the alaska boys

"Just tell me this. Do you believe in Jesus?" the round one asked. He had had one drink too many and even though I didn't know how to answer his question - do I believe in Jesus? what does that mean? do I believe that he existed? yep. do I believe he is the 'son of god'? aren't we all children of god? - I responded with a simple "yes".

"Good," he said, "that's all I wanted to know."

He drinks, he brings up religion. He is very upset that the young woman at the park office is Muslim. It worries me that it bothers him so much because his anger is palpable. I'm glad we can't bring guns into Mexico, not that I think he'd go off the deep end but you never know.

Of the two, just by looking at them, you would think that he is the mellow one. Round and baby-faced, he looks much younger than his 60 years. The other brother is lean and craggy and has a deep rough voice from continuous cigarette-smoking. He is the more laid-back of the two and his one-liners are delivered deadpan and are priceless.

Last night the brothers treated me to a steak dinner in exchange for three windchimes. The Giant Gringo was there too (we were seated at 'his' table) and was the first to go home. The round-faced brother had just grumbled something about Muslims before his eyes glazed over and he sat barely conscious, the effects of his four giant margaritas having kicked in. The lean brother was telling me about his married girlfriend of six years. Her husband doesn't mind. They are all friends. He and the woman have never had sex but that's okay with him.

"I think you need to get your brother home. Look at him."

"I do believe you're right. La cuinta, por favore. Last year we learned how to ask for the check. This year we learned spanish for 'how much?' We used to ask 'como mucho?'. That makes sense, right...'how much?'...and we usually got our point across, probably ended up paying more than people were asking."

When the check arrived the round-faced brother managed to dislodge his wallet and plop it on the table but that was as far as he got. I pulled out the necessary bills and then sat finishing my glass of wine while they went out to their truck. Suddenly the restaurant manager and waiter rushed outside. Apparently the round brother had fallen just before getting into their truck and the lean brother needed help lifting him (that the round brother has only one leg made it even more difficult).

I got outside in time to hear the round brother retching in the front of the truck. The lean brother was leaning against the driver's door smoking a cigarette. "Ahhhh man, don't do that. Ahhh shit it's gonna stink in there." He turned to me. "When you get to the park, will you ask Mr. Texan to come down and help me get my brother into bed?"

I said I would. God I was happy that I had driven my own vehicle!

They leave in a couple of days for the long trek home in a vehicle that is on its last wheels. It's been fun having them here in spite of the need to avoid conversational land mines and the smell of vomit emanating from their truck...