Radio, and John Jr. were having a rough time in the new pecking order too. They had ended up in the middle, stuck taking orders from the adults but powerless over their younger siblings. The first day, they had gone about the tasks before them with sullen resignation. It was clear they resented the fact that the imaginary friends had declined to visit most teenagers. They felt left out.
Ricky Esquivel had joined us soon after the meeting Monday morning at St. Maddy's. Just as John, Variety and I were getting into our cars to leave, a grey Mercedes coupe with dark tinted windows had pulled up. As the window slid down, Los Lobos music poured out. Ricky stuck his head out the window and said "Hey Variety, check out the wheels." Sitting next to him in the driver's seat was James Purcival, the Marlboro man, silk suit and all.
I looked over at Variety in surprise. She looked back sheepishly. "Well Tom, I didn't have time to tell you who was friend and foe. Mr. Purcival is one of the good guys..." She turned back to Ricky. "Okay, you little gangster, take us to those kids." Thus Ricky, his two younger brothers and the runaway wardie kids joined Dusty and the refugees from the zoo. Our house was beginning to smell like a kennel.
Two days later, Dusty had become the spokesmen for all the children and Ricky was the titular head of the preteen crowd. It wasn't much of a gang but it was the best he could do. John Jr. and Radio needed someone close to their own age who had the moxie to deal with the situation and one thing the creator had dolled out with generosity to Ricky Esquivel was moxie.
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