Man: So, a young guy like yourself; what did you do down here all week?
Craig: Well, I went out to eat with some of my coworkers mostly and spent a lot of time in my hotel room reading.
Man: You didn't get to the clubs downtown?!??
Craig: No, we've been working pretty hard down here all week.
Man: Well when you work hard you gotta play harder. At least that's what I say.
Craig: (fake chuckling) You are right most of the time, but I figure there is a lot of trouble to be had down here. One of the things top on my list to not do on a business trip is get arrested in Mexico. I mean I figure US jails are bad, but Mexican jails have to be terrifying.
Man: You gotta know where you are going and who you are going with. You can't leave Mexico without checking out the gentleman's clubs.
Craig: (a little more forcefully) I think I can and I probably will. Plus if you have seen one strip club you have seen them all. They are naked women.
Man: Oh shoot, man, you have no idea what I am talking about. These aren't the type of places with dance floors, stages and poles. They are real clean and stuff, but the women just sit in a room downstairs, you choose which one you like and you sit next to her. Then for 2000 pesos (about $200 American) you can go up to a room with 'em. They are real nice rooms with showers and toilets and stuff. You get an hour to do whatever you want with em. They knock after about 50 minutes to give you time to “clean up.” (he did the damn quotes in the air thing again as he laughed)
By this point, he was laughing after every sentence, probably because I wasn't responding very much and he had to do something to fill up the air that was left vacant by my lack of speech. All the while, I was doing an Oscar-worthy acting job so that he didn't detect just how appalled I was by him. I am no angel. I have done plenty of bad things in my life, but I suspect this man is the scummiest of all scum in the history of the world. Lots have people have done worse, but think about it. This guy comes from one of the richest cultures in the world, to a country that is getting started in its economic development.
Article comments
1 - Dawn
Man that was really sad and well told. The two times I have visited Mexico I really liked the people a lot. While I was certainly in a tourist zone, we did all we could to absorb the local flavor and understand more about their "real" culture. I agree with you about the Mexican desire to work hard and raise their sights.
That guy you met is dispicable and grotesque, but Craig men try to get away with that crap in this country too. Most women are too smart to fall for it, but some aren't.
In this case, he was truly lazy and taking advantage of people seeking to better themselves and their families.
He should be shot.
2 - Craig Lyndall
Thanks Dawn.
This was the kind of conversation where you think for two hours about all the things you woulda/coulda/shoulda said, but ultimately, this wasn't the kind of guy and/or circumstances I wanted to mess with.