D.S. the Messenger

by Raymond McClary

  “It was heard, I could hardly wait to lick and ride the stick of my lolli-dick trick.”

  “That shows how much you know Mr. Mecan, because I never said that to anyone!”

  As he opened the door he turned and looked at Poland and said, “No, you never did say it to anyone on this earth, but those are your words. Good luck Poland.”

  Sage left the building, got into his car and drove over an hour headed in the direction of the animal hospital. Once he arrived he thought to himself, I would like to know how Elaine Cons and Perry met when he doesn’t own any animals. But he could have met her anywhere. Sage got out of his car and noticed a kiosk that sold sunglasses. Since he was beginning to feel self-conscience about his eyes, he purchased three pairs. Looking in the mirror to see if they fit, he notices that his eyes were so dark that they looked like black pearls. He immediately put on the glasses and walked into the hospital. He stepped in front of the receptionist station and cleared his throat to get her attention.

  “Excuse me.”

  The receptionist responds, “Yes sir, may I help you?”

  “I hope you can. I’m looking for Mrs. Elaine Cons.”

  “And your name sir?”

  “My name is Sage Mecan.” The receptionist picked up the phone and called Mrs. Cons. He could hear her voice on the phone. The receptionist asked, “Mr. Mecan is this personal or business?”

  “You can tell Mrs. Cons that my reason for being here is personal.”

  “Well, Mr. Mecan, Mrs. Cons told me to inform you that no personal business can be conducted at her place of employment.”

  Sage immediately thought about the sexual encounter Elaine and Perry had in this office.

  “I’m sorry sir.” The receptionist hung up the phone with Elaine.

  Sage opened up Perry’s phone book and called Elaine on her cell phone. Elaine answers, “Hello?”

  “Hello Mrs. Cons, this is Sage Mecan.”

  Immediately confrontational, Elaine responded, “How did you get my number?”

  “It was in Perry Strong’s phone book. I am a very close friend of his.”

  “What do you want with me Sage Mecan?”

  “I have a message for you and I was hoping to relay face to face and in private. Is that possible?”

  “No it is not, so you can just tell me what it is you have to say and never call my number again.”

  “That’s not a problem. Perry is dead and out of the thirteen times you’ve had sex with him, he attempted to infect you with H.I.V. This ends my message. Good-bye and good luck Mrs. Cons.” Sage hung up the phone and started walking toward the door when he heard rumbling sounds coming from the back rooms. A woman burst out into the area where Sage and the receptionist were. It was Elaine. Sage recognized her from his dream. Elaine glanced over at the receptionist who had picked up the phone and was maintaining eye contact with Elaine.

  “Mr. Mecan, I’m Mrs. Cons and I want to know what makes you think that I slept with this man outside of my marriage?”

  “Mrs. Cons, you had sex with Perry on that table.” He points at the receptionist table. “You had a marker in your hand and marked the table where the desk calendar is placed.”

  The receptionist, who was eavesdropping on the conversation lifted the calendar and saw the marks. Her mouth dropped.

  Sage continued, “There was a tiger in here that was asleep but the other animals yelled every time you yelled.”

  Elaine yelled, “You liar! There was never a tiger in here.”

  By this time more nurses walked into the area to see what was going on.

  The receptionist said, “Yes there was. The tiger was back in the soft room because it made noises that startled the other animals. So we placed her in the sound proof room. But you were off the day we got her and it stayed overnight and was gone the next morning before you came to work. You would not have known the tiger was here. But you were here that night? No wonder my desk was rearranged.”

  The receptionist turned to Sage and asked, “Sir, were you here before?”

  Sage walked out of the office. Elaine followed him to his car and grabbed his arm and asked, “Were you there?”

  “Only in my dream.”

  “Mr. Mecan you are full of shit! You can’t even look at me and expect me to believe that?”

  Sage snatched off his glasses and said, “I’m looking at you. Do my eyes tell you that I’m full of shit?” Sage’s eyes appeared dark and shiny as those of a shark.

  Elaine placed both hands over her mouth and took a step backwards.

