Anyways… Now I kind of hope it happens, because how fun would it be to see Uncle Joey and Ramos on the big screen? Plus… since I knew Jackie had already written a character based on me in the second book, I could be part of it as well. Whoa! Who could play me?

I guess that’s all for today. I’ll keep you posted about the deal, but if you have any good ideas for actors, I’d be curious to know who they are!

Until next time!

~Shelby

Dog-gone It!

Posted: January 26, 2024 in Advice, Experiences, Thoughts
Tags: , , , , ,
25

Not too long ago, my family got a dog. He was left at an animal shelter. At first glance, we just knew he was meant to be ours. He’s a German Shepard and his name is Coco. I could say that we chose him, but the truth is, he’s the one who chose us. It also didn’t hurt that, because of my mind-reading ability, I could understand some of what Coco’s barks and mannerisms meant, which led to a special bond.

To make a long story short, we also discovered that Coco had been trained as a search-and-rescue dog. With this exciting news, my son, Josh, has been training to become a certified search-and-rescue handler. He’s had some experience, since he brought Coco to the mountains to search for me a few months ago. In fact, I might not be here without Coco’s excellent nose, and I’ll be forever grateful to him for that!

Nearly ready for his first official search-and-rescue assignment, Josh invited me to watch his training session with a couple of other trainers and their dogs. I jumped at the chance to see them in action. The training session had been set up in a large nature park, with a real person who was “lost” and the three participating dogs took turns finding him.

At the end of the session, the dogs were given treats, and let off their long leads so they could relax. I joined Josh and Coco in the training area, giving both of them praise for a job well done. A few of the other dogs joined us, and I began talking to them. Before I knew it, they’d all congregated around me, and picking up what their barks meant was a hoot.

Of course, Coco was the most vocal. This my mom… she plays… takes on walks… we explore together... she smells good…

Hearing that, Benji sniffed me. I don’t know… my mom smells better… she gives good ear rubs.

I knelt beside Benji. “Do you like your ears rubbed right here?” I proceeded to rub his ears and moved my hand to just the right spot. That right spot… yes… keep rubbing...don’t stop…ahhhh.

I finished up and stood. Benjy turned to Coco. Your mom good at that…

Coco: Yes… my mom best… cuddles good… always know when I want to play… she good listener.

Coco’s friend Scout twisted his head and studied me. But she have little ears… how she listen…

Coco: I find her when she lost…I best boy…I always find her…No one else can find her…but I find her…

Scout: I find human too… lots of times… A rustle came from the trees. What that?

Their ears perked up, and all the dogs froze, staring into the grove of trees.

“I wonder what they’re looking at.” Josh said.

“It’s a rabbit. They all want to go after it, but they’re holding back because of their training.” I bent down and petted them. “Good dogs. Way to go. You’re all so good. Well done.” I ruffled their fur and continued to praise them. They loved it.

Scout barked. Your mom real good.

Coco: She best… smell good too. Treat?

Luckily I had a treat bag in my purse, so I pulled it out and gave all the dogs a treat for being so good.

Josh knew I understood Coco better than most, but now the other handlers were wondering how I did it. One of them was thinking I must be a dog whisperer. It was like I knew what they wanted just by looking at them… it was uncanny. He was ready to come over and talk to me, but just then, Lance Hobbs, the man in charge of the event, thanked everyone for participating, and told us we could go.

The dogs obediently followed their handlers, and we were soon on our way home. As Coco rested in the back seat, I listened to Josh tell me all about the search. “I think Coco was the fastest one in the field today. He was great. I’m sure glad he’s part of the family.”

“Me too, Josh… me too.”

Cold Snap

Posted: December 1, 2023 in Advice, Experiences, Thoughts
Tags: , , , , , ,
20

I don’t know about the weather where you live, but we just went through a cold snap. Luckily, we had most of the leaves picked up off the lawn, and the deck swing tucked away. I always hated taking the swing down, but with winter coming on, it couldn’t be helped.

At least I’d managed to get in one last amazing ride on the back of a motorcycle first. I’d talked Ramos into taking me to a cemetery to visit the grave of a young man whose cold case I’d just solved. I won’t bother you with the details, but it was definitely gratifying to give his family some closure, and made all that I’d gone through worth it.

After finishing up with my errand, I hurried back to Ramos and his motorcycle, ready to head back to work. That’s when Ramos suggested a slight detour before going back. He wouldn’t tell me where we were going, but, in all honesty, I would have happily gone on a ride anywhere. We both knew it was one of the last beautiful, fall days we had, and it would be a travesty not to enjoy it.

Still, I never expected where we ended up. Who knew places like that even existed? We headed toward the hills, but further south than normal. A short time later, Ramos turned into a residential neighborhood and meandered through the streets until we were just below a wooded area where a narrow road branched off and headed deeper into the hills.

The winding road took us to the top of a hill where the air was warm and the sun bright. The road leveled out before dropping down into a small ravine, bringing a drop in the temperature that cooled my chin and neck. Taking in the road ahead, it didn’t look like it went anywhere specific, and there wasn’t a car or home in sight. It reminded me of the poem about the road not taken. This one definitely qualified, and, in the space of a few short minutes, it was like we’d passed from one reality into a completely different one.

Coming out of the ravine, we climbed to the top of another hill before the road took us back down again. After the third time it happened, it hit me that this was the whole point of the ride. With all the ups and downs as well as taking several curves, it was like riding a roller-coaster. Climbing steadily, we reached the top of the next hill, and my stomach tightened. This was the steepest one yet, ending in another ravine way down below us.

Ramos slowed before plunging down the hill to the bottom, and my heart rose into my throat and butterflies filled my chest. I clung tightly to Ramos like my life depended on it. Holy hell! With my heart racing, we finally reached the bottom and I could breathe again. I wasn’t sure I could handle another hill like that, and I let out a sigh of relief when the road ahead climbed slowly upward until we were back out of the gulch.

We continued in that direction, heading into a narrow canyon, and Ramos slowed to pull off onto a small look-out point. As he turned off the bike, the sound of rushing water reached my ears. He helped me off the bike, and I pulled off my helmet, hoping my legs wouldn’t give out. “That was some ride.”

Ramos removed his helmet and his lips twisted. “I thought you might like it.”

It was exhilarating, but it kind of scared me too. “Yeah… it was really something. I mean… my legs are still shaking.”

