MAX 11 - MAX ZINN - OLIVE GROWER - OCTOBER 28
American Olive Growers had created their first pressing of Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Max Zinn and Carlos Perez were pleased with it. They had decided to enter their oil in the regional EVOO contest.
They were issued non-descript green bottles (to avoid sunlight, which can damage olive oil). They had coded labels for the bottles; 479632 was their code. Olive growers would want to ship in their decorative bottles with large labels - but for judging, it was to be anonymous.
The West Coast EVOO judging was in Sacramento on the first week of November. Deloitte and Touche were the hired security firm. When EVOO was first judged, the various olive growers bribed the judges to rank their oils in the top three. 1972, the United States Association of Olive Growers instituted the anonymous judging system. Top-rated EVOO could sell for up to five times as much as lower-rated oils; growers want a top ranking.
The oils were in dark storage until the judging in a secure, relaxed environment that only five people knew of. Ten years ago, one of the growers tried to follow and infiltrate the storage area and “spike” the other oils to win. Since then, Deloitte and Touche were hired to prevent tampering with the contest.
Even the judging was done in secret - although selective videotaping was done. The judges were not identified, although it would be hard to locate the particular olive growers by the plain bottles with plain markings.
Even in the storage area, the labels that the growers used were replaced by similar labels - so just in case a grower could identify a judge, they could coerce the judges to favor #470632.
There would be three panels of judging in a preliminary round. Ten judges would taste all the submitted oils (about thirty different growers) - and make a three-way decision - possible, maybe, and reject. Depending on the number of viable oils, a second round of other tasters would narrow their list to twelve.
Those twelve would be the finalists, and a team of eight highly qualified olive oil judges would select the top oils.
Max and Carlos felt good about their EVOO - and were excited to submit their oils for judging.
*****
Tina Martinez and Max Zinn had a great time at Los Compadres Restaurant in Oroville. Max had been there before and suggested the shredded chicken fajitas. Max knew that some restaurants bought already-made fajita meat and just heated it to serve. Los Compadres cooked their top chicken breasts with spices and added them to the meal. In addition, some Mexican restaurants only use green peppers, but Los Compadres uses colored bell peppers.
They had margaritas - he had a mango margarita, and Tina had a strawberry one. They sipped slowly. Neither one wanted to get drunk tonight.
Max asked Tina about her studies.
Tina hesitated. “I’m majoring in Social Work / Counseling, working on my master’s degree. I hope to be a counselor when I graduate. There are many mixed-up people worldwide, and I hope to help them. My emphasis is on women’s issues.”
Max continued, “Women’s issues? Like childbirth, pregnancy?”
Tina laughed, “No, that’s in the health sciences area, although I am interested. I focus on abusive relationships, rape, deadbeat dads, and legal ramifications.”
Max said, “Wow - that sounds interesting. That reminds me of a case in Dunham where one of our employees was cheating on his wife and had multiple girlfriends he abused. “
Tina said quietly for a minute. “I think you are talking about Juan Garza. Yes, I was one of those abused girlfriends.”
Max gasped. “YOU?”
Tina started to cry. “He was an animal, a despicable, mean, rotten animal. I didn’t know he was married. I was working at a bar, and he came in and was friendly. He gave me good tips. Finally, he asked when I got off work, and we had a date. We saw each other once a week. He said he had to work, and I believed him. But after a few months, he only wanted sex, slapped me, and burned me with his cigarette.”
Tina stopped, and Max didn’t want to break the moment.
She started again. “I have a philosophy about loving others. I can’t let hate overwhelm me. I’d really like to hate him. But I can’t .”
She started to cry again—just little sobs and tears. “I don’t know why he was that way - maybe his Dad abused him, he had a mental illness, or a coach or somebody else taught him to be mean and macho. He was an animal - lashing out at the world around him.”
“I should rejoice that somebody killed him, but he left a widow and a son. I’m sorry he didn’t get the counseling or help he needed.”
Max said quietly, “He was killed on our property.”
Tina nodded.
“I am glad he isn’t around to prey on other women. We started just fine, but then he turned to mean. I knew Monica Rivera and Cheryl Landrum, whom he also abused.”
