Insane City (6 page)

result of being kicked in the forehead by the pointy-toed, high-heeled sandal of Hot Bod competitor

Cyndi, whose ankle his hand had landed on.

“Sorry!” said Seth, crawling out from under the bar. He took hold of the barstool and began pulling

himself upward. It was a struggle, and he would have failed if Duane hadn’t grabbed his arm and helped

him finish the job. He stood blinking, holding the bar for support.

“So
that’s
where you were,” said Duane, who still had Blossom around his shoulders.

Cyndi said, “Ohmigod, you’re bleeding.”

Seth touched a hand to his forehead, felt a stinging pain and sticky wetness.

“Shit,” he said.

“Sorry I kicked you,” said Cyndi. “I didn’t know it was you.”

“It’s OK,” said Seth, making a
Don’t worry about it
gesture with his bloody hand. He looked around

the teeming bar but saw no sign of his Posse.

“Where’d they go?” he said.

“They went looking for you,” said Duane. “A while ago.”

“Where?”

Duane waved his arm in the general direction of Miami.

“Shit,” said Seth. “I gotta find them.” He let go of the bar and went down on all fours again. Cyndi

and Duane pulled him back to his feet.

“You better stay here for now,” said Duane.

“I have to get married,” said Seth. “I’m the groom.”

“You should sit down,” said Duane.

“I gotta get to the whaddycallit. Ricks Carleston.”

“There’s blood on your face,” said Cyndi, dabbing at Seth’s forehead with a napkin.

“My father-in-law has two helicopters, you believe that?” said Seth.

“Wow,” said Cyndi, still dabbing.

“He thinks I’m a loser,” said Seth. “I don’t even know what the Commerce Clause does! You believe

that?”

“I don’t know what it does either, dude,” said Duane.

Cyndi shrugged to indicate that she, too, was unfamiliar with the Commerce Clause.

“You think she thinks I’m a loser?” said Seth.

“Who?” said Cyndi.

“Tina.”

“Who’s Tina?”

“Tina is my bride. With whom I am getting married. To.”

“Of
course
she doesn’t think you’re a loser,” said Cyndi. “She’s marrying you!”

“Yeah, but
why
?” said Seth. “Thass what I don’t get. She’s hot and she went to Harvard and she

knows about the Commerce Clause. You wanna know what I do?”

“What?” said Cyndi.

“I tweet about douche!” To emphasize this point, Seth pounded the bar, accidentally knocking over

the Miller Lite of the guy standing next to him, who turned and was about to say something but quickly

turned back when he saw Duane and Blossom both giving him the eye, with Blossom adding some tongue.

“I’m sure she loves you,” said Cyndi.

“Thank you,” said Seth. He frowned at her. “Who’re you?”

“I’m Cyndi.”

“Thank you, Cyndi. You’re ver’ nice.”

“Thank you.”

“You’re ver’ beautiful.”

“Thank you.”

“I don’t wanna throw up on you.”

“Thank you,” said Cyndi, stepping back.

Seth released the bar and took a staggering step toward Ocean Drive. He nearly fell again, but Duane

caught him.

“Easy,” he said.

“I hafta get to the hotel,” said Seth. “The Ricks Carleson. Hotel. Key. Bickscayne. I hafta get there.

I’m the groom. Of a
wedding
.”

“OK,” said Duane. “You got a car?”

Seth nodded.

“OK,” said Duane. “Where’s it parked?”

“Washington.”

“Washington Avenue?”

“No. D.C.”

“Your car is parked in Washington, D.C.?”

Seth nodded hard, almost falling over with the effort.

“OK,” said Duane. “We’ll find a taxi.”

“We already tried that,” said Seth. “It doesn’t work.”

“Let’s try again,” said Duane. He and Cyndi each took one of Seth’s arms and they guided him out of

the Clevelander and onto the sidewalk. Ocean Drive was now an unmoving mass of cars, so they made

their way through the sidewalk crowd to Tenth Street, then over to Collins Avenue. Duane held on to Seth

while Cyndi stepped into the street; she spotted a taxi rolling north and waved it over. She opened the

door, then helped Duane push Seth into the backseat. She slid in next to him, followed by Duane.

The driver turned and looked at them.

“It’s not him!” said Seth.

“Not who?” said Cyndi.

“That other guy,” said Seth.

“Oh,” said Cyndi.

“No snakes in the taxi,” the driver said to Duane.

“It’s a service snake,” said Duane.

“A what?”

