Date: Mon, 01 Oct 2001 14:41:37
From: lyle benton <ben_sc@hotmail.com>
Subject: Berto's Roses- Part XII Beginnings

     I've been getting lots of nice messages about the series. Thanks guys.
I appreciate your feedback. Here is the next part for you. Let me know what
you think. ben_sc@hotmail.com.

Berto's Roses

By Ben

Part XII

The buzzing woke me up and I looked at the clock. It indicated that the
time was 5:30. "What the hell?" I muttered. It took me several disoriented
moments to realize that what was making all the God- awful noise was not
the clock, but the phone. Strange, I didn't remember leaving a wake up call
request.  Then I finally got coherent enough to remember that this was the
Navy Lodge and they didn't do that anyway.

My second attempt to find the phone was successful and I mumbled,
"hullo...?"  A vaguely familiar voice with an accent said, "Ben?"
"Uh-huh. Who's this?" I asked sleepily.  "I am Jose Ramerez. It suddenly
came to me that Bob had given me a message from somebody by that name the
night before.

"Oh, yeah. I got a message from you from my friend. What can I do for you,
Mr. Ramerez?"

"I must apologize for the early call but my associate, Senor Chavez, was
very interested that I contact you before you left San Diego."

"Senor Chavez? Enrique Chavez? Ricky?" I asked. This must have been the
same Jose who was Ricky's lover." Did he really refer to Ricky as his
"associate"?

"Si, the very one. He is most desirous of you joining us San Augustin as it
is on the way to your destination in Santa Rosalia.  Your friend, Senor
Connely, indicated that he would be away for several days and Enrique
thought you might enjoy some hospitality and perhaps some sight-seeing
while you wait for him to return."

I thought about this and said, "Jose, how do you feel about this? I don't
want to cause any problems between you and Ricky."

"Oh, no, Ben. Please accept my apology for my behavior. Sometimes I forget
about Enrique's needs and become jealous. I know his feelings for me and I
am glad you helped to make him happy."

I was completely blown away. Not only did Jose know that I had made love
with his lover, but he was practically thanking me for doing so. "Uh, yeah,
me too. Listen, Jose, I appreciate the invitation. I think I am going to go
on down to Santa Rosalia. I need to make arrangements for shipping some of
my personal items and also need to find a permanent place to live. Also,
it's been a very long journey for me and I would like to rest up a
bit. Please tell Ricky that I will be in touch with him soon, though and
that I look forward to seeing you both very soon."

Is there nothing I can do to persuade you, Ben? Enrique will be
disappointed."

"I'm afraid not, Jose. Tell him I will make it worth the wait when I see
him next." I said with a smile in my voice. Jose caught this and
laughed. He told me to call soon and we hung up. I took a long hot shower
and dressed. I put my things in my already overloaded car, hit local
restaurant for their breakfast bar and was soon at the border.




I had gotten a physical the week before and the doctor gave me all the
shots he thought I might need for the area that I was traveling to. He gave
me information concerning which ones would need to be repeated and when. My
passport was shiny and new and all was in order.

It seems it is easier to go from the United States to Mexico than it is the
other way around. The Mexican border officials were polite and
friendly. With minimal delay, I was heading south toward Santa Rosalia. I
had less problems than I imagined I would reading the road signs.  I passed
the route going to San Augustin and my dick got a little fuller remembering
my morning with Ricky, and thinking about a repeat performance.

Bob had written me with detailed instructions and a simplified map to his
place. He had told me it was a large house facing the Gulf of
California. He gave really good directions and I had no trouble finding it
at all. It was big, and it had an adobe wall around which was about seven
feet tall. A gate was open and I drove my car into the courtyard in the
front (back?) of the house.

>From what I could see from here, the house was two stories with what
appeared to be additional room sticking up above the flat roof. A covered
porch surrounded the three sides of the house that were visible to
me. There were old ceiling fans stirring the air slowly in intervals of ten
feet or so all along the porch.

The windows were tall-almost floor to ceiling and were open. There were no
screens and one could easily step into any of the rooms along the back of
the house.  Gentle breeze was blowing in off the water and the smell of the
salt water was wonderful.  Because there was no door on this side of the
house, I walked around the side of the porch. There I saw a open double
door and I heard music playing softly from what I assumed to be a radio
playing a local station.

