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Internet Across The World

I have been in Guatemala for a week and a half for a business conference.  I had originally planned to stay an extra week to go hiking and to Tikal to see the ruins, but being that I was in this darn walking cast, I decided not to stay.  Instead I changed my departure date and got the most readily available flight out of Guatemala back to San Diego. 

It’s entirely too early in the morning and all I want is a cup of coffee.  Central American countries have the best coffee in the world but right now I need something strong, with extra caffeine.  “Una taza de café con un tiro suplementario y salsa de carmel por favor” (one cup of coffee with an extra shot of espresso and carmel sauce please), I tell the girl behind the counter.

While the server is busy brewing my order behind the counter I graze my eyes over the pastries.  It is going to be a long flight and I haven’t eaten anything to soak up last nights festivities.  Unfortunately the pastries are swimming in flies and other random bugs.  “¿Quisiera usted una masa con esto?” (Would you like a pastry with that?)

Displaying my most unpleasant face and vigorously shaking my head I reply, “Uh no, no gracias.”  How could she even offer those pastries?  That display of insects is horrific!

She hands me my coffee and I quickly take a big swallow, choking back the nastiest coffee I have ever had in my life.  Great!  Now what?  Its 6:00 in the morning and I don’t have many other options.  Tossing that nastiness into the garbage, I figure I am forced to starve.  I make my way to my departure gate I sit down, pulling out my laptop.  I may as well try to get some work done considering I have two hours of waiting to board.  Sitting by myself in the corner I am very aware of being the minority here.  Spanish is spoken all around me and everyone has darker skin, that or they were especially tan Americans.  Glancing up from my laptop I spot three white guys approaching the waiting area.  They look to be my age, maybe a little bit older.  Two of them stand side by side and the one that follows catches my eye in a most unbelievable way.  His arm is slung high in a cast.  There are bandages with stitches hanging out across his forehead and he has the blackest, black eye I have ever seen in my life.  It is so black that his eye is barely open and what you can see of it is flaming red.  What were these guys thinking?  Stupid men, I think to myself.  They obviously came to Guatemala and got in a bar brawl.  They are lucky to be alive.  Fighting in a country like this?  Men and their testosterone can be so dangerous.  It’s the story I quickly arrange in my head.  Looking back down at my laptop when they notice me, I pretended to me deep in thought and chuckle to myself when I think of other scenarios that may have put this guy in this bad of shape. What if he tells me he fell off a mountain?  Now that would be ironic.

Boarding the plane the three guys are right behind me.  They joke back and forth, talking about heading back to LA where they have a layover.  I listen intently in a way that I hope doesn’t show I am being nosey.  It’s a long flight to LA but luckily I already know I’ll sleep through the whole thing.

Once in LA these same guys are behind me trying to clear customs.  They chat ferociously about their travels, laughing, slapping each other on the backs, being boys.  I turn slightly, smiling a bit then look back straight ahead.  It’s pretty obvious they got behind me in this line and I am intrigued by them in turn.  But I am also too chicken to start conversation just yet.  The guy that looks so beaten up taps me on the shoulder, “Hey, what happened to you?” he asks looking me up and down, pointing at my leg in the brace.

I laugh surprised.  “What happened to me?  Better question is what the hell happened to you?”  All three men laugh at my bluntness.  “No, really, what did happen to you?”

“Well you are never going to believe this actually.”  Try me I think to myself.  “I slipped and fell off a rock when we were white water rafting.  I lost my footing and went all the way down.”