Author's webpage: http://members.tripod.com/luxshine/
15 and 16 of September are Mxico's independence day... And as I was watching the ceremony, two things came to my mind. One: The T.V. Schedule was messed up, and listed that at the same time of the ceremony was Due South in other channel (No, I didn't change the channel, my father would have killed me if I checked it)Two: The ceremony was far more casual than last time... And there were ambassadors from almost every part of the world waiting in the Palacio Nacional... And after some thoughts, this is what I came up with.
It will be part of a series, but next installment won't be ready until November 2. Hope you all like it.
Notes at the end.
Disclaimer: This has been written with just the enjoyment of fans in mind. No infringement intendend, the characters are not mine.
Dedicated to Gaby Maya (Who once again helped me with the ending) and to every mexican who might be lurking out there or is away from the country
Rating: Humor, PG, M/M premise...
Oh, and two drunk mounties at one point...
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Mexican Nights I
Tequila Sundown
By: Adalisa Zrate
"Oh, no, Benny... No way, no how..."
"Ray, please... I always help you with your work, it's only sensible that you help me in this predicament."
"Don't start with that! You're the one who drags me into your crazy schemes, not the other way around... And this... This is your craziest idea so far!!*
The Italian detective sat in the small kitchen, doing his best not to look at his friend or at the attire he was carrying. Especially not at the attire. Because, against all logic, Benton Fraser, incredible lover and Mountie was presenting him with a black charro suit. With white garments, black silk tie... Complete with a hat whose size made the Stetson look like a baseball cap. And he succeeded in ignoring the Mountie for exactly five minutes, before raising his hands over his head in resignation.
"Just stop looking at me, O.K, Benny... I'll do it!" Ray sighed inwardly, he was helpless against the 'Mountie Look'.
At exactly 8:00 p.m., four male figures where standing in front of the Mexican Consulate. All of them where wearing black charro suits, boots, hats and all, and one of them carried a guitar.
"Once again, what are we doing here?" Asked Stan Kowalsky, as he fidgeted with his hat's cord.
"Well, Stan... It's very simple really" Answered Benton Fraser, just making sure that his tie was straight. "The Canadian Consulate and the Mexican Consulate are in very good terms; so, to celebrate Mexico's 189th anniversary of their independence, and the Inspector thought that a Mariachi would be appropiate. Unfortunately, there aren't many Mariachis in Chicago, so she ordered me and Turnbull to come instead... I asked Ray to help me... "
"O.K., O.K.... let me ask it in other way... What am I doing here?"
"Four singers are better than three for the Mexican's songs. That way we'll have a lead voice and three supporters." Trunbull answered fast, although his real reason to ask Stan's help was merely to see the other cop in the black attire.
Ray had been surprisingly quiet through all of this, as he checked the suit one last time. Even when he could do it without the hat, he had to admit that it was a very fine suit, silk and all... He had to be very careful and not let Fraser ruin it. "Well, "Caballeros", let the show begin."
Surprisingly enough, the show went fine. After an awkward introduction, and some words in Spanish that Fraser and Trunbull refused to translate, the quartet had the stage (Which had been occupied by real Mariachis who agreed happily to help them with the music). They sang the three songs in Spanish they really knew: Cielito Lindo (Although both Ray and Stan mixed up one stanza), Guadalajara (Even when in one point Turnbull pronounced it Guardalajarra) and La Negra (Without any trouble) and where received with an outstanding ovation... And consequently invited to stay for the rest of the ceremony.
Maybe they shouldn't have... But that would have been too rude, so they stayed to hear the Grito.
The Mexican Consul came out, followed by an escort of Cadets, who carried the three colored flag, and stood in front of a three colored cord, which was attached to a bell. He made it sound a few times, before turning to the guests, smiling.
"Compaeros" he yelled "VIVA MXICO! , VIVA LA INDEPENDENCIA! VIVA HIDALGO! VIVA MORELOS! VIVAN LOS HERES QUE NOS DIERON PATRIA! VIVA MXICO! VIVA MXICO! VIVA MXICO!"
For each viva, the whole consulate answered in kind, and the four friends found themselves yelling with the crowd... For all of them was a weird change from the more solemn ceremonies that Fraser or Trunbull dragged them to.
And maybe it was because of that reason that none of them registered when the first Tequila's glass came to their hands.
"Mxico Lindo y Querido!
Si muero lejos de ti
Que digan qu estoy dormido...
Y qu me traigan aqu!"
Fraser was standing over one table, his hands on one of the lead Mariachi's shoulder, the other on Trunbull's, singing aloud in Spanish for the very amused audience, among whom was Ray Vecchio and Stan Kowalsky, each with a Tequila's glass in their hands. It was 2:00 a.m. and the party didn't seem to be over. They had eaten real tacos, real mole, and drank more Tequila than anyone not accustomed to it should, but by some miraculous reason, they were still standing, although their hats would have fallen long ago if they hadn't been attached to cords that keep them on their backs.
