Journals

  A new student arrived at the school Friday. Arnold is a 50-something from Portland, Oregon. He lost his job, foreclosed on his house, sold all his stuff and is now motorcycling his way through Central America. He crashed his bike in Mexico and spent some time in Dallas recuperating.   He plans to ride until he hits South America. I asked his plans once he reaches SA. There was a long, uncomfortable silence.   Mi hermano , Antonio or Tony, speaks a bit of English and is studying the Norwegian language (he fell in love with a Norwegian student and will visit her in January).   I asked him about the (U.S. backed) 36-year civil war that killed/disappeared 250,000 people.   In English, he said very simply that the President was crazy and ruthless and, similar to Hitler, wanted to exterminate the indigenous population (roughly 65%). Stone walls in Xela are tagged with political graffiti:   “Justice for the non-capitalists.” “An end to military.”   Saturday I ventured out to take some pics and buy bottled water. I kept alert but felt safe. It was an uneventful stroll other than the occasional up-and-down eye-balling accompanied by a creepy, disingenuously sweet, sing- songy “ Hola ”.   Street vendors line Central Parque . I stopped to look at some wares splayed across a blanket on the concrete steps of the Edificio Casa de la Cultura . I took a liking to a very pretty, hand-woven bracelet with ceramic turtle. “ Cuanto ?” 5Q. After trying to sell me one of everything, the salesman kindly tied the bracelet on my wrist. My smallest bill was 20Q. He was unable to make change so instead, tried returning only 9Q.   “No, quince,”  I said. To which he replied, “No, cuesta 10Q.” His vendor neighbor interjected, “Es muy barato .” Yes, thank you for your unwanted opinion Mr. Co-conspirator. True, 10Q is very cheap – only a dollar and some small change. Not the point. For a split second I thought this could go ugly . But, I politely declined the purchase and thankfully got my 20Q back. Later, I passed a woman and child on the sidewalk. A pair of earrings caught my eye.   She eagerly gave me the pair and a mirror. I tried one on and asked her son, “Que piensas ?”   They both giggled. “ Muy bonita ,” he replied. She tried speaking to me in English. I appreciated the gesture. Without any pushing, I decided on a beaded necklace. “ Cuanto ?”   24Q/$3. Having made change by then, I handed over 30Q. She smiled and returned 6Q. I declined the change. It wasn’t that much, but that’s not the point.   I was glad that other guy didn’t get the sale. It’s all about scruples, my dear friend, scruples.