UNDERCOVER The Secret of Luck

by James Kipling

  “Really? Is that your response! I slaved like a complete ass all my life...!”

  “Rick. You promised not to shout” said a female voice from the door. Junior and senior Russo turned to look at the door. John’s mother, and Rick Russo’s wife, was standing at the door. Her eyes were red, and she had a look of a woman who had had trouble sleeping for the last few days. Rick Russo breathed heavily, sighed, and then sat down. Mrs. Russo walked to the table and took the seat next to her husband.

  “Mom. I am really sorry that I did not...”

  “No need to apologize, John. It’s okay. I am your mother, and I will support your decisions, whatever they may be.” said Mrs. Russo. The senior Russo was about to say something, his face flushing with anger. Mrs. Russo gave him a ‘quiet down’ stare, and he decided against saying anything. There was silence again, and the Russos sat there, looking everywhere but at each other. Finally, John decided to break the silence.

  “Mom. Dad. I am really sorry that I lied to you. I admit that I should have told you about this, but you are my parents, and you should support me. This career of being a private investigator is what will make me happy. I still have two more years to go, and I cannot change that now. I will do it, whether you support me or not.” declared John to his parents.

  Mr. and Mrs. Russo looked at each other. The senior Russo seemed like he was about to break out into a rage again. At that moment, Mrs. Russo took her hand and placed it reassuringly on her husband’s hand that was next to her on the table. She then nodded at her husband, which probably meant something that John never would understand. Finally, Mr. Russo spoke.

  “Son. If this is what makes you happy, so be it. Your Mom and I are happy as long as you are happy.” said the senior Russo, managing a smile.

  John knew that his mother could do magic, and this was one of those times. He looked at his Mom first, then at his Dad, and smiled.

  “Here you go, son.”

  John woke up from his flashback. His father was back in the same chair where they had a heated discussion about his career. There was a milkshake on the table, and in front of him was his father, looking at him with a generous expression. John could not believe that he was back in this spot. He could not help that he had argued that he would love his career. Today, he was back in the same table to tell his father that he was not happy. He did not say anything. The senior Russo decided to encourage him to speak.

  “I know something is bothering you, son, courtesy of your mother. She told me almost a month ago, that something is not right. I wanted to ask you then and there. Your mother insisted that we wait till you are ready to talk about it. If today is that day, I can take the rest of the day off. If you are not comfortable talking about this with me, you can call up your Mom. Or, I could have her come over. So, what will it be, John?”

  Russo thought about it. Should he call his Mom? His mind went back to that day three years ago when his mother had intervened. Should he resort to using his favorite wild card this soon? Are things really that bad? He told himself that it was not that bad. Not yet. That much, he was sure. If things got out of hand, he could always call up his Mom to come over. Or he could move the discussion over to the house. This felt this was something that he should talk with his father first. Man to man. He felt a lot more comfortable about asking his father about this. Yeah, he made up his mind, and decided to share his latest dilemma.

  “Dad, you know my business is doing well, right?”

  “Yes. You have been gifting your Mom regularly.”

  “It turns out, you were right, Dad. All those years ago when you told me that it was going to be a poor choice, you were right. The detective business is as boring as any other job. I could have been a sales person or a business manager, and I would probably be equally bored. Heck, I could have become a lawyer like you always wanted me to. I cannot believe I upset you and Mom and lied to you for this.” said John, repeating the same things again and again.

  The senior Russo waited for his son to continue.

  “All I have been working on are these shitty divorce cases, Dad. You won’t believe the number of married couples who are cheating on each other. When I look at that, and then come home visiting you and Mom, it is unreal. Two months I worked on this. This wife was cheating on her husband during their honeymoon. What is up with that? If they are in such a hurry to break off things, why get married in the first place?”

  The junior Russo was losing his temper again. He calmed down. His father still continued to maintain silence. The senior Russo was always a calm man. He could not help but think of that day when he had that raging discussion about his son lying to him about his college degree. Even today, the senior Russo was upset with himself for shouting at his son. At the same time, he was also glad that his wife came just in time to calm him down. There were many days when he felt blessed for having such a good wife. That day happened to be one of those days. He knew, and admitted several times, that his wife was the reason that his fine milk bar went from being a small shop to a decent setup that it is today. His wife would constantly remind him about the value of patience in listening. Senior Russo was glad that he listened to her.

  John picked up the milkshake, took in a couple of sips, each sip, calming his mind, clearing his thoughts. Once the glass was half full, he set it back on the table and resumed talking.

  “Dad, do you remember that janitor guy at my office?”

  “Yes. I remember him.”

  “Did you know that he is actually the owner of my office building and several other such real estate properties around the city of Primer?” asked John.

  “Really? I should be shocked, but for some reason I knew he was too wise to be a janitor. Why do you bring him up?” asked senior Russo.

  “Today, I was taking the elevator down. Just going for a walk to clear my mind about the state of things. Weirdly enough, the elevator lost power, and I was stuck with the janitor for a few minutes. He told me that I should figure things out before my head exploded. Even more odd was that, he reminded me of you. Which brings me to ask you something, Dad.”

