Genius by Patrick Dennis

Author:Patrick Dennis
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Chicago Review Press
Published: 2018-10-22T16:00:00+00:00

There was a general buzz of recognition and/or appreciation among the Junior League ladies as Starr entered the restaurant, not that his St. James Street outfit wasn’t enough to stop traffic up and down the Paseo de la Reforma. He was introduced to William Shelburne, the owner, graciously accepted a drink on the house, changed the location of our table only twice, and then said cordially, “Mr. Shelburne, do come and have a drink with us when you have a free moment.”

Starr ordered expansively and expensively, passed favorable comment on the food, and didn’t send a single dish back—high praise indeed. He talked rapidly about a number of unimportant subjects—the unsung merits of certain South American and Alsatian wines, the excellent quality of Austrian gloves, the necessity of having empty pockets if one’s suits were to hang correctly—anything to avoid the subject at hand, Aristido González. But when Bill joined us, I took matters into my own hands. “Bill,” I said, “you know everybody in town. What do you know about a certain film producer named Aristido González?”

“Please, Patrick,” Mr. Shelburne said with a pained expression. “I never discuss my ex-customers.”

“Ex-customers?” Starr said, his eyebrows rising.

“That’s right, Mr. Starr. I wouldn’t let González in the back door of my restaurant.” A waiter came up and said something in rapid Spanish. “Excuse me, Patrick, Mr. Starr. There’s a crisis in the kitchen. Enjoy your lunch.”

“You see?” I said a little smugly to Starr. “That may give you some rough idea of how your ‘brother’ is regarded locally.” But if I’d hoped to discourage Starr with a few well-chosen words and considered opinions, I was wrong. Instead, his back was up. He was so stubborn that he would have gone into partnership with Satan himself rather than admit that he could have been guilty of any crime so heinous as an error in judgment. “You Anglo-Saxons simply do not understand the inner workings of the Latin mind—least of all the mind of a great creative such as Aristido. Our contract is sealed. We commence work immediately.”

“Speaking of contracts, Bill knows a very good law firm that can . . .”

“Insult my friend González with a lot of legal mumbo-jumbo? Are you out of your mind? The abrazo—the embrace—is all the contract I need with an old bosom buddy like Aristido. Now you leave this to me. I know what I’m doing. Why don’t we have some of that delicious-looking mocha roll and then call for the check. We have a lot to do this afternoon.”

“Such as what?”

“We have to nail down three ladies of considerable financial means—my former wife, Monica Lady Joyce; my former star, Catalina Ximinez; and Mrs. Worthington Pomeroy.”

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