Didn’t want to get up this morning …
Did have a brief but “productive” conversation with JT about skydiving though
Maybe he gets it – on some level (?)
The more I think about realities and truth and the minds ability to manipulate them the more I come to understand there may never be a resolution to what we are experiencing.
It is essential that we both understand that there can – and most often are – individual and different perceptions of the same event
We must at least respect the fact that we do not agree - but neither of us is necessarily wrong
He appears to have disconnected from me – especially concerning this situation
Relationships take two …
They take honest communication
They take trust
I cant do it by myself
He has to want it too
Namaste
The job site is quite
No activity in the kitchen or elsewhere
Megal arrives early ( 8 am )
He typically hasn’t been here until 10
Other than that – it is only us
Chilly today
The locals are in coats
Kenneth is in shorts ( and love’n it )
Vince just wants a “real breakfast”
LOL
These guys are pretty dang kool
At my perch I survey the horizon
0900
City smog eliminates any possibility of mountain views
No traffic below
No tennis players
There is a maintenance man sweeping the courts and tending to the foliage but that is all the activity I can observe
Its like the city is a mere shell of what it was during the week
I wonder where all the people go ?
I feel so “alone” ( isolated )
Reminds me of that movie “I am Legend” and I am sure there are several others … where the city is deserted except for the one survivor
Strange
Johnny is actually on a ladder in the kitchen but – if it weren’t for the visual I wouldn’t even know he is there
I have never seen him so quiet
The purple stuff is jacaranda
It is indigenous to the Central America / Caribbean area …
With everyone situated and no more requests for my services it is time to return to my book
Marty – get over here – I need you to flick this switch
Jarred from another dimension ( Oceania to be exact ) I dutifully go to the other room where I was instructed on how and what to do
The dining room
It is to my right.
Partitioned off from the kitchen area by a floor to ceiling smoke glass wall
Sparsely furnished it contains only an obviously particularly selected table and chairs and some various oriental artifacts I dated back to the Ming era
Not my taste but I could see how Mr Manzanilla would have chosen these
Minutes later – task complete – I returned to my book ( and Oceania )
WOW – 11 o clock
Where did the time go ?
Still no sign of any of the staff – other than Megal who shuffles quietly from one room to another.
I can hear Kenneth – occasionally – break into a chuckle – but this is so muted – and rare – I have been able to focus only on my book and its chilling images
I hear voices … outside, down below
The courts show some activity
There are people on the rooftops across the way
One is most definitely a labourer repairing a plaster wall.
The other appears to be an inhabitant as he is wandering around looking at all the plants
Perhaps he is watering them ?
I cannot tell from this distance
Johnny must hear the voices too as his concentration is broken and he descends from the ladder and wanders into the other room where I hear him inquire as to the status of the job
Vince replies and then translates to Spanish
I assume Megal is in the other room with them
Still no sign of Mr Manzanilla or any of the other staff
My tummy is churning
My back is stiff and sore
I wish I had internet
I hear the dog bark
Johnnys phone goes off
Whoever it was hung up on him
He asks me to monitor the phone …
Potty break and then to my trash rounds
Chilly has turned to breezy in the mechanical room
I attribute that to the fact that it is “open” with only a concrete grid wall between it and the outside world
Kenneth is in his glory
I don’t think Vince seems to mind one-way or the other
Me – I am down right COLD
I pick up the trash and remove myself from the area as quickly as possible
I f there is an air quality issue in the city those guys are exposed to it directly
Again – it doesn’t seem to be an issue to them
In fact – they seem to enjoy the fact that they are connected to the outside world
The sounds I can hear by only straining are loud and clearly audible from their vantage point
I suspect Vince can actually make out much of the conversations thought I equally suspect he is not conscious of it
Here Marty – take this
And this …
Marty – what are you doing – here – take this
After about two minutes – though it seemed much longer – all of his tools had been passed down thru the ceiling whole and placed in an orderly fashion of the cook top which had been covered in boarding, sheets and plastic wrap and made into a make shift operating table
In fact – I felt much like the surgical assistant – not knowing much about the procedures but enough about the tools to be that extra set of hands and of some help
I really would like to have access to a balcony now
I am getting claustrophobic
After noon ….
