A Plague 1492
The Plague du jour
My media diet is the literary equivalent of vegan.The background to this is that I am as far as possible from being a political junkie, which reduces greatly the prospect of my having ever become a news junkie. My saintly mother, early in my youth, pronounced, with an amused hauteur, all politicians thieves and sixty years of my own experience watching the breed has turned up nothing to confute her sensible pronouncement. With the exception only of Daniel Patrick Moynihan, whom I knew slightly, there has not been a single member of either body of the United States Congress during the past half century whose company I should want even for the duration of a cup of coffee. Joseph Epstein " What I Read " The Atlantic
“Even as we face an unprecedented public health crisis, our first responders, city workers and street outreach partners from across Chicago are coming together in an all-hands-on-deck effort to keep residents safe this weekend and throughout the summer,” Mayor Lori Lightfoot said. “While I encourage all residents to celebrate the holiday, it remains imperative that we do so by staying inside and social distancing so we can continue to save lives and keep our fellow neighbors safe and healthy.” NBC Five
Recap of parts I-IV
Wesley Dioneo is the only son of Chicagoland real estate tycoon, Martin Dioneo and his society maven wife Allyson. Martin Dioneo caught the COVID-19 virus from his Laplander personal trainer and is on a ventilator in Chicago's Northwestern Medical Center. Allyson is holed up in the couple's massive east Lake Shore Drive apartment building a score of yards from the iconic Drake Hotel.
Allyson has sent Wesley Dioneo to the family get-away home at Stop 30 lake Shore Drive in Long Beach, Indiana. Wesley is a senior at St. Ignatius College Prep and had been since the school shut down on March 16, 2020. Ally immediately sent Wesley to Long Beach, where he can be safe.
Wesley invites over his pals and trusted companions, the Nardo Bothers and Habib( Declan & Brian) and Habib Samer for a few days of social distancing, Super Smash Brothers and Pater Dioneo's Czech beer cellar. The quartet do what young men do - eat, play and spirit up the atmosphere with verbal assaults upon cant and cowardice. They tire of Super Smash Brothers, if that does not stretch the imagination, wit and Wesley proposes a story telling contest with the prize of his high-end kayak going to the person declared the winner.
Into this subjective yarn tossing arena will arrive six LaPorte County lovelies: Addison Pawliak, Paisley Ewan, Aaliyah Justice, Genesis Mullen, Kennedy Lynch, and Amy Kinsley Briddlestone. Wesley decided to allow Declan Nardo the opportunity to tell his tale about beating Chicago Bulls 1993 Title winning Myrmidon John Paxson at a game of horse, when the aging NBA star visited La Lumiere's Marsch Gym, a few years after that school own the national high school basketball title
Enter the Ladies of LaPorte County
Addison Pawliak, Paisley Ewan, Aaliyah Justice, Genesis Mullen, Kennedy Lynch, and Amy Kinsley Briddlestone arrived at the Stop # 30 address of Wesley Dioneo at different times and by different modes of transportation.
Amy Kinsley Briddlestone was dropped off from a 2019 Lexus by her older sister who was going to Meijer's on Franklin, after coming home from Ball State, when the Corona-19 shut down all places of higher learning in Indiana. " Thank God, you are staying at Wesley's for a day or two, or there would be no sushi for anyone. Mom bought a shit-ton of California Rolls, Crispy Crab and Crunchy Shrimp and I get home - nothing."
Amy was non-plused, but should have been plused as she had in fact hogged down six trays of cold fishy goodness, while binge watching Peaky Blinders on Netflix, " Mom had some too, Miss Bitch."
Mom had twoof the fishy treats and the fetching Miss Amy gulped down the remaining six tasty sorta- sushi treats. They were cheaper than Hokkaido'son Franklin Street and adequate to the needs of cold fish consuming American women.
Amy Kinsley Briddlestone was a powerful self-advocate and no stranger to the loneliness of getting everything that she wanted immediately. She wanted Wesley Dioneo, but the swashbuckling young man had set his cap for an ideal young woman that he would not meet for many years to come. Amy Briddlestone was what young women of the current generation refer to as a Homey Hopper. A Homey Hopper is usually a male who would cozy up to a lovely young lady in order to have his wicked ways with her much more attractive best friend forever.
Predator Amy had shamelessly led -on Habib Samer and Habib could have cared less, as the fetching Amy K. Briddlestome was his . . .for a while. Habib will remain madly loved the tawny-haired, ambitious and sexy young siren. He wouldonly get over Amy Briddleston sometime in late 2020s, while serving his medical residency at Indiana University Medical Center and would capture the heart of Romanian blood technician.
