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All the way from Brazil.
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MR MONK MEETS THE REDEEMER

CH4

Heathrow Airport, 10.30AM

"Ok, Gilbert. I see…look, I need some time here to discuss it, and I will get back to you in one minute, ok? And please, hand Monk some wipes, you know, those humid tissues we use for babies…yeah, lensush umidahsseedush…yeah, sounds right. Uh, and he also needs a bottle of Summit Creek water, do you have it there? Really? Great! That should calm him down a bit… and tell him I will get back to you soon. Ok."

Leland hung up the phone, took a deep breath, and looked at Natalie, who was sipping some water that Randy had brought her.

"Here´s the thing," started Leland. "They are having a huge concert in Rio de Janeiro, a Rolling Stones Concert, at the beach tomorrow night and they are expecting around one point five million people there."

"Wow. Rolling Stones?? At the Beach? In Rio? Wow……lucky Monk!" exclaimed Randy, and noticing the furious looks he received from Leland and Natalie, he quickly tried not to show it. "Well, not lucky lucky, you now…it's just a…never mind, Monk will never pay to see it."

"Actually it is a free concert, Randy. But I really believe Monk has some other important issues to deal right now, don't you think?"

"Oh... it's free?" He held a smile on his face for some seconds then as he realized what Leland said after that, he went "Oh…yes, yes, sorry. Never mind."

Randy drank his Pepsi to avoid further inappropriate comments. He was wandering if he would ever get that lucky, to be in Rio and see the Rolling Stones Concert at the beach for free.

"So, Natalie, we cannot get Monk out of there. Gilbert said that the airlines have had to reduce the flights flying out of Rio, to focus on bringing people in there. They can put Monk on a plane tomorrow night, but I don't think he will be able to handle being there alone that long. So, I am afraid the only solution is for you to get there as soon as you can."

"WOW!" Randy couldn't help himself again. "One point five million people, in a free concert...Uh, err, Captain, but you saw Monk was pretty upset with Natalie, and…"

"AND according to this Gilbert guy, it is around 10 hours from London to Rio. If you leave on the next plane, Natalie, you'll be there tonight." said Leland, cutting Randy off.

"Poor Mr. Monk…How will he make it - out there alone all this time. How…"

"Well…I am not fond of this plan either, Natalie. But Gilbert said he knows an interpreter that can take care of Monk. She is related to the owner of a big hotel there, the Copacabana something, and she can check him in there for a day or two. Anyway, I believe it is the best solution. Actually it is the only solution, Natalie."

"Oh…ok, let's do it," said Natalie.

Leland stood up, and patted Randy's shoulder. "Hey, Randy, we still have the Convention, and we still have a chance to meet your girlfriend, don't we?" said Leland, optimistically, while walking toward the ticket counter.

Back in Rio de Janeiro, Gilbert was observing Monk sipping two bottles of his favorite brand of water in a row, after he had desperately wiped his hands for around 5 minutes. After a brief moment of introspection, visibly refueled, Monk looked at Gilbert and started a conversation.

"Uh…Hello, hi, Mr...?"

"Gilbert, please, just call me Gilbert."

"Ok, Gilbert. I heard you were talking with Leland, and there is something about not having air tickets or…"

"Yes, Mr. Monk. We are having a problem here in Rio because we are going to have a huge rock concert at the beach, so the city is totally focused on welcoming people, not bidding farewell to them…I am sorry, but you will have to spend the night here, maybe even more than just one night."

Monk groaned and rolled his eyes. "Uhmm… by here you mean here at this office? I can't…no, I… I… Oh, God, I can't…"

"No, no, Mr. Monk." replied Gilbert. "I mean you have to stay in this city. You know, we do have nice hotels here, with proper rooms, and clean linens...We even have Summit Creek, you noticed, right? And we do have roads, cars, houses, buildings…it's not a jungle out there, Mr. Monk. Brazil is not a jungle at all." finished Gilbert, sarcastically.

"Oohhh… every "out there" is a jungle, Gilbert. Believe me… I wish I was wrong… but I'm not!" Whimpered Monk.

A young woman entered Gilbert's office just at the moment Mr. Monk finished his sentence. She was around 5.4' tall, straight brown mid-length hair; she was wearing sunglasses on the top of her head; she had a short sleeved white shirt with the tail pulled out of her black trousers, and the outfit was completed with black leather sandals.

Her green eyes met Gilbert's one, as he promptly stood up. They kissed, and Gilbert proceeded to introduce her.

"Mr. Monk, this is Bianca, my fiancée, and she will take you to the Hotel. By the way, you're going to stay at Copacabana Palace. Her father owns it."

"Nice meeting you, sir," Bianca offered her hand to Monk.

Monk shook her hand, and immediately wiped it.

"Bianca, Mr. Monk has some problems with germs and other things, if I got it right from your friend," Gilbert looked to Monk for confirmation. Monk nodded.

"And I do believe you're in good hands, Mr. Monk. Your assistant will be here by nightfall, so until that time you're under Bianca's care." Gilbert finished, winking at Bianca.

The telephone rang. It was Leland, giving travel information to Gilbert. Both Bianca and Gilbert were at the phone, gathering the details and talking to Monk. Gilbert hung up, knowing Natalie would arrive in Rio that same night, considering the time gap, at 9pm approximately. And until then, Bianca would be taking care of Monk.

They excused themselves from Monk. Gilbert explained to his fiancée what Leland had told him about Monk's issues, politely in Portuguese to avoid any uncomfortable situation. Monk stood by the window, buttoning his jacket and looking outside the office. Bianca kissed Gilbert goodbye, and nicely asked Monk to follow her.

As soon as Gilbert was sure they were gone, he headed to the phone.

"Hi, it's Gilbert. Yes, it took me quite some time to get back to you, but I am pretty sure you will enjoy the news, sir. You won't believe it, but I guarantee that he is here, in Rio."

"Who's here? Be more specific, Gilbert!" demanded the hoarse voice on the other end.

"Monk, sir. I just let my fiancée take him to the hotel."

"Are you making fun of me?" bursted the voice.

"No, sir, I wouldn't dare! But it gets better! Guess on which hotel he's staying at?"

"You got to be kidding me, kid! Don't say it's Copacabana Palace!"

"So I guess I don't have to say anything else, right, sir?"

They both laughed.

Author´s note:

A friend wrote the top rhymes, to which I humble add:

...and the hardest job at all

editing this story

it´s from Kathy, my U.S. pen-pal

to her all the glory!