Tina put her head in her hands. A strange thought went through her head. Should she mention who she thought killed Juan?
Max said, “He was high on heroin and alcohol and could barely stand up when he entered our olive grove. He threw pesticides on our trees, trying to kill them. I have no idea who killed him - shot him at close range, facing him. The Sheriff’s office is already calling it a cold case, and I agree. It might have been a vigilante - but whoever did it saved you and others from further abuse.
Max changed the subject. “I think the band is about to play. Do you dance?”
Tina smiled - she was glad to change the subject. “Yes, let’s dance.”
*****
For the next two hours, Tina and Max danced almost every song. Tina was impressed by Max’s dancing.
Tina whispered to Max, “You’re a great dancer, do you know that?”
Max laughed, “When I was a freshman in high school, my mother demanded that I learn to dance. And now, I’m glad I did, although it wasn’t cool then.”
The band played a slow dance tune, and Max pulled Tina close to him. His brain was racing. “How long has it been since I’ve danced with a girl like this?”
The song ended, but Max and Tina stayed on the floor in an embrace and a kiss.
*****
They danced most of the evening, except for some fried ice cream - shared with two spoons.
On the drive back to American Olive Growers, Max asked Tina about her background.
“Not all that exciting,” She started. “My father died of alcohol poisoning when I was twelve. Mom was a school principal in Sacramento. My maternal grandparents were in Chico, so we moved to Chico. I served in the Army for three years. My Dad was a veteran and also an Army Brat. It was okay. I didn’t get deployed anywhere other than Hawaii. I was a computer developer, and then I got funding for college. I had done some college online while I was in the Army, and I finished my Bachelor’s degree in two years at Chico State with a major in computer systems. One of my friends in the Army was raped, and another friend at Chico State was raped - about both times, it was reported, and the legal system threw them out. I liked the program at UC-Davis and will graduate in May.”
“My mother is still a principal in Chico. I have two brothers. Mike is in Sacramento as a civil engineer, and Miguel is a hotel manager in San Francisco. And two sisters. Anna was a nurse, but she’s a full-time Mom now. Crystal is an architect in Sacramento.”
They chatted casually until they arrived back at American Olive Growers. In the living room of Max’s house, they kissed good night, and Tina went to her room.
She thought that was okay, even though the night had been romantic.
*****
They had breakfast together in the morning, and Max asked if Tina wanted to go to Mass. She said, “I’m not all that religious. Can we skip this morning?”
Max agreed, and they headed out to Butte Creek Canyon Nature Preserve.
The Nature Preserve was a great place to hike. Crossing the creek, Max fell in, and Tina helped him out. The creek was fast and cold but shallow. Max had a few old clothes in the trunk of his car. Tina laughed as he put on mismatched pants and a shirt.
They stopped at a Sonic drive-in as they came back to Durham.
And Tina opted to leave early. They kissed goodbye and promised to get together again soon.
*****
Epilogue
Max and Tina did get together again soon - and frequently. A year later, they were married in a park in Chico, California.
The American Olive Growers Extra Virgin Olive Oil was ranked in the top five that year and has been in the top three each year since. The extra income has been used for olive-growing scholarships at the University of California at Davis.
Tina completed her master’s and doctorate degrees and became a professor at the University of California-Davis.
Louise Larkner and Inez Sanchez invested in American Olive Growers and used their proceeds to support scholarships at the University of California at Davis.
Tina did find a relationship with God - outside (and inside) of organized religion. She did love the creator of an ever-expanding universe. She discovered that agape love does win. And she and Max’s mother, Graziela - found a depth in the love of Jesus.
And only to his closest friends did Max divulge that the girl he thought was a prostitute in Sacramento became his loving wife.
******
End of Max Zinn - Olive Grower.
Karen’s analysis is - a pretty dull story - but I did get to eleven episodes. I have to keep working to write more exciting stories.
Maybe I’ll try some short stories.
LOVE WINS
LOVE TRANSFORMS
KAREN ANNE WHITE, ©, OCTOBER 28, 2023
