Testing, testing, one, two, three.

Alright, it's January 15th, 5.30pm. I am at the corner of Calusa in Marin. I'm about to turn on Marin and go home. Lights are on. Yeah, I've been listening to Nassir, Gemma again, trying on my walk home, walk to the car, and just trying to get a good, you know, kind of headspace for, you know, my thoughts on the story. I want to talk about Rosa, and now I'm starting to think maybe her name is Alicia. Alicia sounds a bit like Alice in Wonderland. So, yeah, what does Alicia do once she's in Houston? So, if I decide to go with her, kind of running off to Houston, without knowing where, well, okay, she'll have horses' address because she will, she'll have his essentially in town. So, that's one thing. The other thing is that she will either, okay, so if she goes to Houston without following him, then she has to go to his address and essentially stake it out and wondering what he's up to. So, maybe simple enough, if she follows them, follows him, then there's really no additional need to, well, then at that point she doesn't need his address. So, maybe she follows him to his home, and the intent to vacate notices, I like there's a little tension there. So, maybe she should have his intent to, his home and phone number from the notice. So, how does she find out what he's up to? Well, as she's following him one day, she sees him drive to, for someone who owns a BMW, lives in what's considered a quite fancy apartment in... Let's just say, you know, Midtown, I guess, I don't know. We'll just say Midtown, just to leave it at that. He... I'm gonna suppose he could also live in a fancy apartment in post-doc. He could live in a fancy apartment in River Oaks. Yeah, so in Rice University area, West University. So, there's a couple of options as to where he could live. And so, one day she's following him, and he drives to a nearby Fiesta market, which attached to it is a... a travel agent. And now, this travel agent is... You know, he specializes in shady deals, to say the least. Sitting in his office while she's there is perhaps someone from INS, or possibly someone from the FAA. They're not really sure. But yeah, let's see here. It's some official from some government agency, whether... And he's questioning him on the validity of the tickets he issues. And he seems to be issuing tickets that aren't 100% valid either. They appear to be unpaid bookings or something like that. But it's not clear whether or not he's paid for them in advance and then sold them at a lower... at some higher price. And he just changes the name on the ticket at the last minute. It's not clear. But the tickets are questionable. But Horace has been going... Horace's parents have been using this guy forever. Horace's dad, you know, swears by him. No one can issue cheaper tickets around. And it's possible that he only issues Egypt air tickets at... You know, Egypt, Egyptian prices. He probably sells one way tickets and makes them look like they're coming from Egypt to the US as part of a one way trip when they're actually part of a round trip into the return trip. So which makes it easy for him to sell her a one way trip. And so... But Rosa slash Alicia catches on to his gain. And the only reason she catches on is because... The person who is questioning him is speaking Spanish to him. And actually, no. He's speaking English to him but he's speaking Spanish on the phone. And she tells him, you don't want to trust that guy. So now I have to get... now I have to be a little bit more shrewd with her. You know, she's much smarter than she lets on. And... Got a message on my watch and I didn't read it. So anyway... Looks like a package as well. It's probably a piece to my plate. So we have to make it sound like she's smart enough to ask questions. But she doesn't want to get too involved in people's business. She just wants what she wants and she wants to get out of it. And what she wants is to know where Horace is going. And... She... You know, he tells her what... Back up a bit. Let's say for now the guy who she's speaking to is named Targ. And he's an older gentleman. Looks to be like in his 60s. A spitting image of Mama Chadafi. So... And how does she know that well? She looks at him and he reminds her of someone she's seen in the news. She can't remember when or how she saw this person. But she remembers seeing him like on a magazine rack with his face on the front cover. And some headline reading about crisis in the Middle East. So yeah, that's what she remembers. So... Targ knows just enough Spanish to sell tickets to Mexico as well. And he sells tickets to and from Mexico. He has a partner there who has probably mad at him for underpaying. And perhaps this gentleman who is speaking on the phone to him is trying to convince him to pay his fair share. Alicia can translate what they're saying. But she stays silent. The man on his way out says something that would really offend the Mexican woman. Trying to perhaps get her to let on that she knows to get her to reveal that she understands Spanish. Maybe he says something polite in the beginning like simple like Buenos dias or something like that. It's a pleasure to meet you or something like that. But then he switches immediately and says something like something really disgusting to her that would cause most women to slap a man. And I bet you're really good at bed too. And Rosa slash Alicia knew right then and there what game he was up to and didn't flinch for one second. They kind of had a stare down contest. And then he just smiled and laughed and walked out. So then she goes into see Tarek and basically says, you know, I need something from you. And he says, I don't have anything for you. Who are you anyway? I say, well, and actually she says she speaks to him in Spanish. I need something from you. He replies in broken Spanish, you know, tickets, Mexico, $500 or something like that. And it's not just Mexico. He only flies people to Monterey or places near the border. Or he flies people directly to Brownsville, wherever the airport is in Brownsville. And they come and go as they please. So he thinks automatically