Tuesday, October 7, 2008

Fun? times in Mexico...

After the Bracero program, etc. and several bad "mistakes" in our financial area, we got a call from Cappy's brother Lafay that he could sure use Cappy in running a sawmill that he and their brother Bert had "invested?" in in Mexico. Since we were having a hard time of it we rushed home from my in-laws where we had been visiting and packed up and took off right away! We had a lot of trouble on the way there. First of all the small trailer that we had to take with what little furniture we had to take with us broke down and so that entailed an overnight stay in the town of Atwater which wasn't that far from where we were living! We had to wait till morning and didn't get away from there, (they had to order a part) until about 4:30 P.M. or so. We drove all the way to Barstow and since Bob was not quite two, we stopped and got a Motel and then tried to make it to Mexico the next day. Well, we had to stop one more night and then got to El Paso. Went to the border and even though Cappy was a duel-citizen, I was not so we had to go through all the problems of getting me a Visa. While waiting there a cousin of Cappy's came along. He drove a taxi in El Paso! In fact it was his own co. So he took us in his cab all over and showed us the sights of El Paso. Took us to dinner, etc. We had decided to drive into Mexico to the City of Chihuahua in the cool part of the day! We started out and about halfway there had a flat tire. Talk about luck! We parked and who should come along going to Chihuahua but an uncle of Cappy's and his wife. He helped us out and then said they would drive behind us in case we got into any more trouble! They went their way after guiding us to the Hotel where we were supposed to meet Lafay. Lafay had left word for us at the desk that he would be a few days late and that we were to go ahead and get a room and it was all entirely paid for by him. We were to just put everything on a tab and he would take care of it! And what a hotel! Right on the Main Avenue in town and a very classy Hotel! We were treated like royalty! I was told after they had to put us in a smaller room that in a day or two we would be put into a "suite" till "Alonzo" as they called him, came for us! I would, under their direction, put our clothes outside the door and they would pick them up, launder them and bring them back! Everything was spotless, and Bob's diapers,(no plastic diapers in those days!) were all neatly folded and his and our clothing was ironed and put on hangers, etc. When it was time to eat, we were guided to a beautiful dining room and waited on like we were the only ones there! For a day or so, we would take walks uptown and look around till 12:00 noon and then everything uptown and everywhere shut down for "Siesta" time till after 3:00 P.M. so we would head to the Hotel, have lunch and put Bob and ourselves down for a litle "Siesta". Then after that everything opened up again and went wild the rest of the day and half the night!!! In a couple of days they put us into our "suite" and that was great! Bob had plenty of room to play, and we had comfortable chairs to sit in and there was an outside "porch" all fenced in so that Bob couldn't fall but he played out there a lot! The weather was nice and we were actually on like a town square. A big statue of some guy on a horse was in the middle of this and there were benches to sit on, etc. and the cars came down and made a circle and went back uptown. Bob loved it and I used to take a chair out there and watch the cars and the people! When it was time for our meals of course, we went to the dining room. Oh yes, I forgot, they had dinner music played by a group of men and women with violins, etc. It was simply beautiful! We really dallied over our meals! All too soon Lafay showed up and our "honeymoon" was over. He stayed there a couple of days too and "spoiled" Bob no end. He wasn't married yet and so he really indulged Bob! Carried him all over town with us,etc. Life really began after we left the hotel to go to where the sawmill was. But that is another story! We lived in Mexico for six montha and it wasn't all wine and roses! Love it when you guys "comment" on whether you are enjoying them or not!