Kennedy Lynch and Paisely Ewan were co-captains of the Marquette Volleyball team and lived in Long Beach. Paisley's Mom and Dad were partners with Winston & Strawn in Chicago and decided to practice in Illinois, but live a very pleasant and full life in Indiana. Ewan family of five were immersed in all aspects of Long Beach. Paisley was the oldest child and doted on her younger brother and sister - both five years her junior. Buck was in 8th grade. Hannah was in third grade there and still grieved that Mr. Lynch was no longer her Principal.
Kennedy Lynch had a very hard time when he father was accused of sexual harassment by a young woman teacher who could not accurately tell her class what city was the capital of Michigan, " It is Detroit. The most important city. Anyway we live in Indiana and its capital is South Bend. Our next President is South Bend's mayor!"
Kennedy knew that her father was a sweet, caring and affectionate gentleman and well-respected by everyone who knew him. However, these are strange time. A young woman can accuse any man of any misdeed and not need to back up her claim; especially in the Catholic Diocese of Gary, where the leadership avoids unpleasantries and possible public obloquy at the expense of truth. The new bishop's motto should be Vitare super omnia quaestio Above all Things Avoid The Question. Ken Lynch signed a non disclosure agreement and a contract to run a Catholic school in the Diocese of Kalamazoo, Michigan. Kennedy was sad to witness her father's heartbreak, which he patched up with hard work and a cheerful demeanor. The accusing teacher received a payment from the Diocese of Gary and was promoted to assistant principal.
Kennedy was a lovely redhead with a fierce sense of justice and an athlete's determination. Kennedy and Brian Nardo were "dates."
Addison Pawliak was prettier than Amy, less athletic than Kennedy, but a better student than Paisley and could dance and sing better than both Genesis Mullen and Aiyliah Justice, Addison rode her bicycle from her ranch house in Queen of All Saints parish on Woodland Avenue. Addison worked as a car-hop for Carlson's Drive-In on Coolspring. Addy was excited to begin work there again, but the virus pushed every elected official in America to shut the door on normality and order shelter in place universal. Even Indiana erred on the side of panic. She does her schoolwork on a computer and helps her Mom around the house. Getting out for a stay-over is just what she needed and Mom was only too glad, because she and her husband loved and respected young Wesley and his circle of friends. Mom id not care much for Amy K., but Addy loved her even though she treated people like ATM cards. Some people do.
Addison's Dad worked in Burns Harbor at the steel works, as had his father and his father's father. He made good money and Addison's mother Rita was a stay-at-home Mom in world of have it all feminists. Addison wanted to be a Michigan City cop. She was accepted at Purdue Northwest for the 2020-2021 academic year. Addison was madly in love with Declan Nardo. Addison had recently led three other Marquette Students to Chicago's Daley Center, as President of the school's Right to Life Society.
Cousins Genesis Mullen and Aaliyah Justice were grandchildren of the Reverend Titus Justice,STD of the Pines AME Church on Route 12 on northwest corner of Michigan City. Genesis and
Aaliyah were seniors at Marquette High School and regular speakers for the Rotary and the Junior Chamber of Commerce. Both girls played softball and participated in every musical and dance feature the high school provided. They were activists and members of the Michigan City Junior Police Commission that helped local African American youth groups find common ground through sports and arts programs. Blue Chip Casino recognized both young ladies as urban achievers and offered both post-secondary scholarships to Purdue Lafayette where both ladies would attend in the fall of 2020. Their grandfather, who served on the Michigan City Police Commission and served as the voice of the soul to the African American Community profited little from his ministry, because he gave away most of his salary to needy families and sent each of his children and grandchildren to Catholic schools for the discipline that he established at the family dinner table.
The girls were best friend of Amy Biddlestone and shared her admiration fo Wesley Dioneo. They arrived at Casa Dioneo with a bags loaded with Jimmy Johns Submarines.
The level of noise increased and Wesley commanded everyone's attention with his proposed Tale Telling Tournament. " Everyone tells a story, but me. Here are the Rules
1. The story must amuse
2. The story must teach a lesson
3. The story must reveal the character of the person telling that story
4. The story must be something to bring people together
5. The story must acknowledge our own mortality
I will determine which story best fulfills each of the five points, amuse, teach, offer a revelation, build community, admit to Life's brevity."
Declan asked for a do over. It was agreed that Declan would re-tell the story of how he bested John Paxson in a game of horse.
Part VI - Declan's Game of Horse and Amy Tells the Story of James Bond's Bastard Son
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