That's My Story

I DIDN’T KNOW THAT!

Originally published the week of Oct. 22, 2007 in Western Outdoor News

Whenever you go to another country or immerse in another culture even for a few days like on a fishing trip, there are certain things that you just would never know unless someone told you. This is even more true if they speak a language different than your own.

I’ve been down here almost 15 years now and there are so many things that I learn that I would never have figured out.

So, let’s me put some things under the category of “Did You Know?” Whether true or not, I’ve been told by enough of my local friends that there’s some validity to them. For instance…

When you drive down a Baja road and come up behind a slow driver. He puts on his LEFT turn signal. It blink and blinks. Drives you nuts. The first time this happened to me I was behind an old bus on some mountains roads south of Ensenada. I was cursing the driver, his relatives and his whole family lineage for making me think he was making a right turn. As I was to find out later, whenever the driver in front of you does that, it means, it’s OK to pass! Of course check to make sure, but it’s an awful nice gesture! I DIDN”T KNOW THAT!

This could well be urban myth, but when you drive through most Mexican cities, almost every building has re-bar sticking out of it. The whole suburban skyline looks like it has a punk rock haircut of rebar poking out of roofs and walls.

Well, I was told that you do not have to pay property tax on buildings until they are completed. As I understand, the re-bar poking out is evidence that your 50-year-old building still has a bit more construction coming. So, stay away Mr. Taxman. Never mind that the building was built when Pancho Villa rode the streets. They surely do intend to add a second story floor! Honest! An archaic law leads to a blighted skyline. I DIDN”T KNOW THAT!

Americans on vacation like to walk around without shirts. We go to markets. We walk in bars. We go right into restaurants. We like to show off our bodies-by-Bally Fitness. Or NOT. We have no problem pulling off ours shirts anytime, anyplace. Well, walking around shirtless in public places is right up there with walking down the street in a speedo. Just not done. It’s bad form. It’s bad manners. Americans are good at that. I DIDN’T KNOW THAT!

Speaking of bad manners here’s one that causes my local friends to chuckle a bit. When Americans gesture to someone to come over we loosely extend arm with our hands palm-up and motion towards ourselves by rapidly bending the fingers towards ourselves to say, “Come here!”Bruce Lee was famous for doing it before he nailed someone with a kick to the head.

Well, in Mexico, doing that gesture, especially with the right hand is the one you use for uh…sanitary purposes. It’s just not done among proper people. I got my first lesson when I was driving and gestured for someone at an intersection to give them the right-of-way. My passenger explained to me why the occupants of the other car were laughing at me.

The proper way isto partially extend your arm and to turn the palm down. Make a motion with the fingers bent towards you and pulled towards your palm like a cat pawing the litter box. I DIDN’T KNOW THAT!

Tipping is good. Tipping with American coins is worthless. Dropping a handful of quarters on your bellman at the hotel doesn’t do him any good. I know. I live in a hotel and whenever the staff gets coins, they come to me to give them paper money. I’m the Bank of Jonathan and because Mexican banks do not accept American coins, local merchants do not accept them so your bellman or taxi driver can’t do anything with it. You might as well have given him or her a rock. I DIDN’T KNOW THAT!

Finally…At the end of a great meal, Amercans tend to lean back, pat their tummies and say, “I’m full. “ (Estoy lleno.) In Mexico, I’m told that’s not quite right. The comment begs the question. Full of what? Gas? Should we exit the room? Are ya gonna blow?

You could get away with saying this after pounding down some bean burritos with the boys or your fishing captains, but best not said in mixed company or anyplace in Mexico where they have real napkins and a tablecloth.

The proper Ms Manners Mexico dining guest says, “I am satisfied” (Estoy satisfecho). Or, “That was tasty!” (Era muy sabrosa) while patting their tummies. I DIDN’T KNOW THAT!

I’ll pass on more in another column. Have a good week!

That’s my story. If you ever want to reach me, my e-mail is riplipboy@aol.com.