I crossed the USA-Mexico border into Tijuana around 8:30AM.
I visited the symbol building which looked like a rainbow.
(Photo Credit: http://anakarenrodriguezcabralgrupo107.blogspot.jp/)
When I took pictures of that, someone patted my left shoulder behind me.
“Hey! Boy!” said the man who looked like Mario: Nitendo famous game character.
(Photo Credit: Nintendo)
He suggested that he took me around there.
I wondered for a little while whether he was a good guy.
But I believed and followed him.
That’s the way of my trip.
We went to several shops and took a rest at a restaurant.
We got ourselves each other.
Especially, he was 40 and I was 39,
so we gave a cheer for same generation.
“Do you like that woman?”
Mario started women’s looking rating.
I realize this kind of thing is common for men all over the world.
I’m the one who is reluctant to do this.
So I just said “OK” or “so-so”.
But Mario got little irritated, “Oh, Come on!! Tell me your type!!”
So, I sometimes said “Good!Good!” to make him feel better.
Finally, I got carried away and said “Excellent!”.
Mario grabbed my arm and took me to that lady.
He spoke to her in Spanish, probably “He likes you.”
She said to me “Gracias!” with a big smile and her hand on her cheek.
Me: “Mario, What’s your type?”
Mario: “Fxxking with 57 last week.”
Me: “57?” (How could you talk about such a thing in the middle of daylight.)
Mario: “57.”
Me: “You like an old woman?”
Mario: “No teeth, too good.”(He mimicked bXXw job.)
Me: “……” (You are pathetic.)
Mario asked me to go to his hotel.
Arriving at his room, Mario knocked the door and called someone’s name.
“Is there anyone else?” I had an unease premonition.
The door opened and a man came out in plain dark.
He looked like the bottom rung among mafia.
I shrank back, but Mario said “Don’t worry. My cousin.”.
I asked myself “Can I believe them? Robbed? Killed? Drug?”
But I’d like to see at a glance, no matter how dangerous and doubtful.
My curiosity beaten my anxiety and I got in.
The light turned on. The room had no window and was anything but small.
Mario made his cousin go shopping soon after.
Mario talked to me that I should pay attention to the Mexican police as crossing border.
He continued his story.
“Cops asked at least 5 questions. First, like this.
‘Hands up! On the wall! Legs Open!’
They snatched my purse and asked me how much money I have.
If it was wrong, they struck me with bars and questioned me more strictly.
They picked money after all, whether or not wrong.
I cut holes in jeans to hide money.
Wanna see?”
He started taking off his jeans.
(Damn! He might be a gay.) I raised my warnings.
But he picked money out of hole, so I was relieved.
“Wanna a hole?” said he and picked a tool with sharp at the end.
(Photo Credit: http://support-full.jp/blog/cat13/post-96.html)
(How could you have such a thing!!)
He said “Come on!Come on!”, while I fought back “Stop it!Stop it!”.
Althogh this fear was through, it was not the end.
Mario: “How much money do you have?”
Me: “What?”
Mario: “Told you. Need to know. Cops threaten you.”
Me: “I cannot understand.” (You give me too much threat.)
Mario: “Purse!!Purse!!”
Me: “No!!No!!”
But I finally handed my purse to him.
Mario “I count. $20,1,2,3…$10,1,2,3….
Too much. Cops suspect you come here for drugs.
Write down the number.
Forget? I count again.”
I got back my purse and felt relieved.
His cousin got back at that time.
I felt relieved, as I made sure he didn’t bring anyone.
Mario gave me an orange juice his cousin just got.
Although I felt a sense of unease about any drugs included,
I took a few sip to avoid any trouble by turning it down.
I had been keeping alert fully.
Fortunately, Mario suggested he took me to a boxing ring.
After leaving a boxing ring, we went to a bar.
Mario talked about boxing with his full knowledge.
I don’t know much about technical term, nor Mexican boxers.
I changed topic: Mil Mascaras who is a well-known Mexican wrestler.
Me: “By the way, I know Mil Mascaras.”
Mario: “You know Mil Mascaras? Hooray!! Why?”
Me: “He often fought in Japan in my childhood.”
For a while, we together did flying chop which has been Mil Mascaras’s most beloved attack.
Mario: “Go to beach.”
Me: “Beach? Far from here?”
Mario: “5 minutes taxi.”
Me: “…Umh.”
Mario: “Casino.”
Me: “I told you. I don’t like casino.”
Mario: “Near.”
At a casino, Mario started a game
which you could get scores by opening a same number next to displayed number.
He didn’t do well.
Mario: “Push it.”
Me: “No.”
Mario: “Push.Push.”
I pushed unwillingly. Then the screen glittered.
Mario: “Hooray!! 50 bucks!! You 25 bucks, Me 25 bucks. Right?”
Me: “OK.”
Mario: “Push again.”
Mario: “100 bucks!! Lucky man!! You get 50 bucks.”
Me: “OK. Is this number really US dollar? Not pessos?”
Mario: “US dollar. Give me 50 bucks.”
Me: “Why?No.No.”
Mario snatched my purse out of my pocket.
He turned to a sullen look.
Mario: “What? All of 20 daller has gone. Where?”
Me: “I’m a magician.”
I hidden all of 20 daller bills, while he looked away.
He picked five $10 bills out of my purse and went to a counter with unacceptable face.
He took his cousin and we started the game again.
Mario: “Got it!! 200 bucks!! Great!! You 100 bucks.”
Me: “OK.”
Mario: “400 buuuucks!! You and Me 150 bucks. He 100 bucks. Right?”
Me: “OK. But it’s time to leave. I’d like to go back to USA.”
Mario: “OK. You and he pay. Give me your camera. I’ll take your picture outside.”
I had no doubt for him at that time.
I was off guard enough to hand my camera to him.
After payment, I went out but couldn’t find Mario.
Although I was sure it was of no use to speak to his cousin who spoke only Spanish,
there was no choice to ask him.
Me: “Where is he?”
Cousin: “+*{}!#$%&()=-|”
Me: “…………”
I wondered he might be in a restroom.
But I couldn’t find him, as I went back to casino.
His cousin also vanished, when I went back to the entrance again.
“Oh! My Goodness!”
Although I looked over the way where I had passed through,
I couldn’t find them.
Even though I remembered vaguely the way to the hotel,
I quited to chase them because I had no gurantee of life this time.
Furthermore, I had no idea where I was.
It was more important to go back to USA than to get back my camera.
I looked around at every corner.
“RAINBOW!! I can see RAINBOW!!”
I felt getting wings on my feet.
milu's dream traveler 