Megals passings become more pronounced
Dare I say – I am getting hungry
Should I even mention it to the guys
I can hear Vincente and Megal talking …
I am sure it is about food
Soon Tomas entres with a bag from Starbucks
He tells Vincente that they are all different kinds of sándwiches
Actually – two are the same as what we have had for the past three days but there are three other different ones
Johnny wants me to inspect and distribute making sure his has NO onions
What a project
I opened up all the wrappings
I tasted each one
Eventually – I assigned each member of the group their food
Johnnys phone rings
Its Rich
He wants to know if we have gone up on a load yet
I tell him we are in Mexico
He says it must be nice …
I remind him we are here working
He has no clue or recollection of our previous conversations
Can someone really be that ignorant?
Back to the task at hand
The sandwiches
Vincente was good – as long as the green staff was kept to a minimum
Kenneth loved the grilled veggie – which on the outsider looked ok – except for the black staff which I never did figure out what it was
The hustle and bustle in the kitchen was a welcome distraction
Even though the day seems to be going by quickly it is also ominously boring with the silence and lack of activity
Once the meal is finished everyone disbands
I clear the trash and go back to my writing
Actually – I stared out the window for a time until Vincente appeared and asked me if I wanted a soda.
No – I want Internet
Vincente mentions it to Megal
All at once he leaves the room and comes back with a smile
He requests of Mr Manzanilla to call his computer instructor and tell me the codes
If only I had known it was that easy …
NOT
After a twenty minute conversation and multiple tries I come to realize that even with the codes because of the thickness in the walls my computer will not network efficiently enough with Mr Manzanillas to make it a viable option
To top it all off the most annoying thing is happening with my word processor
For some unknown reason it is underlining almost everything and wanting to translate everything into Spanish even though I keep re setting it to English
Im telling you
Mexico City
Weird
I think it is going to be one of those days …
Oh – well – back to my book
I cant focus …
My stomach is making the strangest rumblings and sounds
I have terrible gas …
Oh no – I hope I don’t get the infamous Montezuma’s revenge?
Its after 3
Is this day ever gong to end ?
Justin called
He sounds distressed although when pressed he says only that he wants his Dad to give him a call
Across the way some children on the 7th floor balcony are playing “soccer”
All the rooftops show clear signs of an afternoon shower yet from where I am not a drop had been seen
The jacaranda glistens between the green foliages
Off in the distance – my mountains are barely but just visible
There is a slight patch of blue sky almost directly above me but it is not significant enough to say that the weather has in fact cleared ….
Im craving cookies
Tomas – for some strange reason is speaking very good and clear English today
I suspect he has more command of the language than we all know
He comes to visit with me
He shows me photos of his kids and girlfriend
We talk about skydiving
He wants to do it
He is planning to move to Arizona
Go figure
He offers to take me to the basement where there is a vending machine
Woo Hoo
Cookies !
Down the elevator we go
The garage if filled with high end vehicles
Across the way I spot the loot
As we approach I become aware of the fact that the packaging is all Spanish and most of the snacks are unrecognizable
I opt for the chocolate chip
They should be “safe”
Yummy
Almost 5
No sign of Johnny letting up though the guys have been ready to go for at least an hour
Burn out setting in …
Rain too
Dreary outside
A nice hot soak in the tub would be nice if we had one but there is only a shower at the hotel
If I knew then what I knew now I would not have been in such a hurry to switch rooms
We aren’t there long enough for me to enjoy the balcony so I should have kept the room with the tub
I think I can actually see the rain out the window
Not good
My highlighter has run dry
The trash can beside me STINKS
I hear laughter in the other room
Things are lightening up
Soon
I think we can leave
Soon
At 5:50 no one has made the gesture to break
This is getting ridiculous …
Even Mr Manzanilla – who passed thru the kitchen about three times in the last 15 minutes seems more than ready for us to leave
I know I am ready
That shower is calling me
I think I will just have room service tonight and let the guys do their thing
From the hall I hear Johnny ask if they are ready to call it a day
Amen
Im outta here
( after I make the trash run and pick up the tools )
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