I’ve personally experienced this and while a little overwhelming at first, I don’t even see it anymore. I just walk right through the gauntlet and it doesn’t phase me. The biggest issue I had initially was feeling rude by not responding but I got over that pretty quickly. Lol
I've always said that I love Mexico because I have the freedom to get hit by a bus if I want to. That is to say, it's my responsibility to watch where I'm walking.
Personally, I like fewer regulations. Makes life more interesting, less predicable, more fun. A guy comes by the house here selling ice cream, another tamales, another pan dulce.
I was talking to a friend back in the states on the phone and told him about eating tamales. He said where'd you get them? Right outside the door. Getting on a plane, he said. :)
I remember the knives -sharpener guy passing by using his voice to alert us to his presence. My grandmother made paletas mixing water, sugar and colored anilina with (very likely) artificial flavors and freezing it in ice cube trays with a palito. I'd answer the door, deliver the merchandise and collect the .25 centavos. All my maternal relatives were merchants. Sadly, my entrepreneur gene did not get activated. But, I do have an idea to sell you!
A knife guy passes here once in a while. He blows some kind of high pitched whistle. Garbage guys come by, sometimes ring a large bell. The dogs go nuts. :)
I was afraid someone would call my bluff! (Chuckling). I reached into my bookshelves for the Pulitzer Prize winner book, The Overstory - a Novel by Richard Powers after an esteemed colleague mentioned "wishing to be like a tree" and referenced this book. I read a few pages of brilliant writing - my kind of metaphorical descriptions like "the air was raining messages". See! Just writing it chokes me up. Do I yearn for a message? More likely reading some of this book wakes up my own inspiration to write just like when I read your work, Victor, and your, too,Mike's. ; )
ps. door to door garbage collection! Let me add that to my wish list.
Not everybody here has garbage collection service. At the house I mean. Sounds weird as a former Seattle guy, but a lot of people carry their garbage to dumpsters and then the truck passes by to empty them. I did that for a few years, too, but now we're in one of the few parts of town where it's a little different.
And thanks for the book recco. I'll have to check it out.
I have a vague memory of being offered a free tequila shot while waiting for my suitcase. It was just one drink in case you are fixating on my memory loss. I delight in the Mexican creative entrepreneurial spirit particularly when recycling happens to create objects of art. I obtained a woman's purse covered in aluminum can ring pulls. I considered the purchase Karmic payment. I appreciate your balanced perspective when writing about Mexico and its cultural idiosyncrasies. I learned the meaning of "libertarian shameless corporate shill".
ps. Can you ask Substack to allow Grammarly into these discussions? God forbid I mispell a word or leek my Spanish grammatical syntax onto thiese holy ground.
I’ve personally experienced this and while a little overwhelming at first, I don’t even see it anymore. I just walk right through the gauntlet and it doesn’t phase me. The biggest issue I had initially was feeling rude by not responding but I got over that pretty quickly. Lol
I’m talking just about the airport time share gauntlet 😁
LOL - that's what I guessed you were talking about 😉. Thanks for the comment!
I've always said that I love Mexico because I have the freedom to get hit by a bus if I want to. That is to say, it's my responsibility to watch where I'm walking.
Personally, I like fewer regulations. Makes life more interesting, less predicable, more fun. A guy comes by the house here selling ice cream, another tamales, another pan dulce.
I was talking to a friend back in the states on the phone and told him about eating tamales. He said where'd you get them? Right outside the door. Getting on a plane, he said. :)
The fewer regulations thing resonates strongly with me as well, Victor. Thanks for the comment, and enjoy the tamales!
I remember the knives -sharpener guy passing by using his voice to alert us to his presence. My grandmother made paletas mixing water, sugar and colored anilina with (very likely) artificial flavors and freezing it in ice cube trays with a palito. I'd answer the door, deliver the merchandise and collect the .25 centavos. All my maternal relatives were merchants. Sadly, my entrepreneur gene did not get activated. But, I do have an idea to sell you!
A knife guy passes here once in a while. He blows some kind of high pitched whistle. Garbage guys come by, sometimes ring a large bell. The dogs go nuts. :)
Hope I can afford your idea Elva!
I was afraid someone would call my bluff! (Chuckling). I reached into my bookshelves for the Pulitzer Prize winner book, The Overstory - a Novel by Richard Powers after an esteemed colleague mentioned "wishing to be like a tree" and referenced this book. I read a few pages of brilliant writing - my kind of metaphorical descriptions like "the air was raining messages". See! Just writing it chokes me up. Do I yearn for a message? More likely reading some of this book wakes up my own inspiration to write just like when I read your work, Victor, and your, too,Mike's. ; )
ps. door to door garbage collection! Let me add that to my wish list.
And your comments inspire me to write more to see more of your comments 😃! The cycle of (writing) life...
Not everybody here has garbage collection service. At the house I mean. Sounds weird as a former Seattle guy, but a lot of people carry their garbage to dumpsters and then the truck passes by to empty them. I did that for a few years, too, but now we're in one of the few parts of town where it's a little different.
And thanks for the book recco. I'll have to check it out.
I have a vague memory of being offered a free tequila shot while waiting for my suitcase. It was just one drink in case you are fixating on my memory loss. I delight in the Mexican creative entrepreneurial spirit particularly when recycling happens to create objects of art. I obtained a woman's purse covered in aluminum can ring pulls. I considered the purchase Karmic payment. I appreciate your balanced perspective when writing about Mexico and its cultural idiosyncrasies. I learned the meaning of "libertarian shameless corporate shill".
ps. Can you ask Substack to allow Grammarly into these discussions? God forbid I mispell a word or leek my Spanish grammatical syntax onto thiese holy ground.
Ha ha - I'm afraid I have little sway over at Substack Corporate Shill land! I'll forgive your grammatical errors if you'll forgive mine.
And yes, the Mexican entrepreneurial spirit is lovely to see in action. Thanks for the comment!