Dante's Indiana by Randy Boyagoda

Author:Randy Boyagoda
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Biblioasis
Published: 2021-10-15T00:00:00+00:00

17

THE FRIDAY AFTER Dizzy’s World, Hugh texted me on my way to pizza at Charlie’s house.

“Just agree. Say yes.”

I replied with question marks and called but he didn’t answer.

When I arrived, Hugh was sitting beside Charlie in the living room.

This was the first time I’d been in a room with both of them. Son and father.

A grape and its raisin future.

“So, Prin. What do you think?” said Charlie.

“About? Is there a problem?” I said.

Did they know I’d gone to Dizzy’s World?

“Prin, you know we have investors in the Dante parks,” said Hugh.

“Yes.”

“And for lots of reasons I don’t need to get into right here and right now—”

“Go ahead, Hugh. Get into it,” said Charlie.

He grinned like someone was pulling a coat hanger through his mouth.

“Dad, this isn’t what I wanted to discuss with Prin, and I don’t think he’s interested, are you, Prin?”

“Agreed,” I said.

Charlie’s grin faded.

“Listen, Prin, there’s a couple of things happening. You’ve probably heard that we have a big announcement happening at the plant next week.”

“I got the email,” I said.

“You did?” said Hugh.

He muttered something about listservs and began texting.

“While he’s playing on his Game Boy, Prin, let me ask you the question Hugh keeps not asking,” said Charlie.

Hugh put away his phone and looked at his father.

“Are you convinced?” said Charlie.

“Yes?” I said.

“No. You’re not. What Dad means, Prin—”

“You’re going to tell him what I mean?”

“Then do it yourself.”

“Nah. Let’s see what you think’s on my mind. Then do I get to say what I think’s on your mind?”

“What Dad means, Prin, is this: Are you convinced the parks are going to be authentic enough to convince people that, in coming to Dante’s Indiana, they’re getting some sense of what it was like to be in Dante’s world? In Florence?”

“That was never part of the plan for the park, so far as I know,” I said.

“But it should be, shouldn’t it?” said Hugh.

“Agreed? Yes?” I said.

“Thank you. See, Dad? The thing is, Prin, our investors are European, and when they come next week, for our big announcement at the plant, they’re going to ask how thing are going at the arenas. And, well, you know Europeans and how they can be. Right Dad?”

“Pizza’s getting cold, isn’t it Prin? And I doubt Jenny Craig here is joining us,” said Charlie.

“It’s called a paleo diet! But I do need to get going. Anyway, Prin, Dad and I have been talking, and we think it’d be a good idea to have a historical recreation of Dante’s Florence featured in the arenas. That it’ll be a value-add with our investors to help off-set the delays. Obviously I know we’re not going to have it in place by the time they visit us, next week, but I’d like to tell them we’re working on it, when they ask. And I’m pretty sure they will ask.”

“Why’s that, Hugh?”

“I just said why.”

“But did you, really?”

“So. Prin. Can I tell them we’re working on it?”

“Sure. I’ll mention it to the professors and the rest of the team,” I said.

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