“Service snake. I need it for my emotional . . . needs. Federal law, you have to take this snake.

We’re going to Key Biscayne.” He looked at Seth. “What hotel again?”

“The Rich Carlston,” said Seth. “I’m the groom.”

“That snake better stay back there,” said the driver.

It was just after 11:30 p.m. when they pulled up at the main entrance to the Ritz-Carlton. With effort,

Seth located his wallet and paid the driver the fare, plus a generous tip. He then doubled the amount to

cover Duane and Cyndi’s fare back to Miami.

They helped him out of the taxi. The instant they were outside, the driver stomped on the gas.

“Hey!” shouted Duane. “Wait!” But the taxi was gone.

“Asshole,” said Duane.

A uniformed doorman emerged from the hotel. He paused at the sight of the newly arrived trio: Seth,

standing unsteadily, blood oozing down his forehead; Cyndi, in her microdress and heels; and Duane, with

Blossom coiled around him, her head hovering next to his.

“Checking in?” said the doorman.

“Yes,” said Seth. “I’m the groom.”

“Congratulations,” said the doorman, with a little bow toward Seth, then Cyndi.

“Oh no,” said Cyndi. “I’m not her.”

“Ah,” said the doorman. “Do you need any help with your luggage?”

Seth looked around, then took a staggering step backward.

“Oh shit,” he said.

“What?” said Duane.

“My suitcase!” said Seth. “Did we bring my suitcase?”

“You had a suitcase?” said Duane.

“Yes! Oh Jesus! The ring’s in it!”

“The wedding ring?” said Cyndi.

“Yes!”

“Oh man,” said Cyndi.

At that moment a black stretch limo glided up and stopped. A dark-suited driver jumped out and

hurried back to open the right rear door. Out stepped a tall, tan, distinguished, square-jawed, silver-

haired man wearing a blue silk blazer, knit shirt and perfectly creased slacks. He wore tasseled Italian

loafers without socks.

“Oh no
,
” said Seth.

“What?” said Cyndi.

“That’s Tina’s dad.
Shit.
”

The man, whose name was Mike Clark and whose net worth was estimated by
Forbes
at $3.7

billion, turned and held out his hand to assist in the graceful emergence from the limo of a tall, slim

blonde woman in a pale pink designer dress and pearls. This was his wife, Marcia, who looked

remarkably like Tilda Swinton in the role of the White Witch in
The Chronicles of Narnia
;
the

resemblance was so pronounced that despite Marcia’s classic beauty, small children sometimes fled from

her at malls.

The couple stood facing the limo as their three children emerged: Tina’s sister, Meghan; their

brother, Eric, a younger, even handsomer version of his father; and Tina. The family formed a tableau of

perfection next to the limo, a real-life Ralph Lauren ad.

Tina’s eyes fell on Seth and widened.

“Seth?” she said.

The others turned and saw Seth and his two companions, their faces registering varying mixtures of

surprise and revulsion.

“Hey, Tina,” said Seth. “Hey, Meghan, Eric.” He turned to Tina’s parents. “Hello, Mike. Marcia.”

Mike responded with a one-micron nod. Marcia did not move. She was regarding Seth with the

expression of a woman peering down the seat hole of a Porta-Potty into which she has just dropped her

designer purse.

“You’re bleeding,” said Tina. “Are you OK?”

“I’m fine!” said Seth, attempting a jaunty wave, which turned into a sideways stagger requiring

several steps to recover from.

“What happened to your head?” said Tina.

“My head?”

“Your head. Which is bleeding.”

“Oh! Sorry. Cyndi kicked me. But it was totally my fault.”

“Cyndi?” said Tina.

“I’m Cyndi,” said Cyndi. “Congratulations, by the way.”

Ignoring her, Tina said, “She kicked you in the
head
?”

“I didn’t know it was him,” explained Cyndi.

Meghan snorted. “Maybe your friends should have paid more than a hundred twenty dollars,” she

said.

“What did you say?” said Cyndi.

“Nonono,” said Seth, waving his arms in the referee sign for a missed field goal. “She’s not a

stripper.”

“Really?” said Meghan, staring at Cyndi. “So what
is
she?”

“What does
that
mean?” said Cyndi.

“Hey now, ladies,” said Duane.

“And who are you?” said Tina.

“I’m Duane.”

“Nice snake,” said Eric. Meghan snorted again.

“Listen, Tina,” said Seth, wishing desperately that he were less drunk. “This isn’t what it looks

like.”

