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Hitch hiking is an excellent form of transportation. Free. Usually more comfortable than the bus. People who pick up hitchers are usually quite interesting. Did I mention free? I had only heard the vast tales of my father’s hitch hiking journeys back and forth across the US, before arriving in Mexico. Never before had I actually attempted it. Jessica and I hopped a bus for the first portion of our trip, Making it as far as Querretaro before braving the freeway. Upon arrival at the bus station, we spent of great deal of time looking for food that was without meat. Finally we settled for tortas(Mexico’s version of the panini) that while did not have any meat in them… had the distinct taste of pork. From there we made the short walk from the bus station, to the freeway. As soon as we made it up the onramp, we passed a man in a truck that had pulled over to rearrange his things in the back. We took perhaps another two hundred steps before getting out our “DF” sign. About 3 minutes later, the same man in the pickup with the things in the back, now neatly arranged and securely tied down, pulled over in front of us, and said he wasn’t going as far as Mexico city, but could get us a lot closer.
I don’t remember the guy’s name, but he was certainly a character. Nice enough, however, and certainly quite glad to give us a ride. He had previously lived in Montana for three years, as an illegal immigrant. His first job in Montana, was decapitating cows, in a slaughterhouse. I certainly believe it when I hear that illegal immigrants take the jobs that Estadunidenses(Americans) dont want. Upon his return to Mexico, he used the money he made in the US to start his own cleaning business, and is now reasonably well to do, by Mexican standards. At one point, the conversation moved to catholocism. He began to tell us how sure he is that the apocolypse is coming. Any day now, he said. Why are you so sure we asked. “Because the men are dressing like women, and the women are dressing like men” he told us. That is a sure sign of the apocolypse. Its in the bible, he says. We told him that the same thing was happening in the time of the Greeks, but he didn’t want to hear that. Our spot to get off came soon.
It wasn’t more than 5 minutes before we had our next ride. This one would take us as far as the outskirts of Mexico City. Still a long bus ride, and a couple of transfers on the Metro, to get back to the apartment. An 18 wheeler. Yellow. Our driver this time was certainly no perfect catholic. This guy didn’t speak any english, so I didn’t get a lot of the conversation, but it was certainly an enlightening one. He told us of the nature of Mexican machismo. He has been a truck driver for 25 years now. Hes got two kids, 18 and 20. Hes not married, but has a ‘main squeeze’. He also has 4 other girlfriends, none of which his main girl knows about. One of which is 19. He was quite open, and willing to answer any questions Jessica had. She was more than convinced that he is the exact model of every Mexican man. I know better. Are women treated in Mexico, with the same respect, courtesy, honesty and monogomy that they are in the US? No. However, not every man cheats on his girlfriend regularly. There are a great many faithful, respectful men. She didn’t want to hear that. When we finally got dropped off at our bus stop, it was a quiet ride back to the apartment.