Our Man in Antigua

‘meaning that i didn’t feel like staying out…it was such a nice day out, that i decided to leave it out, all day….no bites, not even a nibble. Reilly’s slammed, noise at ear piercing level #4, Cashbar dusting off their rope/chain and getting ready for Thursday night in the sky with purple lights on the wall..Hector, tete a tete with Catherine D and a table of two, wierd guy by himself in the outer zone, with earbuds…channeling  Goofy or the Disney Channel…El Muro? John seems to have taken the night off, max holding down the fort…one thing about that joint, the previous owner Ximena being a lawyer, she’s said to have taken care to have ALL of the appropriate licenses…given the state of fear regarding the latest municipal threats to crush businesses that cater to tourists, they might escape the long arm(better than the short arm) of the law….a point heard earlier, source unnamed…the threat of a ten o’clock closure will or might hit hostels…the ever packed Black Cat on 6th Ave Sur? hmm..Monica’s Jungle Party? she’s already been down this path and has a locked gate…ding a ling? nobody here, except us quiet folks, outa sight, outa mind..Tiara, the aging golden retreiver could either make them trip  coming in or lick ’em to death…Quesos y Vinos? i walked thru, been a while…the owner and i nod to each other…its a great place that keeps on keepin’ on…i’d forgot how authentic it feels…and they’re jammed most of the time. Rumor of the Night…a certain old time small restaurant on 4th N…a few blocks from me, has panicked about the ‘no liquor’ threat and hidden their booze..special request stuff…’i’ll have the #6 special, meaning scotch on the rocks..” and I shudda walked up the street to Zaika, if only to reassure them that someone still cares(and i do)..El Pescadore Italiano, jammed at 7ish…Marcel and the bad-ass blue Chevelle, the only  hot rod in town…the car, the car…good news re Carla…no need for surgery per 2nd opinion, thanks to Henrik…whew…a close call…Chez Christophe with two tables, Tartines a ghost town, Alex Bell’s new joint on 4th calle undergoing tenant improvements(night workers doing things with cinder blocks and cement) Mono Loco being their loco self,  jamming…if the new laws take place, will that apply to the church functions? how ’bout those fucking mortars at midnight? no more boom boom? THAT i’d vote for…more than once,  my rest has been punctuated by some idiots f iring off pyrotechnics ..yeah, I can be a GOM…grumpy old man. Don’t get me wrong…i love the smell of gunpowder, except when its on my shirt and i’m smokin’..what the hell does it signify? the wedding’s conclusion? the bride’s excitement or the groom’s…fill in the blanks for me…I’m still semi-impressed with monterico…easy enough to find flor de cana in the markets..why can’t that happen here?..is this a nicaraguan/ortega plot to ..fill in any blanks you can think of…god knows i’ve got more than my share.