The Boys, The Almond Tree, and The Hooker: A Tropical Christmas Story- Part 3

As it turned out, the boys did not get a chance to peep on the so-called "hooker" that Saturday night. Toti had been grounded for some school mischief, and since the boys had no access to the almond tree in his backyard, the plans were scrapped.

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If would like to read the previous chapters, you can do so here: 1 and 2.

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"Christmas eve is close anyway, so she's going to be busier than usual," Toti said a few days later. He pumped his hips for emphasis, drawing laughter from the other boys. "We'll try on Friday night."

To Rolando and his buddies, these were words of calculated wisdom. Being the eldest of the little gang, Toti had an air of authority in regards to women. He even had a girlfriend- Karla, the minister's daughter. In all things related to the fair sex, Toti was the expert. So if he's assessment of the hooker's behaviors indicated that she would perform on Friday night then Friday night it was.

To make up for not showing up the previous Saturday, Toti invited the boys to watch him make out with Karla. She lived in the house beside Martin's, so the boys could hide in Martin's backyard and watch from there.

After dinner, in the cover of darkness, Toti led the boys near some thick bushes in Martin's backyard. He told them to hide there and warned them not to make any noise. He then left to meet Karla.

Rolando, Manko, and Martin peeped through leaves with grins on their faces.

"There they are!" Manko whispered when he spotted Toti and Karla.

"Shhh!"

They saw the pair walk through the shadows of the large paradise tree that grew there. Karla stood against the wall and put her arms around Toti. He buried his face in her hair and kissed her neck. She rubbed her cheek on his hair and pressed her lips on his head.

Manko giggled.

"Shh! Quiet, dumbass!" hissed Martin.

The pair continued petting and kissing each other, barely visible in the shadows of the paradise tree.

Manko giggled again and covered his mouth with his hand.

Karla stopped kissing Toti and said something. Toti looked around. They exchanged a few brief words and then left.

"What the hell's wrong with you?" Rolando told Manko.

"I couldn't help it," said the other boy shrugging.

"This son of a bitch doesn't know when to shut up," Martin said.

"Did you see him put her hand up her skirt?" said Manko trying to change the conversation.

"Liar! It was too dark," said Rolando. "Why did you have to giggle like a little bitch?"

"I couldn't help it."

To get over the disappointing turn of events, the boys went out to the corner to chuck firecrackers onto the street. When Toti showed up, he berated Manko for being a dumbass.

"She heard you. The she got nervous and didn't want to stay."

"Okay, I said I was sorry."

"Maybe you shouldn't come on Friday," Toti told him.

"Oh come on," said Manko. "It won't happen again."

He pleaded and pleaded until finally Toti said to him, "I'll let you come if you give me that pack."

Manko gladly handed over the firecrackers.

Toti loosened them, lit them up with a cigarette and chucked them on the street. Some kid from a nearby shanty town stopped to watch. As soon as a firecracker failed to explode, the kid would run towards it and stamp out the fuse. He would then inspect it and put it in his front pockets.

Rolando and the others didn't say anything, but simply kept chucking firecrackers.

Bulging in his front pockets, the firecrackers began to explode one by one. When the first firecracker went off, the kid froze. Then bang! Another one. He hopped back, looking helplessly at the boys. Bang! He hopped back then stood still. Bang! Bang! Bang! He hopped and hopped until he was near the opposite corner.

When the explosions stopped, the kid came up to them with a grin on his face and showed the rips in his pants. They looked like they had been shredded with scissors. The kid then left with a foolish smile on his face.

Rolando laughed hard, but later he also felt sorry for the poor kid.