Mexico Road Trip: Ugly Men, White Pelicans and Dancing Girls
I don’t know why I do this but then again that’s what it’s all about. I did it in Batopilas and outside Molango and am doing it here. Those German adventurers have nothing on us gringos, ha! I keep waiting for that next curve or mudhole where it stops; but the road keeps going on forever. I keep wondering where the point of no return is but there is no such thing…we each have our destiny and mine is to keep going. The risks in the metaphorical road are insignificant compared to not going…not going would be much worse.
We finally make it to the coast and I have a headache after four hours of battling the mud, rocks and holes. I look at my detailed atlas and see another road out and ask a local about that road. He says it’s worse than the one I came in on…great. Something to look forward to the way back. But we won’t be in such a hurry since we won’t have to catch a lancha or boat…most likely it will take longer but we will stop and rest along the way. I remember doing this type of travel years ago and wonder how much longer I will be able to do it…hopefully as long as I live. Without adventure, I’m nothing…it’s been my life.
We finally arrive in Cucharas and I can see an immediate difference. The people speak very differently, though in Spanish of course. The women are taller, wear long skirts and are beautiful. And marry ugly men, ha! The folks are more timid and look at me curiously…I haven’t seen a gringo for weeks and it might have been months or even years since a gringo passed through here.
We find a boat that will take us Los Cocos and load it up. We have an ice chest for the shrimp and I make a beer run not knowing if there would be beer on the island. Later I was surprised to find beer in many places on the island…no longer are the Jesuits first in to a remote area…it’s Corona, Tecate and Sol! Ha! The bleeding edge of civilization or rather the brewing edge of civilization. And we those Germans to thank for bringing their brewing skills to Mexico…
It’s hot and humid and off we go after finding a spot to leave the car. I immediately feel like Alexander Van Humboldt except our boat has a powerful Evinrude to carry us away from the coast. I can’t remember ever seeing white pelicans but there they are…I look in awe at what is still unspoiled…unspoiled perhaps because it has little commercial value….
We finally get to the island but it is too shallow to land…another boat comes out to pick us up. It makes two trips because we have so much stuff…we know there is not much that can be bought on the island and we are visiting my old friend Timoteo and he has always been alegre but poor. Dirt poor as Angelica says, because he lives on a dirt floor. His wife Juana greets us with her grandkids; Timo is still out in his ‘milpa’ and at nearly 80 years of age I can’t believe he still works so hard. Juana looks great; at 75 she has no grey hair. I wonder what is her secret....I’m 20 years younger and look like a bald Santa Claus.
We carry our stuff to their hut or rather half a hut. It’s usually warm and the breeze keeps things cool… no radon problems here, ha! She invites us in and shows us the addition she made to the ‘house’ for our visit…they don’t get many visitors here. I tell her thanks so much but we brought our dome tent and our relatives can sleep there instead…she understands and shows them where to put their things.
A couple of scraggly dogs come into the yard and Juana says Timo is coming…he rides a donkey to his piece of land – about a two hour ride each way. He is so happy to see us and gives us all a bear hug and I can’t believe how strong he still is…
I first met Timo when he was a member of another ejido or communal farm. I remember going to his hut and eating armadillo, the first and only time I have eaten it. I have seen him numerous times since but had not seen Juana for maybe 25 years. She fixed us fresh fried fish and it had to be the best fish I have in decades …we eat our fill until we can’t eat anymore…I have arrived at seafood heaven. After eating she brings coffee and we sit down to have a good chat…
Timo tells me at his old place three drunks jumped him one night and he stuck his knife in one. He had to leave and took his family to the island where he joined another ejido. He came with nothing and built up his animals and farm over the years.
But sadly he tells me, whenever he sold his crop or cattle he would take his pesos to the cantina and spend it all on beer, women and song. Mexican style. Destiny he calls it. He would come back with nothing but Juana didn’t leave him. He kept drinking until he got sick and faced impending death…that fog creeping up to visit those that don’t have enough respect for life. He got sick and asked Juana to take him to the doctor. She laughs when telling me she told him ‘you don’t need me to help you die’…
He reformed but too late to build a better house and life. Yet they both seem happy.
Later alone we had a man chat… He asked my how many wives I have had and I reply one, the same one. He said he has had twelve. He didn’t marry each one legally and in fact married none legally…and there were a string of kids he never saw after they were born. He would not know them if he saw them. At 80 he says he is through with women, except for Juana.
It’s Saturday and the women are going to church. He asks me if I want to go drinking and dance with girls. Where is the dance hall? I ask. Right next to the park. But he is joking of course. There are no dancing girls on the island. And the whole island is a park.
Sometimes I have to think twice when a Veracruzano jokes with me…I have been gone so long I cannot tell the difference. Too long…
He says the ejido is having a meeting tomorrow and I say ‘voy contigo’. The meeting is much more interesting than church. Having gone to Mass once with Dr. G and to a Jehovah’s meeting with my mother-in-law I have had enough church for the next 10 years. Maybe 20. That should be enough to fend off the evil spirits for a while.
I have followed the agrarian reform movement and the ejido system for over 30 years and would like to see the latest. There is ample time to pray but little time for getting caught up on important issues…
Jack D. Deal
