by Keith Keller

It was the third night since Tanya had been arrested and William had still not seen her. Now he was told at his daily meeting with her lawyers that he would see her sometime that night. His briefings with her lawyers took place at a café down the street from the Licenciado's office. In addition to Licenciado Ruíz there were two other lawyers, one a woman, and the Licenciado's father who was along out of curiosity and would sometimes translate for the sake of clarity when Licenciado Ruíz' speech impediment would kick into high gear. He had run by William and Dimitri a condensed version of how the Mexican legal system worked. Briefly, according to Señor Ruíz Sr., the prosecutor submits a written opinion explaining why the accused is guilty and the defense does likewise as to why the defendant is innocent. The judge can make a decision on the spot or he can ask, in writing, for clarifications. Señor Ruíz Sr. paused and took a few breaths and a sip of his espresso. Then he dropped a bomb:

"The decision will be made tomorrow."

This news took William by complete surprise; Tanya had only been in jail four nights. He had kept his head down, doing what was called for, a step at a time, not thinking of the future, and waiting. There had been a lot of waiting. It took a few moments for this news to settle in. William asked when they would know the decision.

"Right away," Señor Ruíz Sr. told William.

The Señor, noting the skepticism on William's face, went on. "My son's office as you know is across and up the street from the Federal Building . That is where these decisions are made and pronounced to a clerk. My son has an arrangement with the building superintendent. The superintendent will be stationed on a balcony that stretches the length of the building alongside the judge's office window. We shall know the very second the decision is made. The signal will be thumbs up or thumbs down."

"I think that signal in poor taste," Dimitri said, breaking his usual silence.

"You have a point," said the senior Ruíz shrugging his shoulders, "but it is too late now."

* * * *

It was ten thirty in the evening when Licenciado Ruíz sent word to William and Dimitri at the café that they could see Tanya for the first time. They were directed to the men's prison where a guard escorted them to the woman's prison entrance next door. They were left alone to wait in a small dimly lit courtyard. In the corners of the courtyard were planted small trees and cactuses surrounded by low walls. William and Dimitri sat on one of these walls and waited. Fifteen minutes had passed when a young man dressed in neat white slacks and a t-shirt appeared with Tanya. Her hands were handcuffed in front of her. The young man carefully removed the handcuffs and saying nothing removed himself to the other side of the courtyard. Dimitri and William moved so that Tanya could sit between them. No one hugged or kissed.

Dimitri asked her if she was alright. She said that she was. He asked her what the prison conditions were like; what did she need? She said we should thank Jason for his notes. Jason had told her how to order Pizza and she had ordered enough for everyone in her area. She said there were coffee cans with beautiful geraniums growing from them on all the window ledges of the prison and that the view was magnificent. In the large communal cell where she was held, ropes were strung everywhere, hanging brightly colored blankets that divided the large room into many smaller rooms.

Her first day in the prison was a family day. The Mexican prison system allows for two conjugal visits per week. Children were everywhere, running around playing while woman cooked on brazier fires.

"One of the women offered me her bed, a mattress on the floor covered by one blanket. I convinced her we should share the bed and she accepted. In the morning we all line up at nine. They call your name, you say you are there. That's it, for the rest of the day. After that you can just do whatever you want."

She spoke in an enthusiastic manner as though describing a wonderful holiday in Italy . She paused, and then went on.

"I was sitting on my bed, our bed, thinking; 'Today is my daughter's seventeenth birthday and I have missed her party, but no one can get angry with me, I'm in jail."

Tanya stopped talking again, this time for a few minutes. William and Dimitri sat in uncomfortable and somewhat dumbfounded silence. Then she turned to Dimitri and asked him: "Have you ever read The Story of O?"

Dimitri responded to the question using sign language, moving his hands, mouth, knitted brow, and eyebrows to convey the message that he had maybe once read a passage or two, no, no, he had not, but knew of the book, and considered it trash. William said he had read the dirty parts. Tanya went on.

"I made an appointment to see the Warden about the toilet-bucket situation. I was taken to the Warden's office in handcuffs. In the reception area all the seats were occupied. I had to stand handcuffed while all these people; children, mothers, and relatives of prisoners, stared at me. It was not at all uncomfortable. I just had to wait for someone to tell me what to do. It's an odd feeling; relaxing. Is it true my Lawyer does not speak English, and has a speech defect?"

William told her it was true. Then he said, "You know, that part about no one being able to be mad at you? If I were you, if and when you get home, I would pretend you had a bad time."

"Oh, you'll get me out," she said with a small smile.

William and Dimitri left the prison without telling her that tomorrow they would all know if that was true.

* * * *

Today was the day. William was a nervous wreck. On the one hand it was not his fault Tanya was stupid enough to carry around eight joints planned for a party that she never went to. Then to forget they were there and go visit someone in a federal penitentiary in Mexico was over the top in the realm of forgetfulness. But all of this aside, William knew Tanya would not be in jail if he had not asked her to deliver the books. He wished with all his heart, with all his being, for her to go free today. It was enough almost to drive him to prayer.

William had not yet called Robert. Now he dialed his number and told him that Tanya would either be free today or spending the next eleven years in prison. He felt fear in Robert's voice and promised to call him as soon as he knew the verdict.

"Thumbs up or thumbs down," William thought. He picked up his bag and hat and went downstairs to Mesones to look for a taxi to the bus station. He was on his own today. Tanya, ever the organizer, had insisted Dimitri go back to Mexico City for a meeting with a film distributor she had arranged for Monday.

When William reached Licenciado Ruíz's office he was already stationed in his doorway looking in the direction of a guy standing on a balcony with a bucket of water and a window squeegee. William shook the Licenciado's hand.

"Homo etat," said the Licenciado, taking his eyes off the custodian for only a moment.

"Bien. ¿Como esta usted?" William responded.

They made small talk for a while. The Licenciado told William that the papers documenting Tanya's achievements as a news cinematographer and film producer were very helpful and might influence the judge's decision. William had begun to pace and the Licenciado told him to take a walk around the Jardin. He would find him if there was news.

William made several turns around the Jardin de la Union , each time stopping at the corner to look up the street and check on the Licenciado's vigil. At last he grew weary of the cheerful crowds and music of the Cervantino and went into Bar Luna for a beer. He had just paid his cuenta when a couple of tourists came in and sat at the next table.

"So what do you suppose was the deal with that guy leaping around in the street?"

"Just crazy I guess."

"Dressed pretty nice for crazy."

William jumped from his seat and ran out the door to the corner. The Licenciado was shuffling, skipping, and sidestepping, his hips moving to a rhythm of victory only he could hear. William joined him in a few shuffle steps, and then they shook hands and hugged, doing some serious backslapping. The Licenciado told William that Tanya would need to sign a few papers and then she would be officially released and would appear in the doorway below where the custodian was washing the Judge's windows. He asked William to tell Tanya he would see her the next day. Then he grabbed his briefcase and left.

Twenty minutes later Tanya appeared as promised, still handcuffed.

"They said I had to have the handcuffs on until my feet hit the street," explained Tanya as the same young man in white pants and t-shirt removed her cuffs.

"How are we getting back to San Miguel?" asked Tanya.

"Bus", answered William.

"Paco has a truck and will drive us to San Miguel for five hundred pesos," said Tanya.

William reached out and shook Paco's hand. "Done," he said.

"Hecho," said Paco.

When they got to Paco's truck Tanya climbed in the front and William got in the back. As William rolled down his window Tanya turned and looked at him, then said, as if only now reviewing the events leading to her incarceration, "It must have been the Prozac." Then she snuggled down into her seat and soon fell asleep with her head on Paco's shoulder.