“Oh.” He seemed surprised. “In that case there’s one more thing you need to see. It will make it all worth it.”

I followed him down a dirt path toward several large boulders. As we took the path around them, a ravine opened up, with a river down at the bottom. Leafless trees lined either side of the river, and I followed Ramos to a rocky ridge overlooking a gorge. “Have a seat.” He motioned to one of the large rocks and pointed downstream. “Now look over there.”

He pointed to the other side of the ravine where a small waterfall spewed over the ridge in a graceful arc. The sun caught the water at a perfect angle, making a rainbow out of the mist. It took my breath away.

“Whoa.” I couldn’t take my eyes off the constant motion of falling water, combined with the sparkle of colored light from the rainbow. “It’s amazing.”

We sat in silence for several long minutes, drinking in the beauty until a cold breeze sent a shiver down my spine.

“Time to go.” Ramos rose to his feet. He was thinking that this little jaunt had taken a good part of the afternoon, but it was totally worth it.

“You’re right about that. Uh… do we have to go back the same way we came?”

His brows rose. “You didn’t like that?” He thought I enjoyed holding on to him so tightly.

“Well… yeah… but that last hill was a doozy.”

He snorted. “Don’t worry. It’s not the same going back. In fact, going up that steep hill is a lot different than coming down.” He glanced sideways at me. “Since I usually do this ride solo, it might be a little tricky making it up with you on the back.” At my widened eyes, he shrugged. “But don’t worry. I’m sure we can make it.”

I shook my head. “You are such a tease.”

His grin widened. He was thinking that he definitely enjoyed teasing me, but it was going to be a challenge getting up that hill. He’d probably have to gun it to get to the top. Still… it would so cool to catch some air before coming down on the other side. “Just hold on real tight, okay?”

My heart stuttered. “Are you serious?”

“No… I’m totally kidding. There’s nothing to worry about.”

I listened real hard, but he’d closed off his thoughts, so I had to take him at his word. I made sure my helmet was on real tight, and my jacket zipped and buttoned. Still, I couldn’t help the nervous tension that skittered through my stomach as we mounted the bike and headed back.

We moved along at a steady pace and I tried to stay calm. I kept my gaze on the road ahead and did my best to enjoy the solitude of the ride. Then I made the mistake of glancing up at the monstrous hill. I caught Ramos’s excitement and his determined focus to keep a steady increase of speed and getting in the right gear to make it to the top without slowing.

Starting up the steep hill, I held my breath and squeezed Ramos so tight that I could feel his stomach muscles clench. He leaned forward and I molded to his back. As we increased our speed and raced up the road, my butt slid to the back of the seat, and I tightened my leg muscles to push against the pegs with my feet, holding on for dear life.

Before I could blink my eyes open to see how much further we had to go, we soared up over the top. My stomach flip-flopped as we briefly left the pavement to land safely on the other side. Ramos let out a whoop, and I let out the breath I’d been holding.

As we continued down the road, Ramos relaxed into his seat, and I managed to scoot closer so I wasn’t hanging off the back of the motorcycle. The next few hills and valleys weren’t so steep, but still sent a thrill through my chest. I may have even let out a whoop or two of my own. As we reached the residential neighborhood, he patted my hands, and I finally loosened my steely grip. We took the rest of the ride back at a nice, leisurely pace.

By the time we pulled into Thrasher, I was calm and collected. Still, once I dismounted, I had to keep a hold of Ramos’s arm to make sure my legs didn’t give out. After he slid my helmet, jacket, and gloves into his trunk, I picked up his worry that maybe he’d pushed me a little too much. Had I been scared?

“Oh no. It was great. I loved it.”

He wasn’t convinced. “You sure?”

“Of course. It was really fun… most of the time… I mean.. I guess I was a little scared. That hill was crazy.”

“Yeah. We caught some air on that one.” He was thinking that was his favorite part of the ride. Well… that, and hearing me scream.

“What? I didn’t scream.”

He huffed and shook his head. “Yes you did. And you held on so tight, I might even have bruises on my ribs.”

I smacked him, but he just laughed. I couldn’t help it, and laughed right along with him. “Since it’s so late I’m going to take off, but thanks for the ride. It was amazing.”

He nodded, glad he’d been able to show me one of his favorite spots. “It’s supposed to turn cold tomorrow, so I’m glad we could go.”

“Yeah, me too. Hey… let’s go again in the spring. I’ll bet that waterfall is huge then.”

“You know… I’ve never seen it in the spring, but I’ll bet you’re right.”

We said our goodbyes and I hurried to my car.

Now you know why this cold snap doesn’t bother me as much as it normally would. All I have to do is remember that roller-coaster ride and all the thrills… and maybe a little screaming… and I’m good to go… especially since I know there will be more to come.

Stress Relief

Posted: August 19, 2023 in Advice, Consulting, Experiences, Thoughts
Tags: , , , , ,
12

Lately, I’ve had a lot of stress in my life. There are several factors that probably contribute to this. One might be that I work for a mob boss. Another might be that I also work for the police. Besides both of those, I have my own consulting agency. Then there’s my family. Don’t get me wrong, I love my husband and kids, but raising two teenagers can be a bit of a challenge.

But I think the biggest stress inducer is the fact that I can read minds. I used to think it was awesome to know what people were thinking, but now, I’m not so sure. If you don’t believe me, you should just think about it for a minute. Would you want to know what other people really thought about you? I didn’t think so.

I’ve had some time to work with a counselor and I’ve found meditation to be helpful. And I do love long baths. But to be honest, the best stress reliever for me is taking a motorcycle ride. As you may know that involves a certain hitman, which means that if I want my favorite stress reliever, I have to deal with some stress inducing problems.

Like today… I stopped in at Thrasher for a quick meeting with Uncle Joey… the mob boss for whom I work. That quick meeting turned into two hours, and by the time we were done, I could hardly wait to get out of there. But Uncle Joey wasn’t done with me. I had to stay for another meeting. An hour later, the meeting ended, and he invited me to his office for a chat. I may not have stayed, but he needed to know what everyone had been thinking during his meetings, and I had to fill him in before I forgot.

Luckily, I had plenty of notes, so it didn’t take too long. He isn’t always happy with what I find out, mostly because a lot of people don’t tell the whole truth and it makes him angry. Still, he’s gotten more used to it since the early days, so it’s not so bad.

