My Security Guard

Mexicans are serious about their car protection.   More likely, nowhere is safe to leave your valuables.  Every parking lot has a security guard.  I walk less than 500 steps to my bus stop in the mornings and I pass two parking lot guards.  We have two men at the entrance to our privada (condo) who are guards and monitor who comes in and out.  There's one man on my route to work that I literally have to pass by.  I can cross the street early and avoid him, but that means I have to walk a bit on the street.  Drivers in Mexico are generally crazy, so I don't often choose that route!

I always try to say something, but I usually mumble it so I'm not a blatant gringa.  About two weeks ago, as I was coming home one day, he asked me if I were here studying.  I stopped and we talked for a bit.  I explained that I was teaching, that Yuri was in my school, where Tennessee was, etc.  I went on my merry way feeling better that we now at least had spoken to each other.  He always gave a friendly smile.  Today, I went to the Oxxo (obviously not a natural Spanish word with that double x!) to get a green tea (the chilled Lipton kind, light) and he stopped me again.  Someone had given him a bag of candy and goodies and he was showing it to me.  He told me to choose something.  I munched on my strawberry sandwich cookies all the way to the Oxxo, smiling.  It's funny because those are the things I'll remember.  There has already been more than one occasion where Mom reminds me of a story I've already told her or brings something up and I don't remember it.  But little insignificant things, like a man I pass by every day, will be the things most engrained in my brain when I leave (I sound like that date is a few weeks away...ha!).