Localized
Every Wednesday between classes, I have two hours to kill. Two hours to be “productive” by reading a longish article in Spanish about magical realism and the writers who best exemplify that movement. Two hours to drink tea (I don’t like coffee and it’s terrible here anyway) or watch the news on TV (la presidente is visiting Chile this week, the highlights of yesterday’s fútbol game). Two hours to pretend to be a local while I sit in this café.
This is routine for me now. After Art History, I take the B-line two stops east to the “microcentro,” the business and theater district of Buenos Aires. It’s not actually in the center of the city. It’s more northeast, but that’s how it is in Buenos Aires—people say things they don’t mean.
I come to this café every Wednesday morning at 10:30, give or take a few minutes. The menu here is huge, physically and in terms of options. They serve breakfast and lunch. I’m not much of a breakfast person, so I order té con leche (tea with milk) and medialunas. The tea is a British brand, nothing special, but medialunas are the best food I’ve eaten in Argentina. They’re palm-sized croissants with flakey dough. They come in two varieties: plain or sweetened (basically a thin coat of syrup on top). Most places have only the sweetened kind, and I won’t complain about that.
The waiter comes back with a full tray. I ordered two things, right? But not even the menus here are clear on what they mean. Té con leche means I get a large mug with a saucer, a tiny pitcher of warm milk on a saucer, a small teapot of hot water on a small plate, and a tiny glass of orange juice. (The first time I ordered tea in Buenos Aires, I thought it was some weird thing with mixing orange juice into your tea. But no, they drink it separately. A little bit of vitamin C never hurt anyone.) Medialunas come in a basket. If they’re larger ones, you get three. Smaller ones, four. My square table that’s supposed to seat two is covered with excessive glassware. I rearrange everything into an arc around me to make space for that magical realism article. (The page I’m on is talking about Julio Cortázar’s use of time. He likes to jump around a lot.)
I unwrap the tea bag and drop it into the teapot. I look up at the TV and see that the public bus employees are striking this afternoon. Fine, I take the subway home on Wednesdays anyway. After the tea steeps I fill my mug halfway. I fill the rest with milk.
Some of my friends back home joke about how much sugar I put in my tea. As in, I have some tea with my sugar. That didn’t change when I switched hemispheres. Most people in Buenos Aires have too much sugar and caffeine anyway. It’s because they stay up late and wake up early. Every kiosk on every corner has a variety of sweets and candy bars to give you a sugar boost any time of the day. The waiter probably doesn’t think anything of the three sugars I put in my tea. Either that or he’s used to it by now. I always have the same waiter.
When you walk into most shops in Buenos Aires, employees will immediately walk up to you and ask what you’re looking for. This makes sense for two reasons. One, they want to make a sale and two, direct contact with customers reduces shoplifting. Restaurants and cafés don’t work that way. Usually you walk in and find a table yourself. When the waiter notices you he gives you a menu. You have to wave him over when you’re ready to order. Take your time eating and sit for as long as you like, and then you have to get the waiter’s attention again for the bill.
Americans are used to attentive waiters so it’s frustrating the first few times you have to do that, but I don’t mind it much anymore. The locals are better at it than I am, but I’m getting there.
This is routine for me now. After Art History, I take the B-line two stops east to the “microcentro,” the business and theater district of Buenos Aires. It’s not actually in the center of the city. It’s more northeast, but that’s how it is in Buenos Aires—people say things they don’t mean.
I come to this café every Wednesday morning at 10:30, give or take a few minutes. The menu here is huge, physically and in terms of options. They serve breakfast and lunch. I’m not much of a breakfast person, so I order té con leche (tea with milk) and medialunas. The tea is a British brand, nothing special, but medialunas are the best food I’ve eaten in Argentina. They’re palm-sized croissants with flakey dough. They come in two varieties: plain or sweetened (basically a thin coat of syrup on top). Most places have only the sweetened kind, and I won’t complain about that.