  “I will answer anything for you, son.” said the senior Russo.

  “Why do you still work at this diner? You have already established this business. You have spent a good twenty years at this diner. Why can you not take a break, or move out of being a waiter? Most people who come to this diner don’t even realize that their table was waited upon by the owner of this very place.” said John, trying to figure out the many conversations he has been having all day.

  “Well, son, it makes me happy. The same reason the building owner still works as a janitor. I like waiting tables. Is that not what you said three years ago, when you were still in college? You wanted to do what makes you happy? Same thing here. I do what makes me happy.” said the senior Russo, with a sense of pride gliding over his face.

  John put his now-empty glass on the table, and leaned back. He looked intently at his father, and then looked outside the window. For the first time in so many months, his head was clear. He felt like a young man who was running around the city of Primer, looking for an office to set up his private detective business. For the first time in a long time, he did have a clear, blank mind. Finally, he had made up his decision, and he could not think of a better time to discuss this with his father.

  “This is what I think. I don’t want to do divorce cases anymore, Dad. I have decided to only work on cases that are criminal in nature. No more divorce cases for me.”

  The senior Russo figured that, this moment, would be the right moment to say something.

  “I think that is the wise decision to take, son. I would not be happy doing any job that I wouldn’t be happy about. Don’t see why you should. As a businessman for more than thirty five years, I am sure that there is more to this decision than what you have told me so far.”

  This was the difficult part t
hat the junior Russo was worried about. This is the actual topic that he wanted to talk to his father about.

  “Well, Dad, the thing is, whether I like it or not, I have built a reputation for being a good detective for helping upset husbands and unhappy wives. The word on the street is that people apparently no longer use private detectives for actual crime investigation. It’s a dead career. I don’t know. So, once I decided to stop accepting the assignments I have been working on for the last eighteen months, I don’t know what is going to happen. I may not earn a dime for months. I don’t know how long my savings will hold out.”

  The junior Russo stopped, feeling a little relieved now. He was waiting to discuss this with someone, this decision of his. Earlier this morning, he thought about this topic, staring at the ceiling. He got angry at his receptionist for no reason. His mind was heavy, and he thought he was getting a headache. Now, he felt good. He wouldn’t admit it, but he loved his Dad. He wanted to get up and hug his father, but that was out of the question.

  John got up to leave, and still decided against a hug. His father smiled, realizing that his son was fighting against the urge to give him a hug.

  “Well, Dad, as always, thanks. Just cover Mom from this okay. I don’t know what is going to happen next, but at least I feel better that you have got my back.” said John, walking away from the table. As he reached the door, he looked back to see his father wiping the table and picking up the milk shake glass. John smiled to himself, thanked God for giving him such a good friend, and stepped out of the diner.

  As John Russo stepped out of his Dad’s diner, he could not help but notice that he was feeling like a completely new man. When he walked into the diner, he was this troubled guy who was completely screwed up. Now, less than an hour later, here he was. Standing under the calm shade of the tree in front of his father’s diner, he felt good about himself. A huge weight had been lifted off his head, and that meant that it was time to fix some bridges that were sort of burnt in the last twenty four hours. John looked around to see if his previous cab driver was still around. He looked around and did not find that nice cab driver. He pulled out his wallet and dug into it and snatched that card that the cab driver had given him earlier.

  It was only after he had the card in his hand that he realized that he wasn’t carrying his cell phone with him. He looked around, found a phone booth, and made the call. The phone call went through and it was answered even before the first ring finished its song.

  “Hey is this the cab driver? Do you recognize my voice?” said John.

  “Hello, sir. You already looking to hire for one of your special investigations?” said the cab driver.

  “Not really. I just want a ride back to my office. You around the diner where you dropped me off an hour ago?” asked John.

  “I was just wrapping up my lunch. I will be there in five minutes, if you don’t mind waiting a bit.” said the cab driver.

  “That’s fine. I will wait here.” said John.

  John paid the store clerk for the phone call and decided to grab himself a chocolate from the store. There was a visitors chair in the store, and John decided to use it. As he sat there, he was thinking hard about what he would say to his receptionist. John was still a little upset with the way he spoke to Sheila earlier. Then, there was this janitor, the lobby boy, and the cab driver who seem to have shaped his day. There was also his father, whom he really wanted to say something to. He should have hugged his father when he had the chance. So many missed opportunities to show his gratitude.

  Five minutes later, the cab was where he called from, just as promised.

  “Hope I am on time, young man.” said the cab driver, putting his head out of the driver’s window.

  “You are on time, and I did not expect anything less than that.” said John, getting into the cab.

  The cab started off and began moving towards the office. The driver adjusted his rear view mirror to get a better look at his passenger. The young man at the back was about six feet tall and was dressed in an office suit. The suit was not exactly like an office manager’s suit. It was built for more practicality. The suit was made of expensive cotton, and it seemed to be extremely flexible. It was almost as if the owner was expecting to run and jump around any second now. The passenger’s hair was cut short, another sign of a man who seemed to be on the edge of things. At least, he would like to think so. The belt had a simple enough buckle, and his wrist watch was clashing against the rest of his attire. It was a sports watch that looked more at home in the hands of a mountaineer. The watch seemed brand new, or at least, it was maintained that way; the driver could not tell.