“Ah,” said Tina. “So you’re
not
bleeding from the head and hanging out with a Beyoncé look-alike

and a
Jerry Springer
bouncer carrying a large snake.”

“No, no. I mean, yes. But listen, here’s what happened. We couldn’t find the Ricks Carlson. I mean,

the taxi couldn’t find it. I mean, he
found
the Ricks Carlson, but it was the wrong one. So we got another

taxi, but it was the
same
taxi. And he—”

“Seth,” said Tina. “Forget it, OK? Like I said at the airport, just be ready for the rehearsal dinner.”

“But really, Tina, this isn’t . . .”

“Seth, it’s
OK
. Really. I’m going in. You have fun at your bachelor party with your new friends.”

“But these’re not my . . .” Seth caught himself, glanced at Duane and Cyndi.

There was an awkward pause, ended by Mike, who did not get where he was in life by standing

around idly during pauses. “Seth,” he said. “I know this is your bachelor party, and I’m sure this”—he

waved in the general direction of Cyndi and Duane without looking at them—“is all in good fun. I

understand that. I’m all for having fun.” He flashed a brief, dentally impeccable smile to indicate the

extent to which he was in favor of fun.

“But remember, son, that the day after tomorrow you’re going to be marrying my daughter and joining

our family.”

Behind Mike, Marcia shuddered visibly.

“So,” said Mike, “I’m sure you won’t do anything to embarrass your new family.” He looked at

Duane and Cyndi, then back at Seth. “Will you?”

“No, sir.”

“Seth, I’ve told you to call me Mike.”

“Yes, sir.”

Another snort from Meghan.

“All right, then,” said Mike. “We’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Absolutely,” said Seth.

Mike and his acutely hygienic family headed for the hotel door, which was hastily opened by the

doorman. The second-to-last thing Seth saw was Eric and Meghan laughing; the last thing was Marcia

taking Tina’s arm and leaning close, filling her daughter’s ear with words that Seth suspected were not

complimentary to him.

“Shit,” said Seth.

“She’s beautiful,” said Cyndi.

“I know,” said Seth. “And I lost the ring. Jesus. I hafta find my suitcase.”

“Maybe your friends took it,” said Cyndi.

“Ohmigod!” said Seth, feeling hope surge within him. “You think?”

“You could call them.”

“Ohmigod! I could call them!”

“That’s what I was thinking,” said Cyndi.

“With my phone!”

“Right.”

Seth dug out his phone, hit the speed dial for Marty, got voice mail, said, “Shit,” speed-dialed

Kevin, said “Shit” again, speed-dialed Big Steve.

“Come on, Steve, please,” he said. The phone rang four times.

“Please,”
said Seth.

“HELLO?” It was Big Steve, shouting over a roar.

“Steve! It’s me! Seth!”

“HELLO?”

“This is Seth!”

“SETH?”

“Yes.”

“WE’RE TRYING TO FIND YOU!”

“I’m at the hotel.”

“WHAT?”

“The hotel.”

“NO, WE’RE AT A CLUB!”

“No,
I’m
at the—”

“IT’S CALLED MEAT SOMETHING. PATROL. MEAT PATROL. YOU KNOW HOW MUCH A

BEER COSTS HERE?”

“Steve, listen to me, OK? Do you have the suit—”

“FIFTEEN DOLLARS A BOTTLE! FOR MILLER LITE! I ASKED IF THEY HAD IT ON TAP,

BUT THEY DON’T!”

“Steve, listen to—”

“FIFTEEN DOLLARS! FOR MILLER LITE!”

“Is Marty there?”

“WHAT?”

“Marty. Is he there!”

“NO, THIS IS STEVE!”

“No, I want to
talk
to Marty. Can you put him on? Steve? Hello? Steve? Hello?”

Seth looked at the phone: DISCONNECTED. He hit redial. This time he got voice mail.

“Shit!” he said.

“What?” said Duane.

Seth said, “They’re at some club. Meat something.”

“Meat Patrol?” said Duane.

“That’s it.”

“That’s a hot club,” said Cyndi. “Do they have your suitcase?”

“I don’t even know if they have
pants
,” said Seth. “Shit.” He slumped to the ground directly in front

of the hotel entrance. The doorman approached, apparently intending to tell Seth he couldn’t sit there, but

quickly retreated when Duane and Blossom turned to eyeball him.

“What am I gonna do?” said Seth. “I’m the
groom
.”

“Tell you what,” said Duane. “You go check in, lie down. I’ll go find your friends and your suitcase,