2006-09-12
Natures way of balancing things is beautiful...
Ahh, inspiration to write. I sit here, and simply can�t wait to fill the blank space.
But of course, I have nothing to write about� well, at least nothing that has anything to do with personal introspection, self-analysis and fool-hearty honesty. No� it�s a personal experience to relate, peppered (interspersed? Punctuated? No, punctuated is wrong� peppered) with a few semi-random thoughts / observations.
Semi-random thought / observation number 1� or should I say numero uno.
I�m in McAllen Tx. As far as I can tell from the short airport-to-hotel trip, if I fall to my left while walking the sidewalk heading east (pop quiz� would I be falling south, north, or neither? Answers at the end of this post� no peeking!!!), I�ll have crossed an international border. I find myself looking for English speakers. I haven�t heard ANYONE, save some of my fellow plane passengers, speak without a heavy Spanish-flavored accent.
To finally get to my point� we in America are so damned sheltered. Throughout the rest of the world (or most of it, anyway), people from other countries, speaking in odd-sounding accents, participating in odder still rituals and customs, are NOT an unusual sight. It�s taken as a law of nature that after one travels 8 hours in any single direction, the language will have changed� you�re in a different country! But we here in the USA share a unique experience that few in the rest of the world do� we live in a land mass that is truly enormous. And if you discount the occasional local dialect and recent immigrant, we all speak the same language (which, I might point out, leads to stagnant and less-than-sharp world views� we know of ourselves, and little of what happens outside our borders unless it affects us in a very direct manner).
Personal experience numbe� oops, numero uno� petty larceny.
I decided to taxi it instead of renting a car here in McAllen� everything is pretty close (ok, so they were OUT of cars� don�t detract from my story!). Upon landing, I head out to what passes as a hack stand� a short line of well-weathered cars (yes, I�m being generous in that description� both the adjective and the noun) painted to make the casual observer think of a taxi. As I head to the first car in line, I suddenly realize that I don�t have much cash on me. I ask if he�ll accept a credit card. �No Senor, sorry�. I glance back at the 2nd car in line, and I see the familiar decals of various credit cards stuck into the corner of the windshield. Cool! I head back, verify that he does indeed accept plastic, and climb in. I provide destination info, he proceeds to fumble with the meter� and when his hand leaves, it shows $9.00. We haven�t even left yet! Hell, for $9.00 I expect a kiss� or at least a grope! Wait� I�m straight� wrong, wrong metaphors!!!! I was in shock� how�s that?
I ask him about the $9.00� and he mumbles an apology, chuckles, and resets it to $7.00. I question that� hell, in New York, it starts at � that??? He assures me that $7.00 is correct. So� remembering my international taxi skills (always agree to the price BEFORE leaving the curb), I ask how much will the fare be to the hotel? Now I know that it isn�t THAT far away� he tells me $19-$20.
OMG!
It suddenly dawns on me� and I ask... how much if I pay cash? Oh, about $10.00. Upon hearing that, I opened the door and got out. He stays in his seat a moment, apparently surprised that I didn�t simply moan about it but still ride. Hell, I�ll walk back in, find an ATM and pay someone ELSE cash for the ride. I was furious� this guy was trying to rob me!
Semi-random thought / observation number 2
Why is it that the little work station desks that most hotels now provide in each room (with accompanying lamp / power outlet combo) always has an office chair where the up / down control DOESN�T WORK. It�s always in it�s lowest position, so that even the most average of stature person is sitting with the edge of the desk nipple-high, and their wrists seemingly sprouting from their shoulders while typing. Hell, as tall as I am, the desk is � way between belly button and nipples, and my knees are shaking hands with my shoulders. I think that every hotel property manager should be made to work at these desks day in and day out� a different room each day. Yeah� that�ll teach them!!!
Personal experience number 2 � Yin and Yang, or Nature Provides Balance
After getting cash out of the ATM, I headed back to the hack stand and told the original cab driver� I�ve got cash, lets go. He started the meter at $4.00. The total fare was under $8.00. He agreed that the other guy was charging way too much, and kept shaking his head and muttering �$20��.
As bad as the other guy was, this guy was cool. He was straight up, decent, and just trying to get through his day while making a living.
I love it when I see that nature balances things out�.
OH, almost forgot� the answer to the pop quiz is� I�d fall down (it�s appropriate to insert a collective groan here�).
t85225 at 6:20 p.m.
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