Still… by the end of our little meeting, my stress levels were pretty high. That’s when Uncle Joey told me he had one more thing for me to do. I may have glared at him, because his brows rose, then his lips twisted up. “Don’t worry Shelby. You’ll like this one.”

I couldn’t pick up what it was and shook my head. “Really? Why?”

“Because it involves a motorcycle ride. What do you say?”

I let out a sigh. He knew I couldn’t resist that. “Is it far?”

He nodded. “Oh yes… all the way to the private airstrip and back.”

I licked my lips. That was a nice ride, and it would certainly go a long way in reducing my stress levels. “Okay. I’ll go.”

His knowing smile almost made me tell him no… almost, but not quite. In fact, he knew that I’d do practically anything he asked if it included a ride with Ramos. As if thinking about him conjured him up, Ramos knocked at the door and poked his head inside. “Are you done?”

“Yes. Here’s the package.” Uncle Joey handed a large envelope to Ramos. “Shelby’s going with you. I need her to tell me his reaction to the contents. And… she really needs to get out of here.”

“Is that right?” Ramos raised his right brow, thinking that was code for Manetto rewarding my diligence and keeping me happy after what he’d put me through.

“Yes it is.”

I threw up my arms. “Can we just go already?”

It didn’t take long before we were on our way. Ramos was thinking that Uncle Joey knew my weakness and now he would use it whenever he wanted… but he wasn’t going to complain. He probably liked it almost as much as I did.

I wanted to swat him, but he was right.

So there you have it. Never reveal your weakness to a mob boss if you want to stay out of his grasp… unless it’s going for a motorcycle ride with Ramos. Uncle Joey thought he had me over a barrel, but if you really want to know, I think it’s the other way around. Just don’t tell him that.

Summer T-Shirt

Posted: June 30, 2023 in Experiences, Thoughts
Tags: , ,
18

Summer is always a busy time at my house, mostly because the kids are out of school. Between their activities, my work, vacations, and family events, I hardly have time to sit down and relax. That’s why I wasn’t too happy when Uncle Joey asked me for a favor right after I got home from an exhausting day. But how do you say no to a mob boss?

Grabbing a Diet Coke, I got back in my car and drove to Thrasher Development without taking the time to change out of my shorts and t-shirt. He wanted me there fast, so I figured he’d have to take me as I was. Twenty minutes later, I pulled into the parking garage and hurried to the elevators. Naturally, I glanced behind the pillar to see if Ramos’s Harley was there. Seeing it brought a smile to my face, even though I probably wouldn’t get to go on a ride. Still, I could always hope.

As I stepped into the office, I knew I’d made a mistake by not changing my clothes. Jackie’s brows rose, and she was trying to decide if she should send me into the meeting, or send me home to change. Before she could say a word, Ramos stuck his head out of the conference room.

“Good. You’re here. We need you.”

He didn’t seem bothered by my attire, so I hurried into the conference room. Inside, I found Uncle Joey, along with two men I didn’t recognize. They stood and Uncle Joey introduced me. “I’d like you to meet my niece, Shelby Nichols. Shelby, this is Tyson Lawrence and his brother Jordan Lawrence. They have a new start-up company and they’re looking for investors.”

They each shook my hand, wondering why Uncle Joey had invited me into the meeting. Was he thinking that I might want to invest? I smiled, but had no idea why I was there either. “It’s nice to meet you.”

After sitting down, Uncle Joey explained all about their product which turned out to be an app for keeping track of game scores and stats of professional sports. Why this was important was totally lost on me. I wasn’t really into professional sports. Of course, I watched all the soccer games my son played in, along with a few basketball and football games on TV, but that was about it.

I glanced at the brothers and picked up embarrassment and a little shock – all directed at me. They kept staring at my t-shirt, and thinking that I was going to be in trouble if Uncle Joey noticed what it said. One of them thought it wouldn’t be so bad if Uncle Joey wasn’t a mob boss, but this might just be the end of me.

I couldn’t remember what t-shirt I had on, let alone what it said. Glancing down, I tried to make out the words, but it took me longer than I liked since they were upside down. “If you think I’m crazy, wait till you meet my boss.”

Oops. There were right. I was sure Uncle Joey wouldn’t appreciate it at all. “I’ll be right back.” I pushed my chair back and turned away from Uncle Joey to head to the door. Ramos took in my flushed face, and followed behind me. Out in the hall, I let out my breath and sagged against the wall.

“What’s going on?”

“This!” I pulled my shirt out so he could read it. His brows rose and he wondered why I’d ever wear that to the office. “Hey… I’ve had a busy day, and when Uncle Joey called, I just came over. I didn’t even realize I had it on. I need to take it off before I go back in there. Do you have something in the apartment I could borrow?”

He was stuck on the taking-it-off-part, and imagining me going back in there without a shirt. It reminded him of the time I’d thrown off my clothes all the way down to my underwear. Right in the middle of a field. What a day.

“Ramos… stop that. Do you have something I can borrow or not?”

“Uh… we can go look.” He led the way to his apartment at the end of the hall. Inside, I followed him down a short hallway to the bedrooms. He thought there might be something left from a former girlfriend in the guest room closet, but that was so long ago, that he doubted it.

Since I was desperate, I hurried to the closet and opened the doors. It was empty accept for a bathrobe and a couple of scarves… or maybe that was lingerie? It was hard to tell.

Ramos had gone into his room, so I joined him. He pulled a few things out, but they were so big, I knew it was a lost cause.

“I guess I could always turn my shirt inside out and go back in there.”

Ramos nodded, but he thought that would be too obvious. Besides, he liked the idea of me in one of his shirts. Pulling out a dark-blue, light-weight t-shirt, he handed it to me. “Here… this is pretty tight on me. It might work. Go ahead and put it on. I’ll wait in the kitchen.”

“Okay. Thanks.” After he shut the door, I tugged off my shirt and pulled Ramos’s shirt over my head. It was huge on me, but the color was good, and I could tuck the front into my shorts for that half-dressed-look. Checking the mirror, I decided it wasn’t half-bad, and, even better, it smelled like his warm spicy scent. Maybe this wasn’t so bad after all. I joined him in the kitchen. “I think this will work.”

He glanced at me and nodded, thinking that it was pretty big, making the neckline a little low, but that didn’t bother him… at all. Pulling the neckline up, I followed him back to the meeting and pretended that nothing was different. The brothers didn’t say a word, but they thought I’d barely escaped with my life. Of course they were exaggerating, but I was grateful just the same.

