Miracle of the pueblo - W from why?

Sitting at his desk the alcalde looked troubled, however annoyed, into his glass of wine.

'What a terrible day,' he growled.

He still couldn't believe he had arrested Santa Claus. This man had to be lunatic. Worse the citizens most have been complete out of their minds. What were they thinking? Señorita Escalante, outspoken, but maybe emotional, spirited, but normally very rational to follow in her emotional outbursts. Somehow her cause to free señor Jones was plausible. But don Alejandro … he seemed to have been living under this Christmas spell too. And then there was don Diego, the bookworm, daydreaming perhaps, but even he isn't fooled when it comes to mysteries. He always solved them in the past or was able to explain them to the people. And now he was persistent, getting under his skin.

Dios, he really believed in his cause. Almost getting himself to believe he had Santa in his jail. He was glad he didn't almost loose his sanity. The man himself seems to care less about being held prison. If the man really was Santa, in his shoes he doubted he would sit there patiently waiting for his release when there was undoubtedly so much to do. Nay this man had to be a commoner. But still…

Why would those prominent and outspoken Angelinos get the man out? He wasn't going to hang him. It was just for a few hours and he just wanted to let the people know he still had authority in the pueblo. One should not cross his path on the wrong day. Having a deer on Christmas menu would probably be welcomed by the citizens. But no all his plans had fallen apart. So Señor Jones should not have come that far offroad in the woods. He had no business there. Even Zorro didn't come in that part.

'Why would I free the prisoner?' DeSoto questioned out loud.

'Si, why alcalde, can't you for once look into your heart and do what is right?' Diego patiently returned the question.

'I already explained, don Diego,' DeSoto tried to keep his head cool while facing the taller man in front of him with a disdain look in the eyes.

'I know you did.' With satisfaction DeSoto noticed reading the other man he had the upperhand.

'You are right that you had to keep to the rules. It is just that it the day before Christmas at time for family to be together and I only ask to not have the Jones being separated.'

'Don Diego, please,' DeSoto stood up from his chair taking his glass of wine with him. 'Next week you'll plead your cause with the argument that it is the last day of the year and that family and friends should be together at the year's end, because you'll never know it might be the last day we all have.'

The younger man looked indigent at the official. Instead of arguing he only said, 'I just want to you remind you how lonely it is to have to celebrate it alone or with strangers. What is so difficult to see that?'

DeSoto sighed deeply, because he knew he had to say the right things as he had experienced he should never underestimate don Diego. Sometimes the man can act like a fool, but stupid is not how one would describe the young don.

'Don Diego, I know you don't agree me having prisoned him. So far we agree. I just am not going to release him, but I can promise you I won't hang the man or put him in front of a firing squat. And maybe the man would find it a good thing being away from his wife a few moments. I am sure you are able to put out some families in town who would agree with me.'

'Why is it even a problem to you to allow me to bail him out.'

'Don Diego, you must understand that I cannot free people with just a talk on a special day like Christmas Day. What would happen then?'

'Why is this be such a problem, alcalde?' Don Diego questioned back.

'Come on, don Diego,' DeSoto wasn't sure he should laugh or get angry the question, 'the people must know the authority cannot be bribed.'

'Maybe I shouldn't ask why it feels or rather seemed it had happened in the past.' Diego softly shared his thoughts, but quickly continued with a stronger voice, 'why is it always Zorro who has to solve things for the people and stand up for the unfortunate.'

'Zorro is an outlaw don Diego,' DeSoto stated. 'Why do I have to tell you that over and over again?'

Silence filled the room. While both men watched out the window. Señora Jones was walking on the porched to and fro until Victoria entered her porch. After a short interaction while the women glanced into the direction of the office the tavern owner finally took the women inside.

'Don Diego, it could have been worse. Either he or her could have stand in the way and be shot. Fighting for life or even death, for all I care.'

'Why do you say that?' The pose of the man in dressed in a blue caballero suit with too much of white ruffles changed.

Not falling into the trap of becoming weak and tell the other man he would have felt terribly guilty if he indeed had shot one of the Jones. Instead he quietly said that it didn't matter and walked over to his uninvited visitor. As he took the man by the arm to walk him out of his office, he concluded, 'I can't help you any further don Diego. Go back to your … well whatever you need to go to or need to do. I have an office to run and other business to do.'

Don Diego was about to retort something, but he beat him to it, 'if you really want to do some charity, make sure señora Jones isn't alone. And tell her I will keep señor Jones some company and have my soldiers take good care after him.'

He watched the younger man cross the plaza to the tavern, shaking his head slowly. When he had entered the building he returned to his desk again to pick up his paperwork.

It was already dark when DeSoto woke up feeling wet. He looked up and noticed a dark stain on his desk covering a large part of his paperwork. Cursing under his breath he searched for the candles and tinderbox. 'I must have fallen asleep,' he whispered to himself. His mind continued where it had left off before he fell asleep. All interruptions Mendoza, señorita Escalante and the De la Vega's had caused had worn him out. Not to mention Zorro showing up and interrupting his speech to his men. Nobody seemed to have a taste for good poetry.

He still couldn't understand how it had happened and who was responsible, but señor Jones had escaped. He should have gone after him, but he had felt too tired. Getting back to his office to reflect with a glass of wine.

Finally having found everything to light his office his mood was like the Californian winter night. 'All this work for nothing.'

Holding up the report of señor Jones to the light showed only red and black faded stains on the former off white sheet. With disdain he looked at the papers still lying on the desk, also showing parts of leaked ink in the run through red liquid. 'Merry Christmas,' he said sarcastically to nobody in particular as he got conscious of a heavy hangover getting worse by the minute.

At the same time around a dinner table five friends were raising their classes, 'Cheers to Plan 'W'!'

'I am just all too happy we didn't need to put that plan W into action,' don Diego confessed, 'I am sure it failed before even trying as I wasn't even able to change his mind before we came up will all our plans. Asking the alcalde all sort of questions concerning señor Jones's arrest might even have made things worse.'

'That would be bad,' Mendoza spoke sadly imagining what could have happened to those sweet Joneses.

'You might be right, Diego,' his father agreed and raised his glass to show his appreciation to the plan.

'Still,' Victoria sounded disagreeing and faced her friend with shiny, naughty eyes, 'I am sure you would have found a way. Sometimes I feel you can be as cunning as Zorro.'

Diego had a foolish look in his eyes before taking a sip of his juice and turned to Felipe, who tried to hide his amusement.

The younger man quickly signed something to change the subject.

'You are right,' Diego translated, 'Lets cheer to plan X!'

Mendoza raised his glass, silently hoping the alcalde's mood wouldn't be too bad the next morning as his superior didn't gave him permission to have an evening off as he was sound asleep when Mendoza entered the office late in the afternoon.

The End

~Z~

Merry, Merry Christmas to you all. Finally time and inspiration found. I hope you enjoyed this little story.