taxicab confessions

back when i was riding in cabs multiple times a month, Nestor was my main man.  it seemed like he came to get me like 2/3 of the times-- maybe because i needed cabs at the same times during the week and from the same places in my neighborhood.  he even drove my parents and me to antigua once.  we got to know each other-- he asked about former teachers that he used to drive and we would talk about current events.  it was a good time to practice my spanish and he's so seriously salt-of-the-earth.  i think i saw him once after i co-bought a car-- he remembered driving me to a party at the british embassy house :)

well, we officially sold the car today; we are car-less after two years.  i had to call a cab to bring me to my doctor's appointment this afternoon, and guess who came!?  NESTOR!  we laughed when we recognized each other.  he remembered a lot about me after two years (scawy memory power, i was finally on the other end of it)-- and his family is doing fine, by the way.  i told him about my upcoming move to qatar, and he knew about the oil reserves and his eyes got wide when he mentioned all the money there. 

we made more small talk about life but as we were nearing my destination, he turned to me and stated solemnly, "estefania, how lucky and fortunate that you are leaving guatemala.  there's so much going on here.  it's so sad.  there are lots of bad things going on."

yup.  i am lucky.  this poor, blighted country + poor, blighted people.