Tina's Mexico
Grupo AA
Rio Purificacion
But the season is passing. My neighbor and her lover left at sunset last night. I was one of the first vultures to hit the pickings in Marian's camp. Came away with a small heart-shaped basket, a black spaghetti strap frock that may fit Churpa or one of her pals and a black and white checked campesina apron, the kind I've always loved, complete with bib and pockets appliquéed with red flowers. Gringo leavings. I skipped the cosmetics and crates. I'll have enough to store myself.
Colin and Christie are leaving today. They have been two of my saving graces here at the beach, taking me fully into their life, embracing me on all levels of kindness and friendship, available, open. There are others here I have felt close with in the past that I would have expected to take me in, share their time with me, who really haven't. We just never can know who will be the angels in our road
Last week Colin got some of his AA buddies from nearby to come over for a meeting here on our beach. So one afternoon I walk down to Colin & Christie's brick bungalow and join three strangers and Colin in fellowship. This circle of men, honest about their addiction, humble in their struggle, brings me to that tearful cracked-open heart space I have been graced to live in so much of the last ten months. Colin has mentioned the previous meetings of "Grupo AA de Rio Purificacion", and when my turn comes I can't speak, because the tears well up remembering Steve was here and alive at those last gatherings. Sometimes we had our meetings sitting right in the river!
At last, though, I am able to talk about the serpent that peered up over my shoulder one day and whispered in my ear the rare temptation to drink, to celebrate Churpa's 21st birthday with a cocktail
"Mom, that's awesome," she said to me. "I'm flattered that you would consider it!" She added, "Do you really think if you took one drink you'd end up back where you were when you quit?
I told her I didn't know, but it wasn't worth the risk,
I worry, and Steve and I have both told her, that she is a genetic sitting duck for alcoholism, coming from stock with several generations of out-of-control drinkers on both sides of her family
But she has said to me, "Oh, Mom, I won't do it as crazy as you and Dad."
With age we may feel we've garnered some wisdom along with our battle wounds, but life's little irony is that nobody will listen. The plight of Cassandra.
I say how glad I am to have Christie and Colin on the beach. Until they got here I was virtually the only person on the beach who neither drinks nor smokes pot. There's a social gap created by my abstinence. They've filled that gap for me during their stay.
After Christie and Colin pack up their camp, and I wave them down the road,I feel the loss of their comforting, friendly presence.
And, lo and behold-- que milagro! -- dusk brings a familiar white VW van rolling up to camp. Lorena has pulled off a major coup and pried Carl out of Ajijic. The relay team has arrived!
....Continued with Popcorn
© by Tina Rosa, 1999-2002
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