she's one of these types of customers that wants one of those tickets. And that's when she tells him, I know a game you're up to. And I work for a newspaper and I can definitely tell the right people about your game. And I can tell a certain reporter there, I know a certain reporter there who would love to hear what you're up to. But you know, I think thinking more about this Alicia might be a journalism student, you know, with creative writing on the side as elected. So again, going for the fact versus fiction. And so he tries to laugh it off and offer her some tea. And he realizes, you know, he kind of shuts up. I can't help you. That's when she kind of reveals what conversation, what the conversation on the phone was between the two of us. Let's just say the man called one and Ernesto on the other end. So she basically says, you know, Ernesto says the next time he comes around, he's going to bring some big guts. Actually, we'll say, you know Ernesto said the next time he comes around, he's going to bring his friends. You can either, you can imagine what friends he's talking about. You're the one who works with them. Did you not think that you would get yourself caught up in this game? See, Alicia is a little familiar with, you know, how people are shuffled back and forth across the border and within the US also being a daughter of a runaway. And I mean by runaway, I mean someone who was a guest worker that broke their contract. And she had to run pretty much across. Well, she never spent a lot of time in any one place. She was, you know, in a minute she turned 18. She had to separate from her mother. So she is well aware of these kinds of practices. So, Tark starts to get a little weak in the knees and he's like, okay, fine, what do you want? Is it just, you want tickets, I'll give you tickets. And she's like, I want information, I want you to tell me where Horace is going. And that's when he smiles. That little rascal. That little, yeah well, that's what he, you know, he says under his breath. And he's like, how do you, his good friend? And she's like, I'm not his girlfriend. Like sure you're not. Okay, you want to know where he's going. You know he's engaged, right? To be mad at. She just repeats, like I said, I'm not his girlfriend. And he's like, well, it's fine with me. He's going to Cairo. The week after he's going to Cairo on Monday. And he came to pick up his tickets. And that's when Rosa or Alicia starts to get concerned. And maybe this is where she kind of swindles, not swindles, but she maybe talks him in, getting a ticket, in fact. And what would be interesting, I guess at this point is if the guy named Juan comes back and says, I just spoke to Ernesto. And before he's even allowed to talk, Tarek immediately but he says, Oh, Juan, don't worry about it. Juan, I completely forgot. You know what I just found? I found the box I was looking for. It's over here behind these books, not those books. I'm sorry if there was any confusion. Here is your money. And Juan looks at her. And he speaks Spanish to her. And something like, how much did he sell you the ticket for? And she looks at him and she looks at Tarek. And if Tarek plays his cards right, he won't give her up and she won't give him up. And so he looks a little nervous, shifty, I'd back and forth, but Alicia looks at him and speaks in perfect English. I'm just here to pick up my tickets. I don't speak Spanish. I'm Egyptian. And the guy just smiles and curses under his breath again, but I'm a Adri. You know, just like that and walks out. And Tarek owes her big time. And because now she's had time to think it over. And she's like, yep, I'll take that ticket. And as she leaps, she... See, but when she's on that plane, she has to be. She has to make that decision to go one way. So if she convinces him to give her a one-way ticket, there's either that case or she... Maybe she... That's when she has to weigh it over in her head at that moment. So he tells her... All I have for you is one-way ticket. Does she spend it or not? Does she spend the extra money for two ways? Now, would you accept a one-way ticket from a complete stranger? Maybe she thinks she's never going to use it. Maybe she thinks she's going to talk to him before he gets on the plane. Those are the two reasons where she would accept the one-way ticket. And what would it take to put her on that plane with a one-way ticket? That would be interesting. So this little incident at the travel agent, comical and a little bit tense, gets the one-way ticket in her head. But it doesn't put her on the plane. Something has to put her on the plane. So we see shady Egyptian. We learn that Horace is engaged, but she does not know. There we go. She does not know what happens is Horace goes to the airport with his girlfriend. This is awesome. They check in together. They, her bags and his bags. She, they have a fight because she basically tells him she does not love him anymore. She wants to break up, right then and then. In the gate, in the waiting area for the plane. Now this is 97 or 95. It's going to be around that time period. And you have to figure out if the procedures are, but it's pretty straightforward at that time. You go through a very simple search. You throw your bags in the X-ray. You walk through. You know one's even really, might even have to look at it up for myself if I can't remember. But yeah, they go through, you know. She's looking like she's dressed for the club. You know, here we are. Looking like a Persian princess. She's not Persian, but she could pass for it. Looking like a hot supermodel. This girl wants, you know, if she's Egyptian, it's hard to tell. As far as Alitia is concerned, she looks like a famous actress from the Telanovellas. And I've got to look up some famous shows at the time. That would be pretty cool. And I mean, it almost looks like something played out of a Mexican soap opera right before her eyes. You know, already, now what is her name? We have to think of her name. You know, it has to be a name that sounds like a princess. Would I? You know, it has to sound. Let me end this right now to save space.