The meeting wrapped up and they left, but I stayed behind to tell Uncle Joey what they’d been planning. At the end of our conversation, Uncle Joey glanced at my shirt. “Why’d you change your shirt?”

All sorts of excuses came to mind. Before I decided on one, I picked up that Uncle Joey had liked my shirt. He thought it was funny. But he had to admit that the moment I’d realized what it said was even funnier. “You should have seen the look on your face.” He chuckled. “All right. I guess that’s all for today. Thanks for coming, I really appreciate it.”

“Sure.” I shook my head and left the room. Smiling, Ramos came behind me and let me into his apartment. I went straight to his room and changed back into my shirt. Opening the door, I found Ramos waiting for me. “Thanks. I guess it was all for nothing.”

“Not necessarily. I enjoyed seeing you in my shirt. If you want to leave a change of clothes here, there’s plenty of room in the guest closet.”

I nearly choked. “Huh… right. Probably not… I mean… how would it look, you know? But thanks anyway.”

He shrugged, thinking it wasn’t that big a deal, but, knowing me, something would happen and I’d get into trouble over it.

I hurried to my car and managed to get home in one piece. What a day… but at least it had all turned out right in the end. Still, from now on, I’d make sure I checked my clothes before I headed into the office.

Spring Fling

Posted: April 27, 2023 in Advice, Consulting, Experiences, Thoughts
Tags: , , , ,
32

I’m not sure how it happened, but somehow, I got roped into helping at the high school Spring Dance.

My best friend Holly is actually the one who roped me into it, since she was in charge. Her oldest child is a senior and Holly is president of the PTSA, so she needed the help. It didn’t seem fair since neither of my kids were going, but that was because Savannah is still in junior high, and, as a sophomore, Josh had no interest in Senior Prom. Still, when your best friend needs you, you help out.

Holly doesn’t know I can read minds, but she believes I have premonitions, which is what I tell everyone to explain my ability. Because of that, Holly thought I would be the perfect person to watch over the dance in a security capacity to make sure nothing bad happened. Considering all the school shootings, I couldn’t blame her for wanting the event to be safe, and who better to do that than someone who had premonitions? (her words… not mine)

Naturally, I said yes, but only on the condition that I was there in an official capacity. She agreed, and provided me with a black t-shirt that had SECURITY in white capital letters across the front, along with a school pass in a lanyard. That way, I could tell the kids what to do and get away with it. I’d be sure to wear my black jeans, along with a belt that held my stun flashlight. She had another t-shirt made for the gym teacher, who would be my partner, and we were all set.

That night, I arrived at the school wearing my official lanyard, along with the black security t-shirt, jeans, and boots. My stun flashlight in a case on my belt was a nice touch, and I’d pulled my long blond hair into a ponytail and wore my black cap with ‘security’ written across the top that I’d used before when I’d helped Uncle Joey. All in all, I looked pretty bad-ass.

I walked into the gym, which had been decorated like a woodsy forest, with fake trees, grass, and dangling vines and flowers, and, I had to admit, I was impressed. Holly was already there and hurried to my side. “Shelby! I’m so glad you’re here.”

“Hey, no problem. This looks great.”

“Isn’t it cute?”

“Sure is.”

She took me to her PTSA office and unlocked the door so I could leave my jacket and my purse inside. Back in the gym, she took a deep breath, hoping her news wouldn’t upset me. “Um… it looks like Coach Monson has come down with a bad case of stomach flu, or food poisoning, so he’s not going to make it. I’ve asked a couple of the other teachers to take his place, but so far, I haven’t had any luck.”

“Oh… that’s too bad, but I should be okay.”

She nodded, but she was thinking that, even though I looked official, the kids might not take me seriously. Sure, I had ‘security’ in bold letters across my shirt, but I wasn’t big enough to haul someone out of the gym on my own. But maybe I could ask someone for a favor? She wouldn’t mind seeing the hot hitman again, and he would certainly intimidate anyone who got out of line.

“You want me to ask Ramos?”

Her eyes widened. “Uh… yeah, I was just thinking that. Do you think he’d come?”

“I can’t ask Ramos. I owe him too much already. Besides, he’s probably busy.”

“You don’t know that for sure. Even if he could only come for a couple of hours, it would be worth it. We probably don’t need him until things get going, around eight or so. You could at least ask him, right?”

I shook my head. “Only if you have something to offer him. He won’t do it for free.”

“Even for you?”

“Oh… he’d do it for me, but then I’d owe him, and I’d have to do whatever he wanted… you know? I’m not sure that’s a good idea.”

She blinked, immediately thinking that he’d want a night of hot love-making, and her eyes widened. “Oh! Wow! I see.” She was thinking that it might be worth it… unless Chris found out… then it would be bad. But a night with Ramos? It made her hot all over just thinking about it.

“Holly! I’m not doing that!”

“Oh… good. I mean… of course you’re not.” Her brow wrinkled. “Wait. Did I say that out loud?”

I shook my head. “You didn’t need to. It was written all over your face.”

“Sure. Got it.” The lights dimmed and a few of the kids from the dance committee began to drift inside. “I’ve got to go, but please think about asking him? I don’t want anything to go wrong tonight.” She handed me a small bag. “Here’s the other t-shirt. I’ll check in with you later.”

She hurried off, leaving me holding the bag – in more ways than one. Still, I was not going to ask Ramos. No way.

Half an hour later, I was having second thoughts. None of the kids seemed the least bit intimidated by me. A couple of the boys even raised their glasses of punch to me, thinking I had no idea they’d added vodka to them. I marched over and demanded that they hand over the flask they’d brought, but neither of them had it anymore. I picked up that it was being passed around, and they didn’t know where it was by now.

I spent the next half hour trying to track it down, but there were just too many students, and I had left my post at the doors for too long. Holly found me and asked me to patrol the hall outside the gym for troublemakers. I found a couple of boys trying to break into someone’s locker and told them to knock it off. One of them told me it was his locker and he needed something from it. Dismissing me, they went back to jiggling it open.

Since they were lying, it made me mad, so I stepped closer and pulled out my stun flashlight. “Move away, or you’ll get a taste of this.” I held the flashlight up and pushed the button. Instead of the zap I’d been going for, the light switched on. Crap. “I mean this.” I hit the other button and got the buzzing zap I’d wanted, but they weren’t impressed.

One of them held up his hands. “Oooo, I’m so scared.”

