The man turned to see the businessman reaching into his breast pocket and withdrawing a slim leather-bound book. He flipped through its pages. You’d better let me dial, he said. It’s a little tricky.
Thank you. The man held the receiver out, but the businessman did not get up.
Bring it here, he said. For God’s sake!
The man picked up the phone and walked around to the far side of bar where the businessman sat. He set the phone before him and handed him the receiver. The businessman dialed what seemed to be a very long number on the rotary dial and then handed the receiver back to the man. While the phone rang, the man picked up the phone and walked back to the other end of the bar. He did not want to be beside the businessman while he spoke. After five rings the call was answered. A woman’s voice chimed what was no doubt a greeting in the native language.
Good evening, said the man. This is—and here he said his name, and hearing it said like that, he panicked for a moment because he was suddenly not sure it was his name.
Yes, the voice said. This is Darlene.
I received your message. May I speak to my wife? Or to Brother Emmanuel?
Your wife is sleeping. But of course you may speak with Brother Emmanuel. One moment, please.
It seemed a long time—but he really had no idea how long—before he heard Brother Emmanuel’s voice. Good evening, it said.
Good evening, said the man. I received your message. I’m concerned about my wife. May I come and get her now?
It is not right to move her tonight. Come in the morning.
What’s wrong with her? What happened?
She became upset, upset emotionally, but the barrier between her emotional and physical self is so porous that she collapsed. We are taking good care of her. She is sleeping now, and that is good. She should not wake until the morning.
Why? asked the man. What have you done to her? Have you drugged her?
Don’t be alarmed. We gave her a natural remedy to soothe her by allowing her sleep. Sleep is a great healer, perhaps the greatest. We repair our bodies every night while we sleep.
Is she all right? Was whatever happened bad for her?
I think it was good, said Brother Emmanuel. An advancement. A clarification.
An advancement?
You would not understand. Come in the morning, and you may see her.
Brother Emmanuel hung up, and after a moment, so did the man. He pushed the telephone across the bar toward Lárus. Thank you, he said.
Lárus nodded and replaced the telephone somewhere beneath the bar.
Two more, Lárus! said the businessman. You need a drink, I think. Come sit here. He indicated the adjacent barstool.
The man felt too defeated and exhausted to disobey. He sat beside the businessman and they both watched Lárus make their cocktails. It was a Negroni, the man realized. He liked Negronis, but he associated them with summer, with the beach at Misquamicut, Rhode Island, where his mother’s family had what they called a “cottage.”
Lárus approached with two Negronis and placed one in front of each of them. The businessman picked his up and held it out toward the man. May our cocks always be harder than our lives, he said, and touched his glass against the man’s.
The man took a sip of his drink and felt it enter his body, like a magic elixir. He realized he had eaten nothing but the garbage soup all day. I want some food, he said. Do you want some food?
I always want food, said the businessman. He patted the belly that extended rotundly above his belt. He took the man’s hand and held it against his belly, as if he were pregnant and wanted the man to feel his baby kicking.
The man quickly withdrew his hand, but not before he felt the comforting pillowed warmth beneath it. We’d like to order some food, he called to Lárus. Lots of food!
Lárus approached them and the man said, Bring us two of everything. And ham in the sandwiches! The man felt proud that he had not consulted the menu or the businessman regarding their order of food.
Lárus disappeared behind the upholstered door, which swung back and forth a few times after his exit, and when it was still the businessman said, So your wife’s mixed herself up with the holy man.
I don’t think he claims to be holy, said the man. He can just heal people. He says.