Okay, I'm back. I just I'm in the narrows right now. It's 6.05 pm still January 15th. And I just finished talking about how Alicia will Alicia's last roasts that will acquire a one-way ticket that gets her into the airport, although you didn't have to get into the airport. And all of a sudden she sees Horace's girlfriend for the first time. Discovers that she's of course like a little diva princess. You know, got the rocks on her fingers, you know, flashing gold. And you know, at that time maybe a Versace outfit. And yeah, looks like someone who would much rather be seen, you know, on the beach. You know, on the beaches of France or resort in, you know, the niece, you know, then to be seen going to Cairo. Along with her quote unquote fiance slash boyfriend slash whatever. So they have some sort of argument. It's an argument that you can't see. You can't see, you can't hear. It starts. You know, almost if we were to mouth the words, it would start off like. She's clearly checking her watch. She's been procrastinating telling him. She doesn't want to hurt his feelings, but she can't take it anymore. She's been trying to make it look like she's happy, but she's not happy. And so, you know, horses. Looking very concerned. And then you can see that she starts mowling the words, what do I have to spell it out? I don't love you anymore. It's over. You get the, there's a few looks from people. And she says, you're going to get on that plane. I'm not. Your family needs to know we're through. Don't follow me. Don't come after me. So just like that, she walks off. Force. Force cat. Force, this happens as they're calling people onto the plane. And they were calling first class passengers first. And in fact, it happens inside this, you know, it happens on the gangway. She walks on. And the crew doesn't really know what to do. She walked away from a first class ticket to Cairo. Now, this is problematic because am I setting this in Houston? No, actually, even better. Horace meets his girlfriend in New York City. And it's in New York City where this happens. She's not around. Of course. Now, how does... I could either do it one or two way. The incident can happen in Houston. And she walks out on him in Houston. And that still gives Alicia some time to get off the plane. To never get on the plane to Cairo. But then what does she do on the flight to New York City? So really, she has to get to New York City. And one of the things that... She has to, I guess she discovers when she checks in. Is that maybe the ticket isn't completely paid for. Maybe that was one of Tark's tricks at the very last minute. Maybe when she checks in, she finds out it's Houston to New York, New York to Cairo. And that... And she notices that... That she doesn't get on the same flight as Horace. That's what she thinks maybe she's been swindled. That's even more interesting because they go to the airport at the same time. She sees Horace get on the flight. And what she doesn't... What doesn't happen is he doesn't get on her flight. He gets on another flight to New York. And they basically will end up on the same plane to Egypt. But she doesn't know this yet. So her flight to New York is a bit stressful because she realizes she may have just been flown off into the wind on a wild goose chase. See this throws off the hole. If she has a ticket, it throws off the plot that she has a ticket. She has a one way ticket. Maybe she convinces herself, what's the worst that can happen? I go to New York. I can always get back home. So maybe she's okay with flying to New York. Not really sure. I gotta pause this because people are honking.

Because there, you know, well it's okay, it's 617, I've gotten off at East Washington, not the light at McDowell and East Washington. There was some honking so I paused the recording. And you know, I started up again and I'm trying to decide the mechanics of the events. You know, how does she go from having a one-way ticket in hand that has two legs? Houston, New York, New York, Cairo. That's it, that's all she's got. And Horace is either on her flight or isn't on her flight. Either she follows him to New York and they're on the same plane. And she doesn't have her breakdown moment until New York. Until she gets on the Egypt air leg. Right? This leg is like a, well if you flew TWA, you'd go to St. Louis and possibly to New York and then to Cairo. And if you flew Egypt air, you most likely flew continental airlines to, or Delta airlines or American airlines or even, I can look up the archive of airline schedules. I think you can even fly United. But most likely the cheapest flight would have been a continental flight to New York. So she would have gotten on a continental flight to New York. And now she would have either, now in order to make this work, Tarek would have either had to have issued a New York to Cairo ticket only. And he may have to tell her that. You want ticket only out of New York. That's how I work. I don't work out of any other city. You have to get to New York. That's the way he talks to her. And well she might say, well then get me to New York. I don't do those kinds of tickets. You have to go to regular travel agent. She's not, you're not a regular travel agent. I only do, you know, Egypt air through New York. Like, well where did he get his tickets? Now at that time, you had to call, I guess, airlines. You had to go to another travel agent. Or you had to go... Yeah, maybe she tells him, okay, get me on the next flight. It's like, you want free ticket, Egypt air. New York Cairo only. You have to pay for the other tickets. I don't have any control over that. So we either go with that scenario. We kind of have to go with that scenario, right? I mean, how else is this going to work? So yeah, I have to think more about this. This is exciting because there's really good parts to the story here. Because, you know, I have to build it up to the point where Horace, who's already feeling very dejected and depressed and doesn't know what the hell he's going to do, meets for the second time, a Annelicia, who is on a quest on such a strong quest. She doesn't know what has compelled her. It seems like things have gotten out of control, but it just seems too good to be true that she met a character in one of her stories. You know? Now, this is where we can say, she named him Horace, H-O-R-A-C-E, and his name is H-O-R-U-S, but maybe that's a minor technicality. Anyway, I got to think about this some more. I'm at home. I'm going to call it quits. Done.