Polín Tapia, born Apolinar. He is the Notary Public mentioned by the florist Bill Ochoa. Tapia is a Belken County Court House fixture. Part of the plumbing, as the raza says. Never out of politics, even in off-election years; the listener has been told for years that Noddy Perkins keeps Tapia on some payroll or other. And, as always in those cases, on a short leash. Of course.
Tapia holds himself responsible for Ira Escobar’s initial and subsequent elections to the County Commissioner’s post (now the gerrymandered Precinct 3), and he also holds himself to blame (though he most certainly shouldn’t) for not having Ira in Washington lined up at the federal trough as the Valley’s Congressman.
The listener finds Polín entertaining, interesting, even. Biased people usually are an interesting species. And, as most egotists, entertaining, although not for long.
Let me begin by stating in the strongest terms possible that Becky Escobar committed a grave error in divorcing Ira. Her inability to see the man’s qualities, in my way of thinking, denotes a lack of foresight, a lack of judgment, and a marked inability in the most important realm there is, the ability to read people. To think that after some eleven years of marriage she didn’t acquire, couldn’t focus on the type of person Ira was and is, is to set her off apart. Yes, that says it all for Becky Escobar, or rather, Malacara now … This last really tears it for me; beyond belief, is how I put it.
Yes. Incredible, inconceivable that that girl who appeared to have everything going for her, that she lost her head, stumbled, and then only to fall into Jehu’s arms and hands.
No. It’s witchery of some kind. A thing of magic dust and powder to blind that poor girl somehow.
Yes. It’s easy for one to believe that, easier still to accept such a supposition. I’m not saying Jehu is a warlock or something like that, but there’s something there. I don’t know what though. An intrigue of some sort. Something sinister; got to be.
It must be that, otherwise, how can you or I or anyone explain why she left Ira? Hmph … Ira Escobar is a model, a prototype. No, no, no, no! Becky lost her head; a moment of transitory madness, no two ways about it. I can’t find any other reasonable explanation.
And for what, I ask you? So she could then go live with Jehu Malacara? I mean, really now … I certainly thought her to be a sensible girl … I thought of her as someone serious, yes. Jehu Malacara! Well, as for me, I rise at six every morning, and as soon as my feet hit the floor, I ask myself how is it that God hasn’t found out about that guy. Because that’s what Jehu Malacara is, a guy.
And then, to see, year after year, how Noddy Perkins puts up with him at the Bank ….Oh, no, there’s got to be something there. Got to be some big, fat, thick mystery. Worse than that for all I know. What I fail to see is that so-called talent of his. Where is it? I’m open-minded, and if someone can prove it to me that Jehu has a spark of talent, then I’ll be a convert too. But I’ve yet to see it, no matter how many people say he has it.
What talent, Dearest Lord? Which one? Where? How? No, no. It’s a myth, a mystery. Talent? I’d gladly hand over all the riches of the Orient if I could ever see his so-called talent.
Talent? I’ll give you talent: Ira, he’s the one. Upstanding young man, good family background, educated, proper, efficient. Someone who has served this County precinct in his political duties and obligations.
I taught him what I know about politics, but I soon saw that he wasn’t merely a good learner; Ira Escobar could be a teacher of it in some college. And I tell him so, repeatedly: “Ira, you are one of the chosen. To be a commissioner in the County Commissioner’s Court, in Belken County, is not just anything. No sir.”
If one, quite objectively now, compares Belken with Dellis County, we’ll use Dellis as an example, then there’s no comparison. And there he is, Ira Escobar, governing the important business of the County. Belken, as St. Paul would say, is no mean city. We are talking here of one of the most important counties in the whole of South Texas. Yes, without a doubt.
All right. Fine. What can you tell me about Becky? Hmph. There she is. Sweeping the Escobar name as if through a dirt floor in the poorest farm. And worse, oh yes. Dragging and hauling the kids wherever she goes … Really, now. She takes them here, she takes them there. I ask you, seriously: What kind of a mother is that?
Can Jehu Malacara pass out advice? No, no, no. I’m telling you: the world is breaking up, coming unraveled. There’s no structure anymore. That’s right. The divorce is but one hint among many of what’s happening in the world today …
What more can one say, right? Now, one would suppose that Sammie Jo could well help Becky, to guide her, let’s say. And maybe she did, and maybe she was turned away, right? And seeing how the world is nowadays, and Becky’s perverse state of mind, why, anything is possible.
In a pragmatic way, let us say, I don’t believe the divorce has hurt Ira. The elections are looming in the very near future, almost like that hurricane out in the Gulf right now. Looming. Threatening … Where was I? Ira, yes. Well, Ira remains faithful to his political ideals, and I’ve just devised—paraphrased—a new slogan for him, and you should hear Ira, in that natural, loose, but controlled way of his when he speaks to his Spanish-speaking constituency: “Effective voting, down with corruption!”
How’s that, eh? From my own pen and ink, and with echoes of the heroes of the Mexican Revolution.
But life is long, not short, and carries with it its consequences. True enough, and you hold on to that. That girl will meet a sad, unhappy ending, although I certainly wish her nothing mean or evil, and I want that to be shouted from the top of Our Lady of Mercy or even downtown, from the third floor of the Klail First National. I wish Becky only the best …
But a bad ending is inevitable, and it’s sad because I admire some of her qualities. But I’m a realist, and one has to be a realist. All you have to do is see what company she keeps: Viola and Jehu. And then what does she do? She resigns from her duties in important women’s clubs. Klail Society. That can’t possibly lead to any good for anyone. Just wait and see.
And, I should very much wish to point out that Ira won’t lose any ground because of those resignations two years ago. The divorce wasn’t his idea; everyone knows that, takes it into account. So, as a result, Ira came out unharmed, let’s say … it was Becky’s disaster, not his.
In personal matters, that is an entirely different subject … let it also be said that I am Courtesy Itself in all my dealings with Becky. I harbor no rancor. You like the phrase? My behavior is that which the Tapias have always maintained: rectitude, honesty, and loyalty to all institutions. As for Becky, I give her all of my counsel and advice. To date, I’ve no evidence she has ever followed anything I’ve ever said. But one does what one can. Yessir. One fulfills one’s duties and obligations. Do we understand ourselves here?
That she chooses to follow her own counsel and advice, as poor or harmful as they may subsequently prove to be, that, unfortunate as it may be, is not an immediate concern of mine. But if it were, if … it were, I would be the first to offer my services and my advice as to how she should proceed.
But no, this won’t come to pass. It’s impossible for me to help her as long as she lives with Jehu. And married, some say.
Well, say what they may, say whatever it is they wish to say, how can anyone believe such a union is marriage?
She’ll learn, poor Becky. She’ll learn of his eccentricities, his inconstancy. Yes, she’ll see Jehu Malacara for what he is.
In a word, there is no comparison between Ira and Jehu. None. No sir.
What Becky does have, unquestionably, unhesitatingly, and close at hand, at any time, is the unconditional, disinterested friendship of one Apolinar Tapia.
Yessir.
The eye of the storm, no, no, Apolinar Tapia is not the eye of the storm …, rather, the real eye of the storm, in the words of Julia Ortegón’s brother, the weatherman, is “calm, but the area outside the eye is packing winds of 125 miles an hour.” The weatherman also reports that tornadoes are to be expected when the hurricane hits land. This last, however, is not known where or when it will occur.