The other kid hit his friend and turned to me. “Don’t listen to him. We’re going.” He pulled his friend past me and back toward the dance, thinking that they’d come back later after I’d left.

The kid being pulled away called over his shoulder. “You know you can’t touch me with that thing… unless you want to get sued.”

I sighed. He was probably right. Kids didn’t seem to respect adults much. What was up with that? Or was it just me? Being the security person was a terrible idea. Defeated, I meandered back to my place at the doors. Was it even worth trying to do this job, or should I just let everything go and only act if someone’s life was in danger?

If Ramos were here, it would probably be different.

The next few minutes brought a new wave of kids into the dance. Most just wanted to have a good time, but I managed to catch a few stray thoughts of trouble… mostly pranks, but I didn’t like it. At least everyone had to pass through security, so I didn’t have to worry about guns or knives, but what the heck?

Holly came back to my side. “How’re you doing? Everything okay?” She was thinking that I might need some help with the crowd. “I called the coach, but he’s still too sick to come. Are you sure you can’t call Ramos?”

“Fine. I’ll call him, but that doesn’t mean he’ll come.” I pulled out my phone and pushed his number.

“Thank you.” She was thinking that the doors to the boy’s and girl’s locker rooms were locked, but someone needed to check them, along with the bathrooms and the halls again.

Ramos picked up. “Babe. What’s up?”

I sighed. “Um… I might need your help.” I explained where I was and how the coach was sick so I was going it alone. “But if you’re busy… it’s no big deal. But just so you know, my friend Holly really wants to see you again.”

Holly smacked me, but it was worth it.

He snickered. “Yeah… hang on.” I waited a few seconds until he came back on the line. “I’ll be there in ten minutes.”

“Great. I’ll meet you in the parking lot with Holly. She’ll make sure you can get in, but you should probably leave your gun at home.” That was mostly for Holly’s sake so she’d know what she was getting into. Ramos snickered again and disconnected the call.

“He’s on his way.”

“Awesome!”

Ten minutes later, Ramos arrived on his Harley. Holly nearly fainted, but managed to stay on her feet long enough to get him through security. I handed him the security t-shirt and the lanyard that went with it. He shrugged off his black motorcycle jacket and both Holly and I froze in anticipation. But instead of taking off his t-shirt, he just pulled the new one over it. I think Holly sighed, or maybe it was both of us. Either way, we managed to breathe again and took him down the hall to the gym.

Close to the gym, Holly unlocked the door to the PTSA room so he could stash his jacket there beside my purse, and we hurried into the dance. It only took a few minutes for our eyes to adjust, but we got started right away, and I found it was a whole different story with Ramos by my side. He hardly had to say a word to intimidate anyone, and the rest of the evening went by with only a few minor incidents.

The dance ended at eleven, but by then, most of the students had cleared out anyway. Holly hurried over to thank us before we left. In the process, she managed to give Ramos a big hug that lasted a little longer than was necessary. Naturally, I couldn’t blame her, and since Ramos didn’t seem to mind, I managed to keep a straight face.

After we gathered our things from her office, we walked out together, stopping at Ramos’s bike.

I turned to face him. “Thanks for your help. It made a big difference.”

“You’re welcome. It was… interesting.”

I smiled. “That’s putting it mildly. I guess I owe you… again.”

“Yes. You do. It’s turning into a long list. I’ll have to figure out where to start, or you’ll never get to the end of it.”

I chuckled. “You mean there’s an end?”

“Not if I can help it. But there is something you can do for me right now.”

“What’s that?”

“All you have to do is stand still and don’t move.”

Alarm tightened my chest. “That’s all?”

“Yup.”

I couldn’t pick up what he planned. Still, it was a simple request. What could happen? “Okay.”

He leaned in close and I caught his woodsy, masculine scent that made me a little dizzy. Barely holding back a smile, he lingered close for a few seconds before brushing my cheek with a kiss. His mouth moved toward my ear and he spoke in a low tone. “Goodnight Shelby.”

Chills ran down my spine. He straightened and slipped on his jacket. Before he could put on his helmet, my wits returned. “So does that count? Toward the list?”

He arched his brow. “Babe… that’s just the tip of the iceberg… but if it will make you feel better, sure.”

“Great. See you Monday.” As he drove off, I sent him a wave, happy to start witling down the list. But on second thought, did I really want to do that? Maybe not, but since it was such a long list already, I’d have the rest of my life to get to the end of it.

With that happy thought, I headed home, ready to tell my kids they were only allowed to go to a school dance if I was there working security. Since they’d hate that, maybe I’d be off the hook, and never have to do security at a school dance again.

Special Delivery

Posted: March 9, 2023 in Advice, Consulting, Experiences, Thoughts
Tags: , , ,
10

As most of you know, I work for a mob boss whom I call Uncle Joey. He’s not really my uncle, but after working for him for a couple of years, he’s become like family. This should make me more nervous than it does, but I make it a point to stay on the good side of things, and do my best to know as little about the bad side as possible.

Of course, the main reason I work for him is because I can read minds and he coerced me into it. But, since that goes for him as well everyone else, it gives me a little more wiggle-room than most people.

I’m also a certified private investigator, so I have clients that I help as well. Which brings me to my story.

My newest client, Henry, thought someone was following him, and he wanted to know who it was. That seemed like an easy task, since all I had to do was watch him for a day or two. If someone was following him, I’d take a few pictures, and that would be that.

Of course, it turned out that he worked for a florist making deliveries, which meant that I had to follow him all over the place. After two hours of doing that, I worried that my cover was blown, since I was now the one following him. Still, I did my best to keep watch.

That’s when everything changed.

My phone rang with the familiar tune of “Devil Rider,” which meant it was Ramos calling. He’s the hot, motorcycle-riding, hitman who works for Uncle Joey. Grateful for the distraction, I quickly answered. “Hey Ramos. What’s up?”

“Babe. Why are you following Henry?”

“What? Oh my gosh! Are you the person following him?” I glanced behind me, then along the street on both sides to see him. “Where are you?”

“I’m in a car just up the street.”

I looked, but couldn’t see him anywhere. “Which one?”

“It’s a white Camry.”

I still couldn’t see it, but then, I’m not much of a car person, and there are a lot of white cars these days. “Hmm… well… I can’t see you. I guess that means you’re good at your job.” I didn’t say, and I’m not, although I thought about it.