  Sage continued, “I think there are many important questions that you need to ask yourself and only you can provide answers.” Sage put on his shades and got into his car. As he drove off, he could see Elaine in his rear view mirror stomping her feet, balling her fists, and yelling.

  ϕ

  Sage began to wonder again if it was worth telling them, for it seemed as though he was causing more damage delivering the message. He drove into a mall parking lot and parked his car, looked at his laptop and said to himself, New York is my next destination. Her name is Sonia R.M. Diaz who’s a professional makeup artist at a New York television studio. He veered back onto the highway and called Deva who answered the phone filled with excitement. “Sage! Baby, I sold two homes today. Both over $800,000!”

  “Is that per house or total?”

  “Per house and I’m ecstatic! Mya is with me, we’re in a restaurant having lunch.”

  Mya yelled, “Hi Sage!”

  “How is everything going? Are you okay?” Deva asked.

  “I’m doing fine Deva, I’m so proud of you. Congratulations. You definitely have selling tactics down to an art. If anyone ever doubted your capabilities, they’d have crow for dinner.” They laugh. “Tell Red I said hello.”

  “He said Hi Red. So baby, are you coming home soon?”

  “I should be in tomorrow night. I’m headed for New York and I’m not really sure but I think the location is near Times Square. I’m going to get a room for tonight and handle this business tomorrow. I also have to see an optometrist about my eyes.”

  “Baby what’s wrong with your eyes?”

  “My vision is fine. I just need to get a check-up, that’s all.

  “Are you sure that’s all Sage?”

  “Yes, I’m fine. Now you go ahead and enjoy your lunch and celebrating your accomplishment. I’ll talk to you later.”

  Deva whispered into the phone, “I miss you Sage and when you come home, I’m going to show you just how much. I love you.”

  “I love you too Deva.” They hang up.

  Mya Says, “It’s a good thing it’s not often you give secret messages.”

  “Why is that Red?”

  “Because, you can’t whisper if your life depended on it girl.” They laugh.

  “Is everything alright with Sage?”

  “Sage is fine.”

  “Well Deva, the managers did become concerned when Sage suddenly placed them in the position of running the business without him.”

  “Mya, do you think they are capable of, or should I say incapable of, sustaining the business while Sage is away?”

  “Well it’s obvious that Sage has confidence in them or he wouldn’t have employed them in the positions that they have in the first place. The books are very easy to handle. Anyway, I guess what I would really like to know is why did he leave? Where is he?”

  “You know how men are. They see an adventure worth pursuing and before you know it, they drop everything because it needs their undivided attention.”

  Mya looks at Deva with an expression of disgust and asked, “You are not going to tell me, are you?”

  Deva picked up her drink avoiding eye contact. Mya Says, “Aghh! It’s quite apparent that our sisterhood bond is not as sound as it appears to be! Fine…I’ll ask him when I see him.”

  “Good luck.”

  “And what is that supposed to mean? I’ve known Sage my entire natural born life. Clearly
he is not secretive with me…I’ll ask and he’ll tell.”

  “Red, why are you so concerned about this anyway?”

  “Because it’s not like him. And I’m caring and curious about my brother’s well-being Deva. But you don’t have to tell me wench.”

  Deva laughs and says, “Look heifer…His being is just fine and it’s for me, his fiancée, to take care of. Curious and caring ok, but right at this very moment, your narrow ass is nosey! Now, we are supposed to be celebrating today’s success. Not salivating over Sage’s mysterious missions. Can this be my moment?!”

  Mya looked down at her menu and did not say another word. Deva looked out of the restaurant window and thought heavily about Sage.

  D.S. THE SOUL

  ϕϕϕ

  Sage arrived in New York around 6:00 p.m. and checked into a hotel room not far from the television studio where Sonia worked. He went to a restaurant, ate, and returned to his room. He called Deva to let her know that he arrived safely, took a shower, and fell off to sleep.

