There are a lot of interesting people in the world, and I truly believe that everyone has a story. Cycling is fun, but the people I meet along the way are definitely an added bonus. When one of the locals starts talking, I learn about the dark corners of every small town. “Not many people know this,” they’ll say, looking from side to side, “but…”

 I learned about this phenomenon on our first day when we started talking to the owner of a small store. The proprietor, a middle-aged man with thinning blonde hair and a slight paunch, looked around to make sure no one was eavesdropping, and said, “There’s a guy I ain’t gonna say his name who comes around and sells wetbacks to the local farmers around here for a hunnert bucks each. Ever once in a while the Border Patrol comes in and scoops ‘em all up, puts ‘em on a bus, and takes ‘em back to Mexico.” He paused here for effect, and to look around again. “Funny thing is, them wetbacks beat the Border Patrol back to the States.” 

Later, he told the story of the drug dealer who landed his plane with two million dollars worth of cocaine and was immediately surrounded by “the cops,” but before they could capture him he just took off again. “He hain’t been seen since, and that ‘uz two-n-a-half years ago. His wife and kids disappeared too.”

Heart

3

Comment

0

Link

Log in to comment or reply