“Well… I’ve had a lot of practice. So I take it Henry hired you?”

“Uh… yeah.”

“What did he want?”

“He said that he thought someone was following him, and I’m supposed to figure it out, and show him pictures of who it is.”

“And you didn’t pick up anything else, like… what he did, or why he was worried?”

“No. He wasn’t thinking about that, and honestly, I didn’t want to know.”

Ramos let out a breath. “Hmm. This is good. I think we can help each other.”

“How’s that?”

“Henry’s been using his delivery service for more than just flowers. I won’t bore you with the details, but he’s been passing off… certain items in a messenger bag. I’ve been trying to discover who he’s been delivering them to, so that’s why I’m following him. But now that you’re in the picture, and he knows you’re there, you can keep an eye on him for me.”

“Hmm… okay, but you’ll owe me.”

“Babe.” His voice was low and gravelly. “You owe me far more than this little favor. Do I have to remind you of how many times I’ve saved your pretty little neck?”

Guilt washed over me. “Uh… no… no… of course not. I was just joking.”

He snorted. “Right. So this is what I want you to do. When he makes his other deliveries, he takes a messenger bag with him, and he comes back without it. I just want you to take note of where those deliveries are.”

That didn’t sound too bad. “Okay. How many of these ‘other’ deliveries are there?”

“I’m thinking three at the most. But he might surprise me with more.”

“Okay.” I spotted Henry coming out of the building he’d just been in. “He’s back, so I’d better go.”

“Thanks, Shelby.” He disconnected before I could ask him if he was going to keep following us, but since I was doing his job for him, he probably didn’t need to.

As I pulled onto the road to follow Henry, I glanced at all the white cars I could see, but I never spotted Ramos. He was good.

By the end of the day, I’d taken note of five different places where Henry had left a messenger bag. Ramos would be pleased. But what was I going to tell Henry? I was pretty sure Ramos wouldn’t want me to tell him he was being followed by the mob. But that left me looking a little incompetent.

Still, I figured I could tell him I hadn’t seen anyone… since that was true, and only charge him half of what I normally did to assuage my guilty conscience.

When he was done for the day, I gave him my offer and he took me up on my generosity pretty fast. “So that’s it? You’re not doing this again tomorrow?”

“Uh… nope. But good luck and all. Stay safe.”

He looked at me kind of funny, and was thinking that I might know more than I let on. I sent him a nod. “You might want to think about changing jobs. Messengers don’t always have the best of luck when they’re delivering something they shouldn’t… you know?”

His eyes widened, and I sent him a wave. “See you around.”

As I walked back to my car, I picked up that he was having second thoughts about his other delivery service. Maybe it was time to walk away before it got him killed.

Since I thought that was a good idea, I turned around and gave him a thumbs-up.

So that’s my story. I guess it just goes to show that a mob boss has all kinds of connections I’d never know about. But you know what? Like I said earlier, that’s just the way I want to keep it.

Recipe for Disaster

Posted: January 26, 2023 in Advice, Consulting, Experiences, Thoughts
Tags: , , , , ,
21

Yesterday, I got a phone call from Dimples asking for my ‘special’ help. This particular case had stumped him and the other detectives for several days, and they’d decided it was time to call in the big guns… me. As the resident ‘psychic’ for the police, I get called in when nothing else seems to work, even though not all of the detectives are convinced that what I do is real.

Only Dimples knows the truth that I can read minds, which is just how I like it. Can you imagine how twitchy everyone would get if they knew I could hear their thoughts? It would be a disaster of epic proportions, so it’s much better to say I have premonitions. Still, it does make things a little awkward when I have to explain myself. I mean… premonitions aren’t quite the same thing, so I always have to tell them I have a feeling about someone or something that’s about to happen, and it can get a little confusing.

I walked into the department and Dimples sent me his biggest smile, mostly because he knew how mesmerizing I found his dimples. It was kind of like a reward for coming in to help him, so I couldn’t complain. If you saw his dimples, you’d totally understand… I mean… they’re huge and they’re always moving, like they have a personality all their own.

“Glad you could make it,” Dimples said. “Have a seat, and I’ll explain what’s going on.” I took my seat beside his desk and he began to tell me about the case. “There’s a person of interest we’ve been watching for the murders of a couple of women, but we don’t have enough evidence to get a search warrant.”

“Wait… like a serial killer?” I’d actually known a serial killer. In fact, I’d almost become one of his victims. I shook my head. “You know how I feel about those types of murderers… are you sure you need me?”

“Yes. If anyone can stop him, it’s you.” Since I wasn’t convinced, he kept talking. “Shelby… you know how they work. If we don’t stop him, he’ll keep killing people. You’ll be saving lives.”

I closed my eyes and let out a breath. “Ugh… I know, I know. I just hate being involved with them. Their minds are…” I glanced around to make sure no one could hear me and lowered my voice. “… like the cesspools of humanity. I always feel like I have to take a long shower afterwards, and I’m still not clean.”

“I understand it’s not pleasant, but we’ve run out of options.” He was thinking that taking an extra shower or two was worth saving someone’s life.

“Ouch… that hurt.”

He had the decency to lower his gaze. “Sorry… I forgot you’d hear that.”

“It’s fine. So what’s the plan?”

“I thought we’d visit him at his house and maybe you could pick up something. We’ll say it’s a follow-up, since we’ve talked with him before. I’ll tell him that we suspect one of his neighbors is acting suspiciously, and ask him if he’s seen anything unusual. It actually works pretty well since the guy told us about the neighbor in the first place.”

“Okay. Just make sure he invites us inside his house. If I can ask questions about his house, it will get him thinking about where he hid the bodies, or what he did with them.”

“I can do that. Let’s go.”

It didn’t take long before we were knocking on the suspect’s door. The curtain twitched before the door opened and a thirty-something man with a dark beard and longish hair stood in front of us. He wore glasses and jeans with a graphic t-shirt that drew my eye, mostly because of the slasher movie depicting dead people and lots of blood. That seemed a little obvious. Was that why the cops thought he was their killer?

“Hey Colton. I’m Detective Harris, and this is my colleague, Shelby Nichols. I was here the other day, and we have a couple of follow-up questions about your neighbor. Could we come in?”

His gaze darted to the side, like he was checking out the cleanliness of the living room, before he pulled the door open. “I guess. What did you need to know?”