The waiter comes back with a full tray. I ordered two things, right? But not even the menus here are clear on what they mean. Té con leche means I get a large mug with a saucer, a tiny pitcher of warm milk on a saucer, a small teapot of hot water on a small plate, and a tiny glass of orange juice. (The first time I ordered tea in Buenos Aires, I thought it was some weird thing with mixing orange juice into your tea. But no, they drink it separately. A little bit of vitamin C never hurt anyone.) Medialunas come in a basket. If they’re larger ones, you get three. Smaller ones, four. My square table that’s supposed to seat two is covered with excessive glassware. I rearrange everything into an arc around me to make space for that magical realism article. (The page I’m on is talking about Julio Cortázar’s use of time. He likes to jump around a lot.)
I unwrap the tea bag and drop it into the teapot. I look up at the TV and see that the public bus employees are striking this afternoon. Fine, I take the subway home on Wednesdays anyway. After the tea steeps I fill my mug halfway. I fill the rest with milk.
Some of my friends back home joke about how much sugar I put in my tea. As in, I have some tea with my sugar. That didn’t change when I switched hemispheres. Most people in Buenos Aires have too much sugar and caffeine anyway. It’s because they stay up late and wake up early. Every kiosk on every corner has a variety of sweets and candy bars to give you a sugar boost any time of the day. The waiter probably doesn’t think anything of the three sugars I put in my tea. Either that or he’s used to it by now. I always have the same waiter.
When you walk into most shops in Buenos Aires, employees will immediately walk up to you and ask what you’re looking for. This makes sense for two reasons. One, they want to make a sale and two, direct contact with customers reduces shoplifting. Restaurants and cafés don’t work that way. Usually you walk in and find a table yourself. When the waiter notices you he gives you a menu. You have to wave him over when you’re ready to order. Take your time eating and sit for as long as you like, and then you have to get the waiter’s attention again for the bill.
Americans are used to attentive waiters so it’s frustrating the first few times you have to do that, but I don’t mind it much anymore. The locals are better at it than I am, but I’m getting there.
S23 - Blank
Link just left. I was right--guided meditation. I think it went okay. Lots of sitting still and paying attention to my breathing. Doing my best to keep my mind clear.
We're going to do a series of meditations. Practice mental discipline. Preparations for accessing that psychic link. But I'm tired, so this is all I'm writing for tonight.
We're going to do a series of meditations. Practice mental discipline. Preparations for accessing that psychic link. But I'm tired, so this is all I'm writing for tonight.
S22 - Scenarios
Over the weekend, I talked to Ryan about getting in touch with Link. I decided I want to see what we can do with this psychic link I have with 8th Wonder. At the very least, I'd like to be aware of what happens when she takes over.
So far, 8th Wonder has taken over at night time, while I'm sleeping. But at work today, I was thinking about what it'd be like if she took over during the day. I work in a cubicle. People pass by all the time. I'm on the phone with customers. I can't exactly start glowing and float out of the place unnoticed. So yeah, I don't want to have to explain that to my boss and co-workers. It'd be much better if I could at least get a head's up from 8th Wonder. Enough time to get to the roof or something before she takes over.
I'm still not sure how I feel about 8th Wonder taking over my body. On the one hand, it's to do good deeds and I don't get hurt in the process. That's all okay. But on the other hand, it IS my body and the way things are now, I don't have any control over what happens when 8th Wonder comes. That's potentially scary.
Ryan called Link and Link is coming over tomorrow night for a first session or whatever. I have this feeling that meditation is involved. That'll be new to me. But I guess that's okay.
So far, 8th Wonder has taken over at night time, while I'm sleeping. But at work today, I was thinking about what it'd be like if she took over during the day. I work in a cubicle. People pass by all the time. I'm on the phone with customers. I can't exactly start glowing and float out of the place unnoticed. So yeah, I don't want to have to explain that to my boss and co-workers. It'd be much better if I could at least get a head's up from 8th Wonder. Enough time to get to the roof or something before she takes over.
I'm still not sure how I feel about 8th Wonder taking over my body. On the one hand, it's to do good deeds and I don't get hurt in the process. That's all okay. But on the other hand, it IS my body and the way things are now, I don't have any control over what happens when 8th Wonder comes. That's potentially scary.
Ryan called Link and Link is coming over tomorrow night for a first session or whatever. I have this feeling that meditation is involved. That'll be new to me. But I guess that's okay.
S21 - A Few Things
1. I know that Doctor Atom was busy when Ryan and I went up to his office, but I thought he'd have more of a reaction to finding out I'm 8th Wonder. 8th Wonder is me. It uses me as a host. You know what I mean.
