Hunger Street Part II

By Oscar Pallotta

Market Street is a busy two-way boulevard with a narrow island crossing downtown Houston. The last section of Market Street is a dead-end. People know this dead-end section of Market Street as Hunger Street because it brimmed with food trucks and carts serving a wide range of treats. Later, several Hunger Streets were developed into beautiful landmarks with restaurants using the street as terraces like the outdoor cafes in Paris. With several locations around the country, Hunger Street serves as the background for the struggling characters in their quest to wake up from life illusions and gain awareness of the true nature of things. Life is about giving up attachments, grudges, fears, cravings, and desires. Life is painful and pain is useful.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Oscar Pallotta
• Release date: May 28, 2024
• ISBN: 9798227373038

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HUNGER STREET

Part II

OSCAR PALLOTTA

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Copyrighted material

Copyright © 2024 by Oscar Pallotta

All rights reserved

All material in this book belongs to the author solely. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the author.

Disclaimer

The material contained in this book is not intended as medical advice, the author of this book does not prescribe the use of any technique as a form of treatment for physical or emotional problems. All the material in this book is for your information only.

Illustrated by Maria Figueroa and Veruska Brito

Table of Content

HUNGER STREET

BUD’S SPUDS

FRANCISCO EL CURRO CORTES

FRANK VALENTE FBI AGENT

MARISSA, YOU ARE NOT A VICTIM

NICOLE THE ENTREPRENEUR

CAM THE SPIRITUAL SEEKER

CHIARA GOES TO MIAMI

NICOLE THE BOSS

THE UNIVERSAL CONSCIOUSNESS

Hunger Street

Market Street is a busy two-way boulevard with a narrow island crossing downtown Houston. The last section of Market Street is 18 yards wide by 55 yards long dead-end with no island, paved street, and concrete sidewalks. The Street ends with a sharp turnaround. People know this dead-end section of Market Street as Hunger Street because it brims with food trucks and carts serving a wide range of treats, such as a taco truck, a sandwich cart, a French fries cart, a gyros truck, a tapas truck, and many more.

Ralph leased this section from the City of Houston for 10 years, renewable if he kept the street clean, organized, and commercially active. He also managed to obtain an exceptional permit to barricade the Hunger Street entrance with five removable barriers or bollards to prevent vehicles’ access. So, while Ralph looked for investors, he rented small spaces to park the food trucks, trailers, and carts while providing cleaning, security, and illumination to the renters. Most trucks came late in the morning and left when business slowed down while trailers and carts stayed more or less permanently.

Ralph owned the narrow vacant lots on each side of Hunger Street. He hid the lots with hoarding painted into bright and colorful murals by local artists. Ralph dreamed of developing the vacant lots into restaurants and using the Street as terraces like the outdoor cafes in Paris, but so far he could not raise enough capital for his project. He was a charismatic and creative wannabe developer without proper funding.

HVC, a real estate investment company from New York City got interested in Ralph’s project in Houston and bought him out. HVC developed Hunger Street Houston and was about to add two more locations one in New Orleans and one in NYC. Then, HVC spun off HungerStreet, Inc. to focus on finishing New Orleans and NYC and developing two more projects one in New Jersey and another, perhaps, in Miami. To complete the project, they would add five locations in California. HungerStreet, Inc. would manage all Hunger Streets.

Mr. Belcher, an HVC compassionate executive, sharp, grounded, and well-respected by allies and competitors, became the first HungerStreet, Inc. CEO.

Chiara, Mr. Belcher’s pupil and protégé, was a rising star in the new company. She was beautiful and smart and at the threshold of a spiritual awakening.

Bud’s Spuds

I received an interesting phone call from a Mr. Patel, said Mr. Belcher, He would like to install one Newsstand kiosk at each end of NYC’s HungerStreet to sell magazines, books, cigarettes, cigars, candies, souvenirs, and a few newspapers, Mr. Belcher paused, waiting for Chiara to react, those kiosks may enhance the Street, we need to sell the idea to the shareholders, handle this yourself.

Okay.

This Mr. Patel is a smart guy, being inside the Street exonerates him from many city regulations. I wonder if the City will free the kiosks from the $10 price cap on items they can sell. A kiosk may increase traffic. My first impression is positive, but let’s wait for your recommendations.

