Today had a hell of a start! Enedia told us yesterday not to talk with Diego so when he called at 9 this morning I ignored it, and at 9:01, and again at 9:02. I hope he likes a little taste of his own medicine! Then I got a text message “You guys are leaving today. Dad is going to pick you up at 12:30pm, flight is at 4pm and you have to be there at 2pm. We do check out at the hotel. I will take Harry’s car.” Ok, so I don’t really know what to do here because I told him that I wasn’t leaving without my money. Today is the 14th and the check is for the 18th. Before I can game plan too much Ralph gives me a call to say that he just got off the phone with Diego Jr and that they want to get me out of here. Before we can talk about things Diego calls again and Ralph tells me to take the call. Diego says that he got us a flight for today etc etc and I told him that I’m not going anywhere without my money. I told him at the Hatillo game that a post dated check for the 18th was fine if I was leaving the 19th but if he wants to buy my ticket for sooner I need to have the money in my hand when I get on the plane. “Papa, I don’t know why you don’t trust me. Eneida and you guys all think that the money isn’t going to be there. If I tell you its going to be there its going to be there ok. If its not I will write you a check myself. You deposited the last check in Texas (I gave it to my dad when I was in Boston) and you can do the same thing with this one.”
“Listen, I told you I am not leaving without the money in my hand so you can either change the ticket or find my money and I want all of it”
“What do you mean all of it?”
“The money you owe me for the last two games and the money for food, if you can give me cash for the full amount you owe me then I’ll take the plane ticket and be gone. Can you give me all my money?”
……
“Hello? Greg?”
“Yeah Diego, I said can I’ll leave if you give me all of my money but if not I’m not getting on the plane.”
“OK, I’ll call you back.”
As soon as I hang up with him I call Ralph to make sure he’s got my back. I said “Ralph, I’m sticking my neck out here and if I balk on this ticket to hold out for my money, chances are he’s not going to buy me another ticket this little misunderstanding.” Ralph tells me to call him and get the flight information and change the ticket, it might cost like $100 or something but its worth it to hold out for my money. I called Diego to get the flight information and he tells me to hold on cuz he’s on the other line with Eneida talking about some things and he will call me back. I don’t hear back from him for a while but Chris and I are packing none the less; ironing whatever “winter clothes” we have with us.
After like 30 minutes Eneida shows up at the house to talk to us about things. I told her about Diego and the flight and she says that she doesn’t think Diego has the flight because he’s been calling her all morning trying to use her credit card and she said no. So it turns out he’s the one balking on the ticket. She explains to us that the mayor David Bonilla, will be in Aguada tomorrow and that she’s going to talk with him and make things right. She says that she is going to tell David not to give the money to Diego but to give the money to her so that she can make sure it goes to the Santeros. Thank goodness for this lady right?! Eneida is having a party on the 18th that she really wants all of the Santero’s to go to, and then on the 19th there is a dinner for the sponsors that she would like us to go to as well. Diego, his dad and Eneida have been selling tickets to people for this dinner to help raise money and I think going to this should give me some leverage to get my money. I am not above making a scene. So a few minutes into us talking about flights and money and story swapping about bullshit Diego’s fed us he gives my phone a call asking for Eneida. A few minutes later he shows up at the hotel. We bullshit like nothings wrong and I have nothing to say to the dude unless he hands me my money and a plane ticket. I will graciously take both, decline a handshake and get on the damn plane and hope to wake up from this mess. After a few minutes of pleasantries Deigo and his father head outside to talk to Eneida. I wish I knew what they were saying but my Spanish isn’t that good and they were talking a million miles a minute. Everyone was pretty worked up because voices were getting loud. I was very proud Eneida stood her ground because they both can be very abrasive but she didn’t take any shit from them and said that if they don’t work with us on our flights, then she won’t go talk to the mayor. From my understanding of the situation, the Diego’s have been trying to get things rolling with him but have been unsuccessful and Eneida is a small business owner as well as very involved in the community and has his ear.
Regardless, we have to move out of the hotel today because he isn’t going to pay for it anymore. Eneida has offered her home to us and this is going to be great because she lives right above the gym in a pretty nice place AND theres a kitchen so we are bound to get some home cooked meals. As soon as we get there we drop our bags and head downstairs to the gym to get a lift in. Afterwards Chris, her 2 sons Xavier 14, and Bryat 17, and I head back out for playa crashboat since its close. We’re there for the rest of the day jumping off the dock and riding the waves until its practically dark out. Afterwards its back to the gym for a late afternoon tune up lift and then upstairs for dinner. The good news is that they have a HUGE TV but they get 6 channels and they are all in Spanish. What a waste of an awesome TV. After some time staring at the babes in the Tellenovelas its time for bed. There are two mattresses in Xavier’s room and after some fbook stalking I’m cashed out.
No comments:
Post a Comment