2. Maybe it's a trust issue and Doctor Atom didn't want to talk about the implications with me in the room.
3. Maybe he doesn't care since I have no control over the situation. Maybe he'll be interested only when I can communicate with 8th Wonder. If I can.
4. Doctor Atom probably called a meeting with the Super Seven to discuss 8th Wonder. Talk about the newbie when she's not around.
5. I don't like being left out of the loop. Especially when I'm the topic of conversation.
2. Maybe it's a trust issue and Doctor Atom didn't want to talk about the implications with me in the room.
3. Maybe he doesn't care since I have no control over the situation. Maybe he'll be interested only when I can communicate with 8th Wonder. If I can.
4. Doctor Atom probably called a meeting with the Super Seven to discuss 8th Wonder. Talk about the newbie when she's not around.
5. I don't like being left out of the loop. Especially when I'm the topic of conversation.
S20 - Guard
After work, Ryan picked me up in his taxi and we drove to the Super Seven's headquarters. He drove into the parking complex and we stopped at the booth at the entrance. An elderly man in a security guard uniform stepped up the car.
Ryan put down his window. "Hey, Jim, how are you?" Ryan said.
"Just fine, thanks." Jim looked over at me and then back to Ryan. "Have a visitor with you today?"
Ryan nodded. "Yeah, this is Molly. Molly, Jim. She might be coming here more often."
I waved to Jim. Jim adjusted his hat. "New recruit?"
"Yeah, we'll see."
"Okay." Jim patted the top of the car. "Head in then. I think just the doc's inside."
"Thanks." Ryan rolled up his window and drove into toward the complex.
"Does Jim know you're a superhero?" I asked Ryan after we stepped out of the car.
"Oh yeah, he knows about the Super Seven."
"You have an ordinary man guarding superhero headquarters."
Ryan laughed. "Well, he's a human lie detector, so that's helpful." I followed him into the building. "Besides, if anything bad happens, he sounds the alarm and we show up."
I expected the Super Seven's Headquarters to be more...extravagant? Maybe that's not the right word. But I don't know, fancier. It looked like a regular office building lobby. (I'm going to call the place HQ from now on. Easier to write.)
Jim the ordinary security guard. Inside, Ellen the ordinary secretary. She had dark hair with a few strands of gray. Short and round, but not fat. She looked up and smiled at Ryan. "Nice to see you, Ryan."
"Hi Ellen." We walked up to the desk. Ryan nodded toward me. "This is Molly Waters. Um, she was here a few weeks ago after the Next Gen Energy incident."
Ellen looked at me and nodded. "Oh, right. Are you having complications from the accident, dear?"
"Oh, no, I'm fine. We're here on--"
"We have a lead on 8th Wonder," Ryan finished. "Is Atom busy right now?"
Ellen shook her head. "Just routine monitoring."
Ryan nodded. "Great thanks, Ellen."
We walked to the back of the lobby and went in the elevator. Still ordinary office building. Ryan hit the 4 button.
The elevators doors opened on the fourth floor and everything was gleaming blue. Computer screens covered the walls. There was a large desk in the room at the end of the hallway and a bank of screens beyond it. Doctor Atom was sitting at the desk and looking up at the screens. He jotted down a few notes.
He turned around as we walked down the hall. "Hi, Ryan." Doctor Atom saw me and stopped speaking.
Ryan waved his hand. "It's okay. Molly knows I'm Streak."
"Ah." Doctor Atom stood up as we approached his desk. "It's nice to see you again, Molly. Though I have to say, I'm surprised." He looked at Ryan.
"We've got a lead on 8th Wonder. It seems to be some type of energy force that possesses Molly."
Atom sat down in his chair.
I cleared my throat. "Last night Ryan was keeping watch and he saw 8th Wonder take over me. We flew up near King's Lake and put out a fire."
"You remember it?" Atom asked.
"No, Ryan told me what happened. I sort of black out."
Atom turned and typed on the keyboard. The screens blinked and showed different video footage.
"I asked Link to visit my place this morning," Ryan continued. "He found a psychic connection in Molly's mind. 8th Wonder must have put it there."
