Foolish Pleasure (A Beginning Part 4)- this will conclude the beginning and I hope to post chapter 1 soon, thanks to all who read
Round Rock, Texas Colonel (retired) Jesse James Rowe who was known as JR to his friends enjoyed cigars at the Aliante Club and the Sky Bar off 6th street in downtown Austin. JR was known to have lunch with University of Texas athletic director Deloss Dodds and he received a Christmas card from the Mack Brown family. Jesse was another silent figure of a world whose grimy wanderlust made for a beautiful Texas. JR retired from an Army Ranger outfit, though the particulars were never clear, even from the drunken moments of clarity he delivered upon whatever audience he found himself amongst. JR's ace in the hole was his not so young little brother who was Chief of Police of the Travis County metro police department. Jason John Rowe had started out life as a drunk and with some help along the way found sobriety and anger. Jason had lost something special to him and now when he could inflict similar pain he did, but he had noble desires. His older brother Jesse was the patriarch and while he did not approve of his activities, Jason appreciated the desires of a town that should be civil, orderly, and done the Texas way. Every week he went to church at Our Lady of Guadalupe, (his Catholic leaning was from his lost wife, something that everyone ignored, but did not approve of) he silently cried his sins to Laura and hoped for a self-imposed venegance. Jason needed to lunch with his brother, something was happening with his daughter that he found rather alarming.
North Austin, Texas, a fine home purchased on good, going great credit by Trenton Owen Esquire, he loved the Esquire even though no lawyer had used that term in any capacity for at least a century. Trent Owen, also called T.O. by his friends, had come to make an impact on the Austin political scene. His family truly were wealthy oil people of the Sweetwater and Odessa persuasion. Trent remembered having Thanksgiving dinner with Powers Boothe the famous actor. The Owen family were here to remove the corrupt influences of the South Texas and Mexican cartels, the corrupt judges and police who operated within in the city, and ultimately the Texas Supreme Court Justices who let it all happen. The fine line between heroes, cowards, and ingenues are so fine it is sometimes hard to discern, and Mr. Owen Esquire shared traits with all three persuasions that it was hard to know what Mr. Owen truly believed in. One thing was for certain he had come to play and his chip stack was worth noting.
Las Vegas, Nevada Adam began his ride home, having lost another sizable amount of his small empire of dirt. He had never deliberately sought out to be a degenerate gambler, but his desire for cards and lust for winning had led him to so many losses that the lust of winning was so whimsical it could have been just a dream. A phone call had to made, and he only had enough money to maybe make New Mexico, "Damn what would Buck say again?" he thought to himself as he took a sour-sweet pull of a 3 year old that shouldn't be sold outside of a moonshine auction. Adam wasn't without skills or family, but he know his clock was ticking and chance cards do eventually run out. Adam lit a cigarette and drove towards Phoenix, "I'll call in a few hours, I can still work," quietly he looked at a duffel bag in the back.
Bluewater Bay, Florida Danny woke up at the bright and early hour of 3 PM. A cigarette accompanied a morning cough and shudder of another day. Danny was left a small dock and bar by his father who had served in the Navy for almost 30 years, he had died a year after purchasing the place. Danny was given full ownership when his brother had decided a woman in Alaska was worth his share and departed without saying goodbye. Danny loved the small place, but hated everyone who attended his small bar even with their monetary gestures. His only friend was a guy that had long disappeared, but he knew one day he would appear again in some form. An old, but sizable 100 foot boat lingered at the end of a makeshift boat slip at the end of Danny's dock was the constant reminder. Danny walked in and nodded at Lois a Lauren Bacall type that had aged badly, but still could carry a tune. Danny often wondered why he never made a move on her, but then she wasn't the type to be easily persuaded the drunks in that place were always rebuffed. "Hey sweetheart, is the boat guy coming down today?" Not a smile or even a glance, "No Danny, he will be here next week. I don't know why you care about that old wreck you never go out," she looked up at this, "Unless you want to take me out?" Danny was always awkward, but covered by being obliviously uncaring, "Sailing is for idiots and Navy pukes." "Thought your dad was a Navy puke?" Danny didn't say anything, held up his drink and continued on with, "Boats are for idiots, let's drop it please fill this up and let's get the T.V.s on in here. Damn, we need the business ok." Lois shook her head, quietly laughed and refilled a small jigger of a 7 year old whose name is also of unnecessary mention.