January 7, 2007

We awoke on the third day of the year to heavy grey clouds and a steady drizzle. It followed what Snoopy would describe as, «a dark and stormy night». As luck would have it, that was the day on which I had to go to the Tribune’s new offices for the first time. I had been summoned to attend a meeting where certain of the board’s rather iffy policy changes would be discussed, clarified and -hopefully- settled. There was no way I would miss it
Armed with what I thought was a trustworthy map (after all, it took me a long time to find it, and I had paid good money for it), I set out on the trek I figured would take me anywhere from a half-hour to an hour. From the Colonia Emiliano Zapata to Lomas del Coapinole (where the streets on the map end, and the words SIERRA MADRE appear).
I had a full bottle of cool water, some chewing gum, and my cell phone. That should do.
Everything was fine until I turned onto Avenida Francisco Villa and began looking for the turn-off to head out into the wild, wet yonder. I thought I had worked out the easiest route prior to leaving the house, but boy, was I wrong! I ended up in a Colonia (neighborhood / suburb) called Ramblases. Definitely not where I wanted to be. I stopped two young ladies driving a pick-up truck and asked them for directions. I had to go back from whence I came and keep going along Francisco Villa. OK, so my shortest-distance-between-two-points route definitely wasn’t as smart as I thought.
As I retraced my steps (?), I had the opportunity to look around. «We’re not in Puerto Vallarta anymore, Toto,» I thought to myself. No, we were now in Mexico, the real quasi-rural Mexico. With hills and dales and unpaved, unmarked roads. Although it was overcast so I couldn’t gauge my direction according to the sun’s position, I still had that «feeling» as to where West was. So I kept going. Lots of happy people, hustle and bustle, myriad stores selling mops and brooms and plastic articles - and lots of broken-down cars abandoned on some rocks where their wheels once were.
I finally got to El Pitillal, Vallarta’s most highly-populated Colonia. And I even got to see the main square for the first time since it was turned into a parking garage. Not too bad looking. But then, my troubles started again. The streets are not marked around there and they’re all one-way. I asked a young lady police officer who was directing traffic if she could tell me where Revolución was. She had no clue. But she did have a walkie-talkie, so she radioed her superior. Turns out we were ON Revolución… she just didn’t know it. Now I had to follow the revolution all the way to Ecuador - the street, not the country. Problem is that I missed it because it wasn’t marked on the west side of the corner buildings. Had I been going in the opposite direction, I would have seen it - which I did after driving for a long time, stopping a taxi whose driver told me to turn around and go back.
Great. Now that I was on Ecuador, I had to keep going until I hit «21 de marzo». I’m not sure what great event happened on that particular day, nor in what year, but now I’ve got my work cut out for me: I want to check out a whole bunch of dates. I passed streets marking special days in February, two in May, June, September and October, all on the way to the two in March, the 18th and the 21st. Think about it, that was quite a trip: I passed through a whole bunch of South American and Central American countries, skipping over to Spain, Portugal, France and Italy - just to get to our new offices! But it was a quickie trip - all accomplished in one hour.
I must say, wow, what facilities they are! Every department of the company now has its own area: printing, administration, sales, editing, news, etc. Some even have their own little building, across a lovely little courtyard from the big main one. The print shop is nothing short of cavernous. It’s the only word to describe it. I know that once they receive their brand new imported printing machines, it won’t look so immense, but today it was huge!
By the way, I’ve been told that once these new machines are up and operating, the circulation of the Tribune should increase a whole lot, so that should be good news for all our readers who complain that they can’t find our little publication.
I should take this opportunity to thank all our readers who called and sent emails expressing their concern as to where some of my co-contributors and I had disappeared over the last couple of weeks. Not to worry, we’re all fine and we should all be back in next week’s issue, each with his or her own little bit of wisdom, humor, sarcasm, whatever… to share with us. It was just one of those snafus that tend to occur when new people are hired, and new policies are dictated. It’s a new year, we’re starting fresh, the wrinkles have been ironed out, everyone’s happy, and the universe is evolving as it should, I’m sure.
By the way, as I didn’t get to say this last week, I wish you, Dear Reader, and your entire family, a most Happy and Healthy New Year. I would like to close by sharing a message with you, which was sent to me by one of our readers - and which I immediately forwarded to my closest friends. I think it says it all. Thank you, Mark!
“I wish you Health...
So you may enjoy each day in comfort.
I wish you the Love of friends and family...
And Peace within your heart.
I wish you the Beauty of nature...
That you may enjoy the work of God.
I wish you Wisdom to choose priorities...
For those things that really matter in life.
I wish you Generosity so you may share...
All good things that come to you.
I wish you Happiness and Joy...
And Blessings for the New Year.
I wish you the best of everything...
That you so well deserve.
HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU AND YOURS!”
pvmom04@yahoo.com