Black Jack in Bali

The Kuta Kentucky

I have parked my scoopy at the door. The guards came rushing "Please park this at the parking lot". said one guard. "I am not parking. I have to leave now". I said. "I have to keep my shopping bag in the room and I will leave" I added. The second guards remarked "Oh I see. How long will it take to come back"? I replied it would hardly take me ten minutes. The first guard then said "Sir then please let me valet park your scope at the corner so that the other vehicles can come easily". I disagreed and asked "where should I park. There. OK I will do it". I began rolling my scope close to the water hole where guests from the beach would wash off their sandals.

I put the scoopy on stand with one jolt. I removed the keys and I stood. "Is this OK now" I asked. "Please unlock we will move it just in case" replied the old guard. "No I am not giving you the keys I will just unlock the handle bars for you". I said. That was it and the guard repositioned my scoopy dragging it ruthlessly to one side completely against the wall straight. I was flabbergasted as the guard's parking made the scoopy invisible along the flower pots.

I went to the suite and came back an hour later. Wasn't sure where my scoopy was when I looked at the parking. I looked around and found that the scoopy was parked beside the security room some fifty meters away from the place we earlier parked. I walked towards the scoopy, looked at the room. It was empty, no souls around. Even there were no cameras inside the room. It was a small room and nothing was there. Not even a table or chair. So I just put keys in the scoopy. I reversed the scoopy and then I saw guards appeared again at the door. None of them I recognized. One was handsome but the another was a kid. I revved up my scoopy to go a few meters with a loud noise. I braked it just in front of the guards and they wished me good bye in Bainese. I said to one of the guards that I am going to Kualong islands tomorrow. "Where is the guard who resides in the villages of Kualong". The guard replied "No one is from Kualong". I said the name of the guard is Ketki and he resides in Kualong village. The handsome guuard affirmed that he didn't live in Kualong or never visits Kualong as he is the boss. I thought might be Ketki has told a lie. He asked me "Where are you going now sir" to bring me back from the thoughts about deception and lies.

"Ah! I am going to LafaBella" I said cheeringly. "I was there last night and it was awesome party". So I am visiting it again. Handsome guard said it's a very good place. I have been there many times. I responded to him by adding praises about the interior of the disc and a small story about the false exit. By looking at the eyes it was obvious that the guard was not catching up with the details of the disc. So I caught his lie. He was not a regular at the disc. Might be he has never visited the Lafa Bella disc.

He said something which bombed my night after the visit. He said "Why don't you visit Sky Garden". I said I am definitely going to visit the Sky Garden in the morning after I am back from Kualong district. I had plans to see it earlier but because of the tight schedule I was not able to visit that place Sky Garden. He chuckled and there was a devilish smile in the face. He said you can visit Sky Garden now as well sir. I was thinking wow so much hospitality at night for tourism. I said loudly this place is awesome you can visit places in even night time.

He asked what are you talking about? I said "Sky Garden, Sir it is a disc in Kuta like Lafa Bella". Oh damn shoot he caught me unaware and that too without my shirt on. I regained my nerves on my face. "Where is it I haven't seen it" I asked. "How should I go? I have been to Kuta but I couldn't find it. Might be because of the one way street which you can't enter with your scoopy" I replied. Can you take me there. If you are free or the shift gets over lets go to the disc together. The handsome guard said take him with you referring to the other guard. I am the boss and I can't leave. I insisted him to call to call another friend to take your shift and come with me. Cajoling became a long time conversation between us. The guards were discussing all the scenarios of taking me there and also not able to take me there. I was like giving one option after another for each of their problematic scenario.

Each time the prospect of the kid going to the disc appeared bright, he would jump to sieze the opportunity. The only problem he said that he would have problem coming back. I allowed him to take my scoopy keys whenever he wish to come back. The situation was digressing over such a lengthy conversation. I showed them the watch, gave them the deadline and ordered the timeline which has to be followed in order not to miss the party. I said we are already late and miss the fun if we stood here even for five minutes more. The kid guard was ready. I asked him to change his shirt and remove his key bunch from the belt and keep it behind. I offered him my t-shirt in case he is not carrying another. I didn't want to take him in his security shirt. Also keys had to be kept behind. He was very surprised at the prospects of going without his keys and shirt. But he was looking forward to the party.

Suddenly handsome guard's face turned from happy cool to brows clenched. I looked at the direction of his sight. I saw another security professional coming out of the door but behind it. For few moments three of us looked at the security guard behind the door silently. He was not coming out. The radio on the walkie blared some noise. He picked up the walkie and said something in Balinese. I heard something that was serious. The handsome guard waited for few minutes listening to our conversations with the smaller guard. He asked my permission to come back. He took out the walkie began talking and went inside the lobby at the reception. The demeanor of the small guard changed from cool to strict as he sensed the whole situation from the walkie conversation. He just said I will not be able to go because the boss won't allow me. I asked him to convince him or I would talk to him. He replied "My day's pay would be deducted if I leave my duty and go tonight with you." There was no point in talking. All those conversations, going to the sky garden, guards being cajoled and other things took a whole hour. Add another hot more for travel to Kuta and it will be 2 AM in the morning all alone by myself. He told me I can guide you the route on Google. I picked out my my mobile. I searched Sky Garden and the map app popped up. He took the mobile from my hand and began instructing the route as per Google map direction. The destination ended near Kuta and he said its near Kentucky Cafe in Kuta. I realized I have been there earlier and its very near the market in Kuta. I remembered I was shooting pictures of a wedding near the beach. I was lit and charged up as I knew the route and the destination. I just confirmed the start of the Oneway on maps from the guard. I closed the app and kept the mobile. I exclaimed " I know where Sky Garden is". Now I know where to go and I can drive and reach within half an hour as there is no rush.

The guards were back and I wished them bye and they wished me good luck. I kicked my scoopy in action and drove in full acceleration. I didn't care about the fellow travelers on the road who were just handful of cabbies. I was fully immersed in my own driving. Fifteen minutes later of maneuvering I just drove past a barricade with one guard sitting on the sides. I stopped my scoopy. I had just entered the oneway street with a police waiting. I looked back and reversed my scoopy and drove it to the police to ask directions. The police was alarmed. "Show me your license" the police ordered. Get out of your scoopy, stand clear and park it to the station nearby. "You have just broke the traffic rules".

I panicked a little as I felt what the whole Sky Garden party, would turn into. I gathered the courage and asked "Is this the oneway street." I didn't leave my scoopy as I was still sitting on the scoopy to let my intention known to the officer. He asked "Are you a tourist"? I replied "Yes". I confidently said "I was a guest at Hotel Seminyak". I sensed the officer was backing off. He asked again are you carrying the documents. I said more confidently "I do have all the documents. Do you want to check?". The officer replied "Show me". I began telling the officer I knew about one way. I just missed the cut because of the car ahead of me" while I pulled my purse from back f my trousers. I picked out the card from the purse without letting the officer to see what's inside the purse. "Why would I stop and reverse my scoopy if I didnt realize that I made a mistake in the dark". I was driving in the morning as well and it was clear beacuse of day light." I was argued more confidently and courageously to get out of the detour. He saw the card in the headlight. He glanced at my face while he was checking the card. He said "OK you can go now just take the right turn". I said "Thank you Officer".