I’ll set up a meeting at the Street and get back to you in a couple of days.

I asked Carol to direct these types of calls to you.

*

Two days later, Chiara was at Mr. Belcher’s office to report on Mr. Patel’s kiosks. Mr. Patel would like to sell earbuds, chargers, pens, maps, tourist guides, sunglasses, disposable phones, crispies, cigarettes, and lotto tickets, and he is interested in New Jersey too.

No food or drinks, right? asked Mr. Belcher while reading Chiara’s report.

Right, just candies and crispies.

What do you think?

I like it enough to take it to the shareholders.

Good, we’ll own the kiosks and rent them out to Patel in New York City and New Jersey, and let’s reward him with the first right of refusal for the other locations if he is not interested in Houston and New Orleans, we’ll do it ourselves. I see synergy with these kiosks.

*

Rufino was Houston’s acting General Manager, and Nicole, a new hire, was in Houston in training. She was being groomed to manage New Orleans.

Bud and Yolanda Brantley, the owners of PotatoFactory, went to Rufino’s office to talk about Mac & Cheese. Rufino was very accessible and cordial, but he was the Street policy enforcer and the rules were not negotiable. The Brantleys were not employees; they were tenants and restaurant owners, however, HungerStreet was not just a landlord and the concept was sometimes difficult to assimilate. As a business owner, it was easy for Bud to forget the Street’s core values, so Rufino had to be alert to reinforce them. Why did Bud prepare below-standard dishes? Because he could, or so he thought.

Help me, what do I do? asked Bud, taking a humble stance.

Pasta, butter, flour, cheese, and milk, replied Rufino. He wasn’t buying Bud’s humility. 

That’s it? asked Yolanda, no cream?

No cream. This way, you can put it in the fridge for days before serving, replied Rufino.

Yolanda looked at Bud. Okay, we’ll talk to Chef Tony and let you know when we are ready. They left Rufino’s office in silence.

Are the Brantleys in trouble? asked Nicole.

I think so. They cannot make ends meet.

What do you do in this case?

Report to Mr. Belcher and keep an eye on them.

*

The next day, Rufino asked Nicole to come with him. They went to the PotatoFactory, the Brantleys’ restaurant. Bud, you know better. HungerStreet offers quality light cuisine, not fast food.

But, it’s complicated. I need to coat the macaroni with butter so I don’t overcook them when put in the oven, it’s time-consuming.

No, no, Bud, the quick mix is not acceptable. Besides, you can put the Mac & Cheese in the fridge for days and bake it when ready to serve.

Now, you are an expert in food preparation, complained Bud.

Yolanda snuck behind Bud. A few months ago, you were driving around Texas and Louisiana, pulling a trailer and selling baked potatoes. Now, you are a chef and a business executive.

With dropped shoulders, Bud turned around and exclaimed, Ah! Bud bashing hour, I see.

You are focusing on short-term gains and it won’t lead to success. I need to approve your Mac & Cheese before you can sell it again and if you continue to see HungerStreet Inc. as a landlord, you will continue to run into trouble, said Rufino, leaving Bud and Yolanda to settle the Mac & Cheese issue. Then Rufino turned around, Bud, as per the lease, you cannot use margarine or MSG, right?

Right, replied Bud.

Yolanda looked at Bud and asked, What is that all about?

I don’t know.

*

Rufino shared with Nicole a concern about Derrick’s pizzeria and asked her to handle it.

Is he nice? asked Nicole.

He is very professional.

Nicole invited Derrick to a meeting, but she didn’t give any hint about the meeting agenda, leaving Derrick clueless. Usually, Rufino would drop by the pizzeria when he had something to discuss with him, but not Nicole.

Derrick, please have a seat.

You got me worried about this mysterious meeting.

It may be nothing, but you need to be aware of it. The delivery crew has had a few complaints from your customers. They say that the delivered pizzas are smaller and have fewer toppings than the pizzas bought at the pizzeria.

You don’t say.

What do you want to do? This incident affects the reputation of the Street too.

Can you provide the exact date and time of the delivery for the smaller pizzas?