  He heard music playing and quickly jumped up. Sage thought to himself, I don’t recall turning on the radio. He got up from the bed and just when he reached to turn the radio off, he heard voices coming from the bathroom. He slowly turned towards the bathroom and saw a naked woman bent over the side of the tub with Perry standing behind her, his hands on her waist thrusting into her. “OOOH Papi, OOOH Papi. Not too hard Papi!”

  “What’s wrong? Your husband too small? You’re not used to this?”

  “Si Papi! But you have big, ummmm one!” Sage realized that this was another dream but this was taking place in the hotel that he was staying in, and perhaps the same room.

  Sage noticed on the small of her back a tattoo of a tree with hearts, and names on it. Instantly, he found himself in a slightly dark room where in a far corner of the room a girl was sitting upright with her knees pulled into her chest. The girl appeared to be a teenager. Sage asked, “Excuse me, are you okay?” A door opened and Sage turns around to see who it is. In the doorway stood a fat man, about five feet tall, smoking a cigar, saying, “Your mother is not home again…You know what that means? Get over here and do what you suppose to do!”

  Sage watches the girl rise from the corner and walk towards the fat man, simultaneously unfastening and pulling down her pants and underwear. Once in front of him, the girl turned around and bent over. The fat man took his cigar and pressed it on the small of her back. The girl screamed and fell to the floor.

  The fat man grabbed her by the neck, says in a garbled voice while drooling, “Get up! I don’t want you doing that anymore! I don’t feel anything when I do it that way. On your knees bitch!” The fat man pulled down his zipper and grabbed the back of her head. The girl gave little resistance as he pulls her towards him. Sage walked over so that his lips were inches away from the fat man’s ear and said, “There will be a special seat for you in hell fat man.” Sage drew back his hand and swung so hard at him so that when he woke up from his dream the pillow was torn apart and feathers were everywhere in the room. After a few moments, he gathered his composure. He plopped back onto the bed and fell off to sleep.

  The next morning, Sage arrived at the studio around 8:00 a.m. He walked up to the entrance door and rang the bell. He looked up and noticed a camera with speakers pointed down at him.

  A voice responded, “May I help you?”

  “Yes, maybe you can. I would like to know if Mrs. Sonia Diaz has reported to work. I have a message for her.”

  A few moments later a woman approached the door with two small children and asks, “Excuse me, but were you asking for me?”

  “Are you Mrs. Sonia Diaz?”

  “Yes I am.”

  “Then yes, I did ask for you.

  “Okay, because I thought you were my husband when security rang me. He should be here now.

  A car pulled up from the congested traffic, and a gentleman got out of the car. “Excuse me, I’ll be right back.” Sonia walks the children over to the car and begins speaking Spanish. As they conversed, Sonia’s husband kept looking at Sage who stood there watching them. After speaking with her husband, Sonia walks back towards Sage and asks, “Now sir, what’s this in regard to?”

  “Mrs. Diaz, it’s in regard to Perry Strong.”

  “What’s his name again?”

  “His name is Perry Strong.”

  “I’m sorry I don’t know him, and I must get back to work. Sonia hurried to get the door and dropped her keys. While bent over to pick them up, Sage noticed the tattoo on the small of her back as the same one in his dream.

  When Sonia stood up Sage said, “I know that you know Perry. I just wanted to let you know that he is dead.” Sonia stopped walking and folded her arms as a tear began to roll down the side of her face. Sage then approached her from behind and whispered into her ear just in case the camera and audio were monitoring them and said, “Of the twenty-one times you had sex with him, he attempted to infect you with H.I.V.” Sage takes a few steps backwards and says, “This ends my message. I’m sorry to have to tell you this.” Sage turns to walk away and Sonia asks, “Who are you, his lover or something?”

  “No…I was his brother…At one time his best friend. Now, I’m just a messenger.”

  A car pulls up and a voice calls out, Sonia! Sage and Sonia turned toward the car and realized that it’s Sonia’s husband returning. He quickly parks the car and got out and says, “Honey, I forgot to give you the envelopes to give to Pops when you see him later.” As he approaches her, he recognizes her eyes are red and beginning to swell. In Spanish he asks, “What is wrong baby? Why are you crying?”

  Sage says, “I will leave now.”