Atom nodded. He pointed to the screens. "These are all security footage of incidents where 8th Wonder was involved. But we never get it on screen. He turned to me. "What do you want to do about 8th Wonder, Molly?"
I shrugged. "Link said he could help me access this connection I have to her. I guess that's a good place to start."
"I agree. That's a good starting point. Please keep me updated on what happens."
"Right, will do," Ryan said. He put his hand on my shoulder. "We'll let you get back to your monitoring, Atom."
Atom nodded. "Goodbye."
We left HQ and Ryan drove back to our apartment building. So the visit wasn't so bad.
Ryan put down his window. "Hey, Jim, how are you?" Ryan said.
"Just fine, thanks." Jim looked over at me and then back to Ryan. "Have a visitor with you today?"
Ryan nodded. "Yeah, this is Molly. Molly, Jim. She might be coming here more often."
I waved to Jim. Jim adjusted his hat. "New recruit?"
"Yeah, we'll see."
"Okay." Jim patted the top of the car. "Head in then. I think just the doc's inside."
"Thanks." Ryan rolled up his window and drove into toward the complex.
"Does Jim know you're a superhero?" I asked Ryan after we stepped out of the car.
"Oh yeah, he knows about the Super Seven."
"You have an ordinary man guarding superhero headquarters."
Ryan laughed. "Well, he's a human lie detector, so that's helpful." I followed him into the building. "Besides, if anything bad happens, he sounds the alarm and we show up."
I expected the Super Seven's Headquarters to be more...extravagant? Maybe that's not the right word. But I don't know, fancier. It looked like a regular office building lobby. (I'm going to call the place HQ from now on. Easier to write.)
Jim the ordinary security guard. Inside, Ellen the ordinary secretary. She had dark hair with a few strands of gray. Short and round, but not fat. She looked up and smiled at Ryan. "Nice to see you, Ryan."
"Hi Ellen." We walked up to the desk. Ryan nodded toward me. "This is Molly Waters. Um, she was here a few weeks ago after the Next Gen Energy incident."
Ellen looked at me and nodded. "Oh, right. Are you having complications from the accident, dear?"
"Oh, no, I'm fine. We're here on--"
"We have a lead on 8th Wonder," Ryan finished. "Is Atom busy right now?"
Ellen shook her head. "Just routine monitoring."
Ryan nodded. "Great thanks, Ellen."
We walked to the back of the lobby and went in the elevator. Still ordinary office building. Ryan hit the 4 button.
The elevators doors opened on the fourth floor and everything was gleaming blue. Computer screens covered the walls. There was a large desk in the room at the end of the hallway and a bank of screens beyond it. Doctor Atom was sitting at the desk and looking up at the screens. He jotted down a few notes.
He turned around as we walked down the hall. "Hi, Ryan." Doctor Atom saw me and stopped speaking.
Ryan waved his hand. "It's okay. Molly knows I'm Streak."
"Ah." Doctor Atom stood up as we approached his desk. "It's nice to see you again, Molly. Though I have to say, I'm surprised." He looked at Ryan.
"We've got a lead on 8th Wonder. It seems to be some type of energy force that possesses Molly."
Atom sat down in his chair.
I cleared my throat. "Last night Ryan was keeping watch and he saw 8th Wonder take over me. We flew up near King's Lake and put out a fire."
"You remember it?" Atom asked.
"No, Ryan told me what happened. I sort of black out."
Atom turned and typed on the keyboard. The screens blinked and showed different video footage.
"I asked Link to visit my place this morning," Ryan continued. "He found a psychic connection in Molly's mind. 8th Wonder must have put it there."
Atom nodded. He pointed to the screens. "These are all security footage of incidents where 8th Wonder was involved. But we never get it on screen. He turned to me. "What do you want to do about 8th Wonder, Molly?"
I shrugged. "Link said he could help me access this connection I have to her. I guess that's a good place to start."
"I agree. That's a good starting point. Please keep me updated on what happens."
"Right, will do," Ryan said. He put his hand on my shoulder. "We'll let you get back to your monitoring, Atom."
Atom nodded. "Goodbye."
We left HQ and Ryan drove back to our apartment building. So the visit wasn't so bad.
244
Sometimes she stared through the computer screen. The images bent and blurred. She saw them and didn't see them.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)