"Hello?" I said as I knocked softly.  There was no response. I knocked
louder. "Hola..." Then I saw a Mexican woman who appeared to be about four
and a half feet tall, and very nearly that wide. I had never seen anybody
that was more spherical.  She waddled toward the door.  "Can I help you,
Senor?"

"Um, yeah. I am a friend of Bob Connely, my name is Ben..."

"Ayeee! Senor Ben, Senor Ben!  Si, Si, Senor Roberto told me you would be
coming today.  Please, please, come in. You must be hungry and thirsty
after so long a trip. Let me get you something to eat and drink. Come, sit,
rest yourself Senor. "

She was smiling from ear to ear and jiggling all over. Her stout little
legs were working a mile a minute as she waddled about, setting plates,
bowls, and silverware on a small table by an open window in what was a vary
large room, furnished as a living room. The far wall was split down the
middle by an enormous fireplace, easily tall, wide and deep enough to roast
a whole hog.

On either side of the fireplace were large windows which overlooked a very
long gardens leading down to the beach. I looked out as I sat at the table
(I was not about to tell this grinning ball of a woman that I didn't want
anything to eat or drink) and I was mesmerized with color.

Every where I looked I saw roses, seemingly millions of roses in rich
vibrant, almost neon colors.  Others were pale pinks and yellow. The most
beautiful were of the purest white. I have always loved white roses. The
sea breeze blue in across the rose garden and the smell was incredible.

I could see that the adobe walls ran the length of the property down to the
beach and made a great backdrop for this rainbow of roses. Planted at even
intervals along the walls were palm trees gracefully swaying with the
breeze. The water of the Gulf was a deep blue as it reflected the cloudless
sky and the light surf moved against the white sand beach. I had never seen
a lovelier place.

The round woman returned with a tray almost as big around as she was, laden
with food. There were several varieties of topical fruits, a stack of warm
tortillas, three different kinds of cheese, a small earthenware pot of what
appeared to be refried beans, another filled with salsa and a small cast
iron frying pan which contained grilled chicken and beef with onions and
chilis.

>From the pocket of her apron, she produced a large chilled bottle of
water, which she opened and poured into a tall glass for me.  My eyes must
have been bugging out at the quantity of food. She asked me if something
was wrong. "Oh, no! There is just so much food. Will you please join
me...Manuella, isn't it?"  Her smile split her face again.

"Si, Senior Ben, I am Manuella, I work for Senor Roberto since he came to
live here many years ago when Berto was just a little nino." And I take
good care of him too, Senor. I cook for him, and keep his casa clean. I
shop for him at the market and Berto tends to Senor Roberto's truck and to
the garden."

I laughed at her enthusiasm and the suddenly serious look on her round
face.  "I'm sure he wants for nothing, Manuella. Who is Berto?" Her smile
returned. Even bigger and brighter. "Berto is my son, Senor. He goes to
school and will go to the University next year." Having said this she threw
her haed back and put a chubby hand on either side of here mouth and fairly
bellowed, "Bertoooooo!  Bertooooo!"

I heard soft footsteps rapidly coming through the open house. I looked in
the direction from which they came and saw a young man, a boy really,
carrying a huge bunch of white roses in his dirt covered hands. He was
barefoot and wore no shirt. He had on white cotton trousers that hung on
his hips.  He had a mop of curly black hair and the biggest, darkest black
eyes I had ever seen.  His small ears stuck out from his head slightly, but
this made his angelic face seem even more beautiful.

"Si, Mama?" He was looking inquisitively at mother. Then he saw me, lowered
the flowers, and stared in my direction. This was my first and most
enduring look at Berto.  He stood head and shoulders taller than his
mother. Although his hands were dirty, he appeared to be clean in every
other way. His golden brown skin almost glowed with health and vitality.

"Senor Ben, this is my son, Berto. Berto say hello to Senor Ben. He is a
good friend to Senor Roberto."  "Buenos Dias, Senor Ben." He said in a
clear, non-intimidated voice. H looked straight into my eyes and smiled. I
could se his mother's wide grin on his face. His smile was filled with
beautiful even white teeth and he had deep set dimples in his cheeks.

