Los Dos Chicos

By Allan Tompkins

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“Well, I think we should call it a day,” Javi said to his brother Tony after scanning the park for any more possible customers. Tony sighed as he looked at the containers of shredded cheese, refried beans and ground beef in front of him which were still more than halfway full—business had been real slow since the brothers had started Los Dos Chicos, their taco truck dream. 

“You close up today Javi, I’m gonna go pay Herb a visit,” Tony said as he prepared a burrito with the leftover food. He walked over to the nearby bus stop where there was a homeless man curled up in a blanket, sleeping. As Tony placed the wrapped up burrito on the bench next to him, a bright yellow paper taped to the glass caught his attention.

ONE DAY ONLY – Golden Spot at Tropical Park. First truck there gets exclusive morning crowd!

Tony ripped the paper off and sprinted back to the truck. “Javi! I think we just found our big break, bro.”

“What is it?” Javi asked.

“The city’s offering trucks the Golden Spot at Tropical tomorrow only. We need to be there!”

Javi lit up with a smile, high-fiving Tony. “Let’s go baby! Finally, we can show people what they’re missing. This is such an easy win dude!”

“Easy win? I’m not so sure we’ll just be handed the spot,” Tony replied, jolting at the sound of a dog barking nearby.

“Relax bro. We’re Los Dos Chicos! Who else is gonna be up at 4 A.M. tomorrow except us?”

“Yeah, I guess so. Well we better get some rest, tomorrow’s a busy day.” Tony said, strapping his seatbelt and cutting his way through the quiet Miami night. 

Tony woke the next morning to his apartment door wide open, Javi already prepping the truck with containers of guacamole and tortillas. “Wakey wakey, it’s time to hit the road!” Javi said.

Tony splashed water on his face and locked up before sliding into the driver’s seat. The sky was still pitch black and the road empty, the brothers felt like they were the only ones awake in the world.

As Tony switched lanes for the exit, blinding floodlights filled the truck from behind. “Woah!” they said together as Tony tilted the rearview mirror. A large vehicle sped up beside them. Once their eyes adjusted, they read the writing on the side of the food truck keeping pace: Brisket Bandits.

Javi narrowed his eyes. “Tucker Johnson…” Both trucks lowered their windows, revealing a middle-aged man with a black head bandana and a milky white mustache drooping over his lips.

“I don’t suppose you youngins are up this early for the spot at Tropical, eh?” Tucker asked.

“Actually, that’s exactly where we’re going, so I’d stay out of it this time, Tucker,” Tony said across Javi.

“Sorry sons, no can do. Been smoking the brisket in back for over thirty hours. Can’t let it go to waste now, can I?”

“Guess it’ll have to be a race to the finish then,” Javi said with an excited grin.

Tony slammed the pedal and the truck zoomed past Tucker, leaving him behind. Tucker reacted fast, soon right on their tail, taunting them by swerving between lanes. “How do we lose him?” Tony asked.

“You drive, I’ll get rid of him,” Javi said.

The back doors of the food truck swung open, revealing Tucker’s tailgating truck and a vastless, shrinking highway behind him. Javi grabbed a nearby container of guacamole and chucked it onto the windshield of the food truck. 

Tucker sped up in front of the truck and opened the back doors where one of his cooks tipped over a huge barrel of cooking oil that flooded the road, causing Tony to begin losing control of the car before both trucks swerved to take the exit that had suddenly appeared. As the road switched from 5 to 2 lanes, the trucks were shoulder to shoulder. Both trucks lowered their windows, the drivers gleaming at each other.

“Hope you enjoy second pl—” Before Tucker could finish, Javi slung a tortilla into his face, giving the brothers the chance to overtake. They zoomed down the road, blowing past two stop signs and swerving into Tropical Park where they slowed, having lost Tucker.

As Tony followed the park’s narrow curves, he finally spotted the reserved parking space—just as Tucker’s truck pulled up directly ahead. The trucks faced each other in a silent standoff.

In an instant, Javi yanked the chalkboard menu and leapt from the truck, sprinting full tilt and planting the board like a victory flag.

“Los Dos Chicos, baby! It’s too easy!” Javi yelled.

Tony chuckled as the first rays of sun lit their truck. The day had finally begun.