Dimples asked him a couple of leading questions about his neighbor, while I glanced around the room. It was clean enough, but something was definitely off. Colton kept fidgeting, tapping his hands against his leg and rubbing his arms. It smelled like he was cooking some kind of meat dish, with lots of onions and garlic.

He finished answering the question, giving me an opportunity to speak. “You must be a good cook. What are you making that smells so good?”

Instead of relaxing, he got even more agitated. “Oh… it’s nothing exciting, just a beef stew recipe of my mom’s. I like to make it when I’m feeling lonely.”

“Oh… that makes sense. I take it you live here alone?”

“Yeah. My mom passed a few years ago.” He was thinking after I killed her.

I blinked. “Oh… I’m so sorry. You must miss her.”

He nodded. “Yeah… every now and then, but the stew helps me feel like she’s still here.” He was thinking it helped him lay the past to rest and get rid of the evidence at the same time.

My stomach clenched. Did that mean what I thought it meant? I swallowed and tried not to freak out.

Dimples glanced my way, noticing my white face, and wondering what was going on. Since I’d quit talking, he continued the conversation. “My wife makes a great stew, but it doesn’t smell as good as yours. Could I get your recipe?”

Colton’s eyes widened. No one had ever asked him that before. “Sure. In fact… I was just about to eat. Would you like to have some?”

I coughed to cover my gagging reflex. I couldn’t seem to stop and Dimples began to pound on my back. “Could I get… some… water?”

“Sure.” Colton left and I turned to Dimples.

“We can’t eat that… it’s people.”

Dimples’s eyes widened. “Like soylent green?”

“Huh?”

“Never mind… I get it. I’ll figure something out.”

Colton came back with a glass and I took it. After a couple of swallows, I managed to talk. “Thanks. I’m feeling a little sick, so I’ll have to pass on the food, but thanks anyway.”

He looked a little disappointed, but nodded.

“I’d like some,” Dimples said, surprising me.

“Great. I’ll get you a bowl.” Colton hurried back to the kitchen.

“What are you doing?” I asked.

“I’ve got an idea.” Before Dimples could explain, Colton came back with a bowl of steaming stew and an eager twinkle in his eyes. He was thinking this was one for the history books. If anyone ever found out. Still… getting a cop to eat one of his victims was like the icing on the cake. “Here you go. I hope you like it.”

“Thanks.” Dimples stirred the stew and sniffed it. “It sure smells good… but it’s a little hot. I’d better give it a minute to cool down.”

I was ready to knock it out of hands. He glanced my way. “Shelby? Are you okay?”

I shook my head. “I think I’m going to be sick.” I wasn’t even lying this time.

“I’d better get you home.” He took my elbow and helped me stand. Then glanced at Colton. “Hey… do you mind if I take this with me?”

Colton’s mouth dropped open, but Dimples continued. “Thanks man. I’ll bring the bowl back.” He rushed me out of the house before Colton could protest. We practically ran all the way to the car. Somehow, I managed to get inside, and roll the window down for some fresh air. That would have worked just fine, but Dimples handed the bowl of stew to me so he could drive.

“Oh hell no.” A fresh wave of nausea rushed over me. “What are you doing?”

“That’s the evidence I need to nail him. Whatever you do, don’t puke.” He was thinking that the lab should be able to analyze the meat, and it would give him the evidence he needed to get a search warrant, or, even better, make an arrest.

I closed my eyes and held the bowl as far away from me as I could. Next, I leaned my face out the window so the cold air could blow over me. That seemed to do the trick, and my stomach settled a bit. Still, I didn’t dare open my eyes until we’d parked at the precinct and Dimples had taken the bowl from my hands.

“You coming?” he asked.

“Go ahead. I’ll be there in a bit.” It took a good ten minutes before I felt well enough to get out of the car. Dimples had taken the stew to the morgue, so I sat down and waited for him. By the time he got back, I had mostly recovered.

“Thanks Shelby. I know that was unpleasant, but I think we’ve got him.” He turned to the other detectives and told them what we’d discovered. I was fine until someone asked him if he’d tasted it.

“Gah! I’m going home.”

Dimples held back a chuckle and thanked me again. He said he’d let me know the results, and, in the meantime, they would be watching the house to make sure the guy didn’t leave town. He was hoping for an arrest tonight, or early tomorrow at the latest.

That was yesterday. This morning he called to tell me that he’d made the arrest and Colton was now behind bars. They’d found more evidence in the house, but I told him I didn’t want to know all the details. He was okay with that, but couldn’t help adding that he’d managed to take of photo of the stew recipe.

“Ugh!!” I hung up on him and tried not to puke.

So… I guess it all worked out, but seriously, I’ll never be able to eat stew again… probably for the rest of my life. Dimples told me catching the killer was worth it, and I guess he’s right. But please… if you ever invite me over for dinner… don’t make stew!

Multiple Choice

Posted: December 12, 2022 in Advice, Consulting, Experiences, Thoughts
Tags: , , , , ,
56

I don’t know about you, but I have a hard time finding the right Christmas gifts for my family and friends. I mean… what do you give a mob boss who has a ton of money and everything he could ever ask for? So this year, I thought it would be fun to give Uncle Joey and his hitman, Ramos, t-shirts with funny sayings on them. But even that is proving hard. So I’m hoping you can help me pick the right one.

These are my my choices for Ramos. The first one I found says “If people could read my mind, I’d get punched in the face a lot.” Since I can read minds, it’s perfect, right? He teases me enough that I feel like punching him, although I’m not sure he’d think it was funny. What do you think? Here’s another one that could work. It says “I work out because punching people is frowned upon.” That’s a possibility – but then, he really does punch people, and he doesn’t think it’s so bad, so which one is better?

I found several that I thought might work for Uncle Joey, but I need your advice on that as well. The first one says, “Don’t piss off old people, the older we get the less ‘life in prison’ is a deterrent.” Saying he’s old might upset him, but the rest of it is funny. Here’s another one I found for him. It says “I’m not bossy, I’m the boss.” And “I am not like a boss, I am the boss.” Or “I’m not bossy, I just know what you should be doing.” And finally, “The Big Bo$$.” So which of those do you think I should get?

Naturally, I found a couple that would work for me. One says, “My boss told me to embrace my fear, so I hug my boss.” Cool, right? Here’s another one, “My boss told me to have a good day, so I went home.” Hahaha! But since I’m getting shirts for them and not me, probably not.

