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The 1 Peso Adventure.
By Neil Ransom | June 5, 2007
During the rainy season San Cristobal is notorious for power outages. I guess all the exposed wires from the do-it-yourself wiring that seems to plague most buildings, tripping breakers or blowing transformers when they get wet. So last night our neighborhood lost power. After talking in the dark for 30 minutes Kate and I decided to make dinner; we have a gas stove. Unfortunately we didn’t have any matches, and the electric starter obviously didn’t work.
Luckily most Mexican neighborhoods have little tiendas (shops) built into a house. So I was sent on the errand to run out in the rain to the closest tienda (about 10 feet outside the compound door) to buy some matches. By the time I got outside the rain has subdued a bit and I worked my way to the tienda taking refuge under a giant vine roof that hangs over our wall. I fished out my peso and traded it for a box of matches. Everything had gone as planned and I was even managing to remain a little dry. I ran back to the house fishing in my pocket for my keys, only to find I had forgotten them. Usually this wouldn’t be so bad because someone else in the compound could let me in, but it was late at night and the only person left was Kate, and she was in our apartment which is in the back of the compound.
By then the power had come back on, of course, and I could stop throwing rocks against the side of the apartment to get Kate’s attention, and try using the electric bell. Turns out Kate heard the rocks and the bell but didn’t think it was me. Anyway after ringing for 15 minutes or so I had a brilliant idea. Across the street was a little group of children helping their father make cement while the rain had stopped, and so I conscripted their help. In the back of the compound a little hole can be opened in the fence and I sent one of the littlest ones in to get Kate. A few minutes later Kate came out the front door with the little kid. As a reward I had promised them each a treat from the shop, and while only one did anything the rest of his gang demanded tribute. So what started as a 1 peso shopping trip tuned into 26 pesos after I had purchased chips for all the neighborhood kids. And the funny thing is Kate didn’t even notice I was gone. When the power came on she just started cooking away trying to decide what all the strange noises had been.
Tagged with: Adventure • Marriage • San Cristobal
June 8th, 2007 at 12:18 am
Great story. I hope you win the competition. I don’t think Kate loves you very much.
June 8th, 2007 at 1:08 pm
ah.. coundn’t count the times Ive relied on neighborhood tiendas (and street kids?) to accomplish my little tasks.. keep in touch!
June 8th, 2007 at 1:26 pm
Neil! These stories are the highlight are my blah workday. I am very envious!!!
ps..kate loves you plenty.
June 8th, 2007 at 6:51 pm
Kate does not love you. She should’ve been worried sick with you out alone in a storm in the middle of the night with having to bribe a bunch of gang members with pesos and chips not to kill you.
June 13th, 2007 at 10:46 pm
Neil! Wow! Life seems quite exciting for you and Kate… ignore the other comment from the previous fellow, Kate must love you more than the whole entire world to have bugs, spiders, insects and wild adventures in her day to day routines.
June 15th, 2007 at 6:49 pm
Don’t fall for that crap Neil. Actions speak louder than words…Oh wait, that cuts both ways. Oh well, 1 point for Neil.