  John was lost in thought and was intently looking outside the window at the passing traffic and group of people who were going about their everyday business. He did have a smile though, and the driver noticed it.

  “If you don’t mind me asking, young man...” began the driver. He kept one eye on the road and the other on the rear view mirror which showed his passenger.

  “Not at all. I don’t mind answering some questions.” said John.

  “An hour ago, you were a completely lost character. Now, I can see more than just a hint of a smile. You don’t mind telling me what happened?” asked the driver.

  “I took your advice. I am actually thankful that I spoke to you. I had a word with my old man, and guess what?” said John.

  The driver knew that was a rhetorical question and kept quiet for the continuing sentence.

  “Well, it was liberating. I feel better about the situation, and am actually feeling good about myself. Hope you don’t take it wrong that I am not giving you all the details of the situation. I only just met you, although you seem like a nice driver.” said John.

  “I don’t mind if you don’t tell me everything. I am just glad that I helped you out with some problem. That does not happen all the time.” said the driver, continuing to drive at a moderate speed in an almost empty lane.

  “I want to thank you. I don’t mean with words alone. How about a huge tip. In fact, give me your full name. I want to write out a check.” said John.

  “That won’t be necessary, young man. Advice is always free.” said the driver.

  “Don’t worry about it.” said John, pulling out his check book and signing an amount with the driver’s name on it. He put his hand over the front seat and said “Here you go”.

  The driver smiled and took the check. He looked at the amount on the check and reacted.

  “This is too much for free advice. Still, I will take it. Thank you, young man.” said the driver, pushing the check into the glove compartment.

  “If you think that it is too much, then I have a question for you. I have this receptionist and I kind of shouted at her.”

  “You sleeping with her, young man?” asked the driver.

  “No.” said John, laughing. “I am not sleeping with her. In fact, I think she is a good friend of mine. Technically, I am her boss. She even insists on calling me boss, even though I have told her not to do so.”

  “So, what happened then? She seems like a nice lady.” said the driver.

  “This morning, I was a little confused. You know how I was. She tried to tell me something. I completely lost it. I need to go and tell her something but am not sure if I should. I need to apologize to her first. You married?” asked John.

  “Yes, twenty three years and counting. Two beautiful kids to boot, young man. You should try it.” said the driver.

  “I will, someday. Right now, it would appear that you would know what to do with apologies. What do you think I should do? An effective apology trick that you can suggest?” asked John.

  “Just get her something that she uses every day. Whenever I upset my lady, I get her a new makeup set. My lady likes to look good, and I just get her a makeup kit whenever I upset her. I know this receptionist of yours is not even your girlfrie
nd. There must be something she uses every day? How about a makeup set?”

  “I don’t think she even uses makeup on her face. She is one of those natural beauties, and she does not need to work too hard to get that right look.”

  “Okay, a makeup set is not a good idea. What else do you know about her?” asked the driver, the conversation getting a lot more interesting to him and the passenger.

  “Truth be told, I don’t know anything about her. Except for work related things, I rarely talk to her. In fact, I rarely talk with anybody unless there is a strong reason to do so. That is actually sort of sad. Guess that explains why I have very few friends to speak of. Is there anything I know about...oh wait!” exclaimed John.

  “You want me to stop the car?” asked the driver.

  “No, don’t stop the car. I just realized something. She is always using her tablet for everything. I think she has a huge collection of them. She uses them for work, for music, for movies and pretty much everything else. Maybe, I could get her a new tablet. What do you think?” asked John.

  “I think that’s a good idea. Of course, if it was me, I would actually know something about my co-worker of more than eighteen months. You know what I mean?” said the driver.

  “I totally agree with you. In fact, I am going to make it a point to know more about her going forward. You know any good electronics stores nearby? I am not good at shopping. When I was young, my parents were the ones who did my shopping. In college, it was my roommate, and now, Sheila is my shopper. So, I would be grateful if you could take me to the nearest shopping center.” said John.

  “No problem, young man. I know a few places around.” said the driver, putting back his hat on his head and turning around.

  An hour later, John was standing in the middle of a huge electronics store surrounded by dozens of tablets of varying shapes and sizes. Frankly, John was getting overwhelmed with everything. This is why he brought along his driver to help him out. The driver turned out to be quite a shopper. John thought that the guy might have become an expert shopper thanks to spending hours and hours at many shopping malls with his wife. Like a salesman who had already filled his sales quota, the driver would explain to John the many features about each and every tablet on the shop floor. John tried his best to relate to what he had to say with what Sheila would like. An hour later, the passenger and the driver were back in the taxi with a tablet in his shopping bag. The office was only a few minutes away and John was back to thinking about what he was going to say to Sheila. Making an apology was not part of his repertoire of skills. The cab reached the front of his office building and stopped.