I also found one for Dimples that I’ll probably give him. It says, “Stupid people keep me employed” and it has a police car and badge on it. There’s another one that says “If you run, you’ll only go to jail tired.” So which one of those should I get?

Last, I found one for Jackie, the person who really runs Uncle Joey’s office. It says, “Queen of the Office” and I found another one that says, “Secretary: noun. 1. An individual who does precise guess-work based on unreliable data provided by those of questionable knowledge. See also wizard, miracle worker.” I’m not sure about those either, so if you have a preference, let me know!

So here’s my multiple choice list for your vote.

Ramos: A – “If people could read my mind, I’d get punched in the face a lot.” or B – “I work out because punching people is frowned upon.”

Uncle Joey: A – “Don’t piss off old people, the older we get the less ‘life in prison’ is a deterrent.” or B – “I’m not bossy, I’m the boss.” or C – “I am not like a boss, I am the boss.” or D – I’m not bossy, I just know what you should be doing.” or E – “The Big Bo$$.”

Dimples – A – “Stupid people keep me employed” or B – “If you run, you’ll only go to jail tired.”

Jackie: A -“Queen of the Office” or B – “Secretary: noun. 1. An individual who does precise guess-work based on unreliable data provided by those of questionable knowledge. See also wizard, miracle worker.”

So there you go! I hope you’ll take a minute to vote so I can get my Christmas shopping done!! Thanks so much – also here’s one for you: “A day without reading is like…. just kidding, I have no idea.”

Until next time!

~Shelby

Ready to Ride?

Posted: September 16, 2022 in Consulting, Experiences, Thoughts
Tags: , , ,
18

The other day, I overheard Uncle Joey asking Ramos to pick up a package from a woman who did odd jobs for him. Since Ramos was going on his motorcycle, I jumped at the chance to tag along.

“Mind if I come with you?”

Before Ramos answered, I picked up from Uncle Joey that Celeste enjoyed these little visits from Ramos, and, if I went along, she might not be as happy to do Uncle Joey’s bidding.

Before I could back out, Ramos smiled at me. “That’s a great idea.” He was thinking that Celeste was a little overbearing, and having me along might keep her from drooling all over him.

I wasn’t sure I liked coming between Ramos and Uncle Joey, but if it meant going on a bike ride, I had to side with Ramos every time. I gave Uncle Joey a sheepish shrug, and hurried out the door behind Ramos.

Uncle Joey shook his head, knowing he’d lost that battle before it had even begun.

After donning my motorcycle helmet, I climbed on the bike behind Ramos, and we roared out of the parking garage. I picked up that Ramos enjoyed having me along. Not only was I good on the bike, but there was something about my arms around him that made the day seem a little brighter.

That brought a big smile to my face, and I gave him an extra squeeze to let him know I enjoyed it too.

Fifteen minutes later, we pulled in front of a quaint house in a nice neighborhood. Celeste came to the door and opened it with a smile. Her long, dark hair flowed around her shoulders, and the skimpy top she wore barely covered her assets. Her smile dropped and her eyes narrowed to find me standing beside Ramos.

Yikes. Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea. I gave her my best smile. “Hi. I’m Shelby Nichols. I’m Mr. Manetto’s niece, and he wanted me to meet you.”

“He did?”

“Yeah. In case I run errands for him in the future, he wanted Ramos to show me the ropes. Have you got the package?”

“Uh… sure. Come in.” She started to open the door wider to invite us in, but a low growl came from behind her and she stopped. “As you can tell, I have a dog. He’s a sweetie, but he’s a little wary of strangers. I think I’d better put him on a leash.”

She was thinking that she wanted to sic him on Ramos since he’d brought me along with him, but if I was Manetto’s niece, she didn’t dare. Still… it pissed her off. I was ruining the best part of her day.

She slipped inside, and we waited on the porch while she tried to calm the dog. He kept repeating, stranger, bad, and I thought he might be picking up some of Celeste’s animosity toward Ramos.

“I don’t think the dog likes you,” I whispered to Ramos. “Have you ever met him before?”

He shook his head. “No, he’s usually outside in the back yard.”

“Well, if she invites us in, you might want to stay out here on the porch, just to be on the safe side.”

Celeste opened the door wide. “I think we’re good. You can come in now.”

Ramos didn’t want to look cowardly, so naturally, he followed me inside. Sitting at attention beside Celeste, was a large black-and-rust Rottweiler.

“This is Rusty,” Celeste said. “He’s my buddy, aren’t you, Rusty?”

He barked yup, and she rubbed his head.

“Hey Rusty. I’m Shelby.” I held out my hand for him to smell. He sniffed me before turning his attention to Ramos. “And this is Ramos. I guess you two haven’t met yet.”

“No,” Ramos said. After my warning, he was reluctant to let the dog sniff his hand, but he held it out anyway, and tried to project friendly thoughts. Rusty sniffed his hand, then opened his mouth and began to lick Ramos’s hand and arm, like he was getting ready to take a bite. Ramos moved his hand to pet the dog’s head, but Rusty growled and bared his teeth.

Celeste gave Rusty’s leash a little jerk, and Ramos backed away.

“Sorry about that,” she said. “He’s not usually like this.” But deep down, she wasn’t sorry at all. “I’ll be right back with the package.”

To my surprise, she left Rusty there and hurried into a back room.

Rusty’s demeanor changed from friendly acceptance to total attack mode in the blink of an eye. He focused his complete attention on Ramos, making both of us uneasy.

“Just don’t make any sudden moves and we’ll be fine.”

Ramos raised a brow, thinking, no kidding.

Celeste returned with the package and handed it to me. “There you go.” Noticing our frozen stances, she took hold of Rusty’s leash.

“Uh… thanks.” I gave her a big smile. “It was nice to meet you. Bye Rusty.”

We both backed to the door, and Ramos hurried out without a backward glance, thinking that, from now on, I would always be coming with him if he had to pick anything up from Celeste.

“As long as we take the bike, I’m good with that.”

Ramos shook his head, deciding to put me to the test. “What if it’s raining and we have to bring the car?”

I twisted my lips. “If we can’t wait until it stops raining, I’ll still come. I mean… it’s the least I can do to pay you back for all those times you’ve helped me out.” I shrugged. “In fact, I kind of like saving you from something once in a while, so this is perfect.”

He snorted, thinking I was stretching it, but he couldn’t deny that saving him from Rusty was well worth it. “Ready to ride?”

“You know it.”

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