He worked for my uncle as a housekeeper, which meant that he also cooked meals for my uncle and his family. We had arrived just before dinner, so my cousins introduced me to Paco as he was preparing the food. He dressed very casually, with khakis and a polo. I could tell there was something a bit off with him, and my cousins noticed it too. He looked more than a little nervous and he seemed fairly anxious. He was preparing his personal favorite, Chef Boyardee Ravioli, when he told us he needed to go to his room to get something. But my cousins and I were worried, so we followed him to make sure he was alright.
……….
“Please, go away. I am okay,” said Paco when he noticed that we were following him. “Really, it’s nothing.”
“No, what’s going on Paco?” asked my oldest cousin.
“Please, seriously it’s nothing,” replied Paco.
By this point in time, my uncle had heard us arguing and came up to see what the issue was. The arrival of my uncle worried Paco even more than he already had been. My uncle demanded to know what the issue was. Paco finally admitted to what had been going on.
……….
Paco had been hiding his addiction. Dozens of bottles of glue were spread around in a mess on his floor. It was fairly obvious what he had been using them for.
“You need to leave,” demanded my uncle.
Paco didn’t fight it either. He packed and left the same night. He went into town and spent the night at a 24 hour McDonald’s since he had nowhere else to go. He waited there until his cooking class started. When his alarm went off at 8:30 AM, he headed to his class.
……….
  It was cake day, which at least gave Paco something to focus on, rather than where he would be staying that night. His mission was to create the most delicious cake his teacher had ever tasted and the number one rule was that he had to use his own recipe. No copying from the internet or anything like that. Everything was going smoothly, but he realized that he was running short on time. He had 30 minutes left on his timer, but the cake was due in 20. Thinking quickly, he doubled the temperature of the oven, his logic being that double the temperature would equal half the bake time. My how he was wrong.
……….
The oven burst into flames in a decently sized explosion. Everyone was forced to evacuate, leaving most of their cakes to burn. No one would receive a good grade that day. Though it only took the fire department a few minutes to arrive at the scene, by the time they got there most of the room at caught fire or at least shown signs of burning.
“Are you insane!?” demanded Paco’s teacher.
“I’m sorry...I just…. Got distracted, I guess,” whimpered Paco.
“Well,” continued Paco’s teacher, “I think it goes without saying that you are banished from this class. Turn in your apron and leave.”
This was the second time in a twenty four hour period that Paco had screwed up and it cost him dearly in both situations. He began walking, not quite sure where to, but anywhere other than there was better. He found himself in the middle of the town’s park. He sat on a bench and twiddled his thumbs, unsure of his future. About a quarter of an hour past, when suddenly a man approached him.
……….
“I’m sure you’re wondering why I’ve brought you here,” said the stranger. He had approached in a suit with a suitcase, which he began opening. He pulled out a few pictures.
“What are you actually talking about?’’ asked Paco.
“Ok, you called my bluff, I didn’t bring you here on purpose,” said the man, “But I do need to speak with you. We’ve been watching you, and we’re quite impressed.’’
“Sir, are you sober?” asked Paco.
“We know about you getting kicked out of your house. We know you started that fire. We know just about everything we need to,” said the man. He flashed a picture of the burning food class that had been taken from across the street.
“What the… why- why are you stalking me?” said Paco shakily.
“You may not know it, kid,” said the man. “You’ve got...let’s call them abilities.”
Paco was starting to get upset. “What are you actually smoking?”
The man laughed and handed Paco a business card. “Call me when you want the truth.” And just as he came, he left.
Paco’s mind was racing at an incomprehensible pace. All of the events of the day, and now this? He pondered for a while, when he realized that he basically had nothing to lose. So he called the man.
“I don’t know what you were talking about earlier,” said Paco over the phone. “But I’m come with you. I have nothing left.”
“I kinda thought you might,” replied the man.
The phone call cut. And as it did, a helicopter began its descent toward the park.