As the song ended, the three singers came down, and the Mariachi drank another glass, serving all of his American (And Canadian) friends a new round.
"You know what a true Mariachi does after he sings a serenade?" He asked, watching the four drink their glasses and shake their heads. "He gives a rose to his lady, and a kiss of love to his heart desire." He finished, as he finished yet another glass. "That's what a true Mexicano does after singing". And promptly, he grabbed one of the girls dressed like a China Poblana, and kissed her, receiving a heartily slap and a choir of laughter.
Fraser seemed to consider something, and then, without any consideration, grabbed Ray and kissed him passionately, at the surprised eyes of everybody. Ray was amazed that his lover was that forward, or that exhibitionist, but in that particular moment, he couldn't care less. He put his own arms around the Mountie and answered the kiss.
Stan had his mouth open in surprise. He had heard the rumors, but never really believed them... Fraser and Vecchio were a couple... That, or he was too inebriated with Tequila and was having hallucinations. And suddenly, a couple of hands grabbed his face, and he found himself being kissed by another inebriated Mountie. At the warmth of Turnbull's lips over his, he decided that it couldn't be an hallucination... there was no way his mind could come up with the feelings he was having in that particular moment. So after a slight hesitation, he pulled the Mountie closer to himself, and continued the kiss.
And all around them, cheers erupted. After all, the Tequila had been around for 5 hours.
At 4:00 in the morning, the four 'charros' were walking on the streets, laughing while they tried to find their way home.
"I just can't believe you did that!" Stan scowled Trunbull, as he nuzzled his neck. "How could you ask that before dinner?"
"Cua cocome qui qui?" Turnbull kissed him, and both were laughing again.
"I believe the correct form for that was "Cuando se come aqu?", When do we eat" inferred Fraser, who even drunk could come with right answer.
"It was a joke, Benny! " Ray added, laughing too "Didn't you ever read 'Lucky Luke?'... Anyway... How do we finish the celebration now?"
Turnbull smiled, turned to see his party friends and put the hat back in his head.
"VAMOS A LLEVARLE SERENATA A LA DRAGONA!" He screamed at the top of his head.
"Well, shoot me!" Laughed Stan " He knows Spanish!... What did he say?"
"He... said... Let's give a serenade to the... Dragon Lady..." Fraser managed to translate, before losing himself in a fit of giggles again.
"Yo se bien que estoy afuera,
Pero el da que yo me muera,
Se que tenrdrs que llorar
Llorar y Llorar,
Llorar y Llorar"
Margaret Thatcher woke up.
The sound outside of her window seemed to qualify as singing, but she
wasn't very sure of it.
"Diras que no me quisiste,
Pero vas a estar muy triste,
Y asi te vas a quedar
Llorar y Llorar, Llorar y Llorar"
At the second stanza, she recognized the language as Spanish, and turned around to try and return to sleep. Obviously, that drunk singer had mistook the window.
"Con dinero y sin dinero
Yo hago siempre lo que quiero
Y mi palabra es la ley"
"C'mon Dragon Lady! We know you're there!!"
The yell make Thatcher get up from the bed, as she recognized both voice and nickname, as Ray Vecchio's. She closed her eyes, then opened it again.
"I must be dreaming..." She said to herself. And ignored the singing for two whole stanzas... Until the volume increased.
"Con dinero y sin dinero
Yo hago siempre lo que quiero
Y mi palabra es la ley"
More than a little afraid, she looked out the window, to be greeted by the sigh of Benton Fraser, currently attired as a charro, being the lead singer, while Turnbull, Vecchio and Kowalski sang the choir... Dressed in similar suits, and all of them inebriated.
"Guard duty isn't enough punishment" She thought, as she put a coat over her nightgown and left her apartment. They would know her mean side now.
"No tengo trono ni reino,
Ni nadie que me comprenda
Pero sigo siendo el Rey"
"Gentlemen..." Thatcher couldn't finish, as the four men presented her with a rose, and, after she took them, startled, they kissed each other: Vecchio and Fraser, Turnbull and Stan. Then, before she could say anything else, they walked away, leaving a very, very confused inspector behind.
"She looked surprised." Giggled Fraser
"She looked pissed." Answered Turnbull, trying to maintain a serious
face. "You two guys are going to be on guard duty forever..." laughed
Stan... "She'll have to start some other day. " Finished Ray, as he took
off the jacket and flung it to his shoulder. "Tomorrow is 16th and the
party must go on! VIVA MEXICO!"
"VIVA MEXICO" Answered the three friends, and continued walking towards the sunrise.
FIN
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Notes:
Adalisa
Visita la pgina de Due South en Espaol:
Http://www.geocities.com/TelevisionCity/Stage/1260
e-mail: marioz@spin.com.mx