"Hello, Berto. I'm happy to meet you. Your mother and I were about to have
something to eat.  Would you like to join us?" He looked at his mother to
see if it was okay with her. "Go and put the roses in some water and wash
your hands, Berto." He turned to go and she called some instructions to him
in Spanish. "Si, Mama."

Manuella brought a third chair to the table and somehow managed to squeeze
her bulk into it as she waited for her son to return. When he did a short
time later, his hair was brushed and he had put on a coral colored shirt
that was starched and pressed to perfection.  He carried additional plates
and a long necked bottle of Corona. He placed the beer in front of his
mother and the plated on the table. He then stood looking expectantly at
me.

"Please sit down and eat with us, Berto." He moved to the empty chair and
between his mother and myself and said "Gracias, Senor." Manuella took
charge of the plates and filled them to overflowing with food for
everybody. She set a heaping plate in front of me and said, "Enjoy, Senor."
She then served Berto and, lastly herself. They waited, looking expectantly
at me and I finally realized that they were waiting for me to begin eating
before they would begin.

I picked up a warm tortilla and filled it with beans, cheese onions and
some chicken. I rolled it up and took a large bite. It was delicious! "Oh,
this is wonderful, Manuella."  Only then did she and Berto begin eating. I
was an amazing sight. They both ate ravenously, though with grace.

I was soon full and sat back to sip my water. Manuella and Berto continued
and soon all of the food was consumed. I could well see how Manuella
maintained her figure, and I knew it was late adolescence and physical
activity that helped Berto maintain his wiry physique. When the food was
gone.  Berto got up without being told and retrieved the tray. He and his
mother loaded the contents of the table onto it and Berto took it from the
room.

"That was a fine meal, Manuella, and Berto is a fine boy."  Manuella beamed
and smiled her widest. "Gracious, Senor Ben. He is my joy and pride. I will
miss him much when he goes to university, but Senor Roberto tells me he is
very smart and will be a successful man someday. "

"I am certain of it." I assured her. Manuella got down from her
chair. While seated her fat little feet did not reach the floor. She
ushered me down a wide central hallway to a large comfortable room which
held a queen-sized bed with what appeared to be handmade head and foot
boards. There was a long mirrored dresser to match and a side table.

The comforter on the bed was of embroidered ivory cotton muslin as were the
curtains billowing at the two floor to ceiling windows. A bight gold and
brown rug adorned the bare wood floor, which gleamed and reflected the
sunshine streaming through the windows. There was an ancient wooden rocker
in the space between the side table and one of the open window. Next to the
lamp on the table and on the dresser were vases of colorful rose-from the
garden I presumed.

"You may sleep here, if you like, Senor Ben."  I assured her it was
perfectly fine. "I need to bring my things in from the car, Manuella."
Again she bellowed, "Bertooo!" and he instantly appeared. "Help Senor Ben
bring his belongings in from his car." She moved to one of the two heavy
wooden doors on the wall opposite the windows. She opened it and stepped
inside what looked like a dressing room. There was a long, curtain-covered
closet down one side and a sink with a counter on the other at far end was
shorter wall, behind which she showed me a toilet and a big clawfoot tub.

I walked back out front and unlocked my car.  Berto immediately started
carrying in my worldly possessions. I made several trips myself and soon we
had everything stored in my room. I thanked Berto and he nodded at me and
smiled. His mother dismissed him and told me, in no uncertain terms, that
it was time for siesta and I was to lie down and take a nap.

It seemed that I had no choice and I was pretty tired from all the
traveling, anyway. I cleaned myself up and changed into a light T-shirt and
some running shorts. I lay on the bed and breathed in the smell of the
clean sheets, the sea breeze and all of those roses. This did indeed feel
like home.


Let me apologized for the lack of sex in this chapter. It's coming, I
promise. This part of the story just takes a lot of set-up. Besides, I have
finally revealed Berto to you. MUCH more to come my faithful readers.
Don't leave me and don't for get to write. ben_sc@hotmail Others stories I
have posted on Nifty can be found under the Authors link. Look for Lyle
Benton.