On top of the rock

On top of the rock
Our Cliff

Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Monday.....

.....We drove to LaPaz to pick up some things in anticipation of the arrival of our goods. FYI, We did hear today they are leaving Mexico City with our stuff tomorrow. By next Monday we should have everything....well everything that makes it. I guess "everything" remains to be seen. Anyway we drove to LaPaz but before we left in the morning we got a call from Senor Backhoe Retro. He informs us that he needs to renew his license for working and it will cost him $5000. Not sure of his intention, Maurice says, "Oh". Finally he asks if Maurice can help him. Maurice says, no. This was VERY hard for Maurice, and when he told me I felt really bad. He said he would work it off, and I know he would have, but $5000!! WOW!! We will pay him that much over the next couple of months and we trust him, (why??? Who knows, but we do) anyway, Maurice told him no. Of course, than we start panicking, thinking what will do without him. He is the only one who will drive to the top of the cliff, etc etc. Anyway, we decide this should be Valente’s problem....ya right!!

So we are driving to LaPaz. Actually, I am driving (YEHA!) and Maurice gets another phone call. I can tell he is speaking with our Senor by the words I am picking up. Next Maurice tells me to pull over, so I do, thinking he requested that cause he needs a better connection. Who pulls up behind us??!! SENOR!!! Come on! That is bizarre. He had called because I passed him and he saw us. He also wanted to tell Maurice he got the money so not to worry he would not let us down...gees...he really is a nice guy.

We have had trouble finding a pump that can actually pump the water from the bottom of the cliff to the top. We found out we can get it from the parking lot up, but not from the bottom. Senor thinks he found us one and told us to follow him to the place in LaPaz. We do. See how nice he is??

We enter into a small, perfectly neat and spotless store. It is a store that sells pumps, tools, parts, and camping things. (Well here they would be considered things to live with, not camp with) The store is filled with everything that a manly man would like. All of the items are displayed in perfect order. The items on the shelves are all faced the same way. The things on the ceiling are hung in the exact same direction. Talk about an anal Libra!! My word, I would love them to come help organize us!! In addition to the neat and tidy displays, there is a grey linoleum floor. The floor was laid in the 1950's for sure. The linoleum, although clean, is cracked and well worn, as you can imagine a 50 year old floor to be. Not only is the floor dated, the whole place is.

There are 12 inch tall typewriters on the desks. There are no plugs in them. There is not a computer in sight. There are three very large desks. One for the original owner, who now must be 80, or so. He is sitting there. The next, assuming from similarity in appearance, belongs to his son, who must be around 60. The remaining one is for his grandson, who is about 35 and thinks he is cool. Slicked hair, tight shirt and pants, big belt buckle, cowboy boots, and a strut when he walks. On his desk, under glass, and partially covered by his typewriter, are pictures of women. They are in various poses of nudity. A few on stripper poles, one holding up her tank top, sans bra, and smiling into the camera; all very Betty Grable-ish, without the class. I could not stop looking at them. I felt like I was in a time warp and when I walked outside there would be an Edsel driving by for sure!! I guess we need to explore beyond Home Depot! There are probably 100’s of such places if we looked. I am also certain that I am one of the few women that have gone in there. The grandson was proud of his desk, though. I could tell by his smile and swagger. Also, they did not have our pump.

Now, two days later I sit here watching the workers. I am going to end this blog and start another about what they are doing. I am totally captivated watching these incredible hard workers, work...in the hot, blazing sun. All day long. I am in the car with a sun shade over the windshield, sipping water out of my aluminum water container with a lovely breeze passing by. I would be in a beach chair, on the deck in front of the bodega, but I feel guilty doing nothing so I am hiding in the car. They know I am here, but I feel less lazy when I hide.

1 comment:

  1. Would that be an aluminum water bottle from Younker's??? Just checking!
    XXXOOO

    ReplyDelete