Yes, I do, said Nicole, handing a piece of paper to Derrick.

I guess that during this shift, the crew saves the missing dough and toppings to make pizzas for themselves, and the shrinkage goes undetected because they are stealing from the customers, and not from me.

Nicole raised her sculpted eyebrows.

Let me check the surveillance videos and I let you know. These dates and times are very helpful. Thank you, Nicole.

Derrick watched the videos and he couldn’t see anything out of order. The workers were not cheating, and everything looked normal. He wished he could have a different angle, for example, from the top of the preparation table, so he placed a spy camera on the ceiling to see the making of the pizzas from the top.

He installed the spy camera at night when the pizzeria was closed. Derrick went to talk to Nicole, There is no shrinkage in the pizzeria, I concluded we have a quality control problem so I am drawing circles on the preparation table thus the workers will make the pizzas as intended also, I am placing exact portions of toppings in small containers so every pizza is identical. I hope this measure will solve the inconsistency problem.

*

Cam, Chiara’s best friend from Houston, was on the phone. Chiara, I need a break in my life. I need to get away from Houston and the States.

Wow! What’s gotten into you?

I am thinking about teaching English to kids in France part-time and the rest of the time studying toward a master’s degree in education. I can ask for administrative leave to pursue a research-study program so I can keep my pay and benefits intact.

Like a sabbatical?

Yes, I need to present a program to my principal and get approved.

Do you speak French?

Not really, but I can start the program in English and transition to French as I become proficient, then I can teach French to kids when I come back.

Does this sabbatical have something to do with George?

Yes, replied Cam, saddened. 

Saudade.

What?

A word from my stepfather, saudade is a Portuguese word that describes a mood of intense longing for someone or something absent or unattainable.

I like that word.

Would you like to spend time with me in New York?

I’d love that, Jumped Cam to Chiara’s offer.

For the first time in her life, or it feels like, Chiara was going to give.

Don’t mess this up, Chiara, said Chiara

When can you come?

This weekend?

Okay.

Chiara started planning for Cam’s visit. It would be fun to spend time with Cam. The phone rang, and Chiara expected to hear Cam’s voice, Hi Cam!

Uh, this is Nicole.

Hi, Nicole!

I am scheduled for training in NYC.

When?

Starting next Wednesday.

Okay, I will clear my agenda so we can spend time together.

Thank you, Chiara. I am looking forward to it.

Chiara called Cam to let her know about Nicole. It was all set with Cam. Nicole didn’t need advanced notice about Cam.

Cam arrived in NYC on Sunday. Chiara was excited to see Cam. They talked non-stop from the airport to Chiara’s one-bedroom apartment.

Chiara showed Cam a very comfortable couch. Will you be okay here? asked Chiara.

Yes, I will. I feel good. I needed to leave Houston.

They were sipping tea and Cam asked, Are you making good money?

Not really. New York City is expensive and HungerSreet’s cash flow comes from Houston alone. Besides, I have been in training most of the time.

Well, you are an employee. Your salary doesn’t depend on the company’s cash flow.

But it does. I’ll do well as HungerStreet does well.

What-if they fire you when things look up so they don’t have to pay you?

No, my boss would never do that. I believe he can hardly wait to pay us more.

Chiara didn’t talk much; she was waiting for Cam to lead the conversation. Cam started, George is a great guy. I love him. He is a wonderful date, but I want more and he can’t give me more than a fun time. He lives with a lingering feeling of failure and that’s a heavy weight to carry.

Chiara didn’t say anything. She didn’t want to go there, but Cam did. This persistent sense of dissatisfaction focusing on mistakes and missed opportunities may be clogging George’s chakras and I don’t want to get involved.

Darn! Now Chiara became intrigued and asked, Where does it come from? I don’t understand. He is young, gorgeous, and a millionaire.

He also failed to succeed in the Big Leagues as a pitcher. George went from team to team with little success until he felt discouraged, drained, and defeated, making it difficult to keep going when things got tough or to start new things. He is haunted by a harsh inner critic, the heckler, who constantly reminds him of his shortcomings and compares him unfavorably to others. He probably feels a deep sense of shame about his perceived failures and fear of being judged by others.

Your younger self did