  Sonia says, “No! There are questions I have. I want you to stay.”

  “Okay.”

  Sonia says to her husband in Spanish, “I need for you to leave and I promise we will talk about this later.”

  “I want to know right now!” Yelled her husband.

  “If I lose my job because of your hollering, you won’t have to ever find out because you will have too many problems of your own to worry about. Now please go, Papi.”

  “All right, all right…I’m leaving.”

  The husband stared at Sage hard as he got back into his car with the children and drove off. Sage did a double-take at the children and thought that he may have seen them before but immediately disregarded that notion. Sonia asks, “Why are you telling me this?”

  “Mrs. Diaz, I’m telling you this because I feel as though you have been deceived and you needed to know.”

  “How am I to believe you? You are a stranger to me. I don’t know your name. I never see you before. I want to walk away but I can’t because you may be telling truth. Help me to believe you.”

  Sage was surprised to hear her response. It was unlike his prior dealings with the other women he visited. Sage takes a deep breath and says, “All right. I know about the tattoo on your back.”

  Sonia says, “Perry could have told you that.”

  “That’s true he very well could have told me. But did you ever tell him why you chose that particular spot on your body?”

  “No, I didn’t.”

  “In your early teens, you lived with a fat man who stood about 5 feet tall, who had a receding hairline with a bald spot in the center of his head. He wore a wife- beater shirt and smoked a cigar that left a stench in your clothes so bad you had to wash your laundry twice. With that cigar, he burned you in the spot where you now have the tattoo, while he molested you.”

  Wiping her eyes and lowering her head, Sonia says, “That’s a lot of detail. I almost believed that you were there. My husband doesn’t even know this and my mother disowned me when I finally gathered enough courage to tell her. That fat bastard is dead from a massive heart attack. I spit in his face at his funeral. I hope he rots in hell. You never told me your name.” When Sonia raised her head and looked around, he was gone.

  ϕ

  Sage arrived home a little
after noon. He went upstairs, took off his clothes and stretched out across his bed. Within moments he fell into a deep sleep. Sage dreamt of sitting under an elm, which was standing alone in the center of a green pasture. The tree was so high that it had no visible top. Flowers, shaped like apples, were floating by. Occasionally a few of these flowers would brush against his face and make a popping sound. They felt to him like the soft kisses a parent gives a newborn child. He heard a voice calling his name, then a flower touched his cheek and popped. Sage…pop. Sage…pop. He opened his eyes and realized that it was Deva calling him while kissing him on the cheek and neck.

  He says, “Hi baby!”

  “You must have been reading my mind because you are here just the way I wanted you to be.”

  “What? In the dark?” Deva rests beside him and says,

  “No, in the bed and butt naked.” They kiss as Deva starts gliding her hand down his abs and beyond. “I missed you so much and I want you so bad. Sage, make love to me.”

  Deva took off her clothes. Sage rolls Deva onto her back and became excited by Deva’s glistening skin in the moon lit room. He kissed her lips and soothingly stroked her nipples. In the middle of fore play, he began to have images of Perry and the women he slept with flash through his mind. He tried to concentrate on Deva in an attempt to block them, but couldn’t. Sage eased his body down to the length of Deva. Soon, her weak spots submitted to his soft lips. Deva yelled, “I want you inside me! I want you inside me now! Please don’t make me wait!”

  Sage, so excited from Deva’s heavy panting and begging, snatched her thongs off, spread her legs wide apart, and plunged himself into her. Deva gave out a long series of moans and clawed her nails into his back before finally wrapping him in her arms very tightly.

  But the past dreams would not leave Sage alone. He leaned back in order to look into Deva’s eyes and concentrated on not losing his erection and possibly ruining their intimate moment. Deva looked into Sage’s eyes and says, “Baby, your eyes are…” but lost her train of thought and began to orgasm. “Yes! Yes! Yes! Whew! Oh Sage give it to me Pocahontas style, please.” While holding her and still inside of her, Sage rolled them over onto his back and sits up as her legs wrapped around him. Deva whispers in his ear, “Sage you make me so happy,” and began to cry.