la jefa

It's not like I don't have enough to do....working, writing, cocktailing, walking the beach. Now my Mexican boss, Rosa, is on my ass to make earrings that she can sell at her flea market stall on Sundays.

Rosa is a very industrious woman. She walks the beach very early each morning picking up cans to recycle. She collects all sorts of things to sell and give away. She's involved with a group here I can never remember the name of but it's a sort of Habitat for Humanity kind of place. And now she's my boss - la jefa.

Rosa is very particular about the earrings she wants. Primary colors with lots of beads; not too long but they have to be sort of dangly.

It's amazing how far we've gotten in our business relationship given the language barrier.

The biggest problem now is how much does she want to sell them for and how much is her commission? Given what people will pay, she's out of luck with earrings made of crystals, pearls and gem stones. I figure I'll be lucky to cover the cost of materials but, you know what? That's okay. Beings as I'm kind of broke right now, this is a good way for me to make a donation to a local charity.

Andale, antonia, andale!

can a man and a woman be friends? most people think not i think

Living in a small trailer park in Mexico forces me to interact with people I don't particularly care for. Interpersonal dynamics and individual biases cannot be avoided. This brings me to my latest conversation with Lesbian Couple #2.

I should dig up the original post so I can link to that but I'm too lazy so bear with me. They are the "liberal" couple I initially got along with but who I came to not like very much. They live in my old space which is right across the lane.

This was our conversation the other day after the Big One saw my newly installed ceiling fan.

She: Where did you get that fan?
Me: From Bobito and the Skeeper installed it.
She: How do you get men to do all these things for you?
Me: Well, that's kind of a new phenomenon. I used to be terrible about asking for help and now the universe just gives it to me.
She: Can I ask you a question? Do you pay them back?

In other words, am I a mooch or a whore?

I answered her question but afterward I was really pissed. I thought of all kinds of things I should've said.

Then last night as the Skeeper was fixing me dinner, wouldn't you know that her partner just had to come by and ask for a fish recipe. Uh-huh. Sure.

The Skeeper and I are getting a kick out of people--not just Lesbian Couple #2--wondering why we spend so much time together. After all he is married and this is just SCANDALOUS! It's hard for people to imagine that we have a friendship based on the fact that he likes to cook, doesn't like eating alone, and I can be charming company. Plus I helped him with his computer and I did the dishes. It's pretty simple.

If I had to choose between being thought of as a mooch or a whore, I'd take the latter any day. Especially at this age. It's kind of a compliment, actually.

semana santa

I have not always spoken kindly of the snowbirds in Mexico. You know, the ones who don't like Mexico or Mexicans but like cheap food and the beach and the sun. Fortunately, those people skedaddled around mid March. The remaining group is of a tolerable size and are here because they like Mexico and they like Mexicans (and the food is cheap and the weather is great and there's that beach).

Last night we walked around enjoying the sights, sounds, food and people during this crazy time, Semana Santa. I loved it that we were the only gringos. We went to the carnival. We ate fish tacos and shrimp cocktails. We couldn't help but dance under the strobe lights to music blaring from one of the carnival rides. We sampled the pineapple marinated pork from a new taco stand.

When we returned to the park, music blasted from the various family gatherings -- a group with a bonfire outside bungalow six, car stereos from campsites under the palapas. A band at the "party house" across the road behind my trailer serenaded me as I fell asleep.

Today we have plans to walk the beach to where the college kids are camped. I need to work. I've done very little transcription what with all the distractions: cocktail hours, dinners out, cocktail hours. But, hell, all this socializing is about to come to a crashing halt. Three couples leave this week and the rest will be gone by May 1st. Lesbian Couple #1 will leave in July for a few months, and Lesbian Couple #2 will head north in June. Just seven of us will stay throughout the summer. I'll have plenty of time to work then.

cruz roja mexicana

The Mexican Red Cross has been fundraising for the past two weeks. People dressed as red crosses have been standing on corners with cans with slits in the lids. We've tossed in a peso or two but no more. No; we're not doing that any more. Now we're throwing in hundreds of pesos.

Twice this week ambulances have been called to RVs here on my row (which houses only five occupied rigs). Both times people have been taken to the hospital in the next biggest city which is 60 miles away FOR FREE. Yep. Ambulance rides do not cost one centavo. A third world country with affordable--and sometimes free--health care.

No wonder so many North American residents live here illegally.