My Kind of Town
>> Queen's Medical Center Saved by Muhammed
"OK, that's it," Dr. Laurie Tang said, looking over the top of her surgical mask.
Charge Nurse Van Truong checked her watch. The removal of all the glass fragments and tatters of Cuervo Gold label from the face of the young female patient known only as 46-225909 had taken nearly two hours. As always, Dr. Laurie and their team had been superb, and 46-225909 would have a chance to be beautiful again.
"That was a tough one," Dr. Laurie said.
The charge nurse nodded. She knew it had been unusually tough on Dr. Laurie, but didn't know why. How could Van have known that just a week ago Laurie had made love in Sen. Donovan Matsuda-Yee-Dela Cruz- Bishop-Kamaka's yellow Town Car, which this morning had crashed off the Keeaumoku Overpass with 46-225909 inside, drunk, loaded on ice and stark naked? How could Van have known that Dr. Laurie had recently started thinking she might be the next first lady?
>> Portlock
Rosalita Resurreccion was so happy when the papa-san fired her from the bar in Angeles City after barely a week. She couldn't make herself have sex with any man other than her late husband Jesus. She was so terrified of the thought, she wouldn't even mingle with the customers or let them buy her a ladies drink, for which she would have been paid a few extra pesos. She couldn't understand how some of the girls seemed to have so much fun.
But returning home on the ferry to Cebu, Rosalita was terrified. How would she support her 6-year-old daughter and herself? Then God answered her prayers. Her husband's cousin, Muhammed Resurreccion, sent word that he could get her a work visa to Hawaii. His generosity and caring had saved them from a life on the streets. So Elizabeth was growing up with an American education and American nutrition.
Now a year later Muhammed was coming to Hawaii and needed a place to stay for a few days. Rosalita owed him such a huge debt. It could never be repaid in money, but it could in hospitality.
And Miss Lily said it was OK with her if Muhammed stayed with them. As Rosalita dialed the number in the Philippines, she thought she heard something on the side of the house. She'd check on it later.
"Mabuhay, Muhammed!"
At the Zamboanga office of Infitada Inc., Muhammed Resurreccion smiled. His plan was coming together, just as he had planned it over a year ago. Soon he and his people would be making a statement to the world. Rosalita's daughter would be the key.
Don Chapman is editor of MidWeek.
His serialized novel runs daily in the Star-Bulletin.
He can be emailed at dchapman@midweek.com