CHAPTER TWO
Exodus
Jessica Thibedeaux 2007:
She sat quietly in the corner of
the bar worrying about her situation. The air was cool coming out of the vent
but smelled stagnant with musty cigarette smoke from years of accumulation. The
music was playing an incessant beat on the stereo long past its time. How was she
gonna make ends meet. Her clients had all left her to fend for herself after
years of the use and abuse of her worn out body. Her savings were dwindling and
her only viable asset left was the apartment she’d paid cash for twenty years
ago. The once lean and voluptuous blond haired blue eyed Clarissa was now just
plain old Clare, touting a bulging belly, sagging weather worn skin, and
wrinkles, the likes of which no amount of makeup could improve upon. Hers was
not an uncommon situation to be found in South America; aging and lonely
prostitutes often congregated together in these once opulent bars. Each with
their own stories of dreams long lost and faded. Some lost to drugs and
alcohol, others lost to failed relationships, and others yet, lost in the memories
of life long past.
Clarissa’s real name was Jessica Thibedeaux
from New Orleans. She’d heard of easy money to be made in the growing capital
of Argentina and had mustered together all of her savings from waiting tables
in the French Quarter. She was a run away that had escaped an abusive family
situation at the young age of 16. Her mother was a drunkard and her father had
regularly accosted her sexually since she’d reached puberty. Somehow she
thought it’d all be better on the road alone.
Flashback Thirty years prior to
1977 – middle of the summer on a Thursday:
“Sean, can you take
over my tables for me, please? I’ve gotta go to the doctors.” Jessica asked in
as a polite a voice as possible. She was very convincing when she wanted to be.
The doctor’s appointment was a front she’d planned on using to get out of work
early. Her plan was to get all her paperwork together without ever giving up
any indication of what she was doing or where she was going. It had worked so
far for her. “Sure, no problem” replied Sean. “You feel okay?” Sean was one of
those nice guys nobody could ever really take seriously. His light brown hair,
eyes, and stout build gave the impression of a lonely man who worked out in an
ever constant vigilance to find, anyone. He’d gotten to really like Jessica and
wanted her to know he cared. “Yeah, I’m fine, just the annual girl checkup. You
know.” “Oh, right. Good to know you’re okay then. Hey, be careful out there
either way.” .......
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© Gerard Valdez 2011
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