To the US Embassy.
It’s that time of year.
Every year at this time I have to let the SSA know that nothing has changed in my life; I am still alive, and I’m still living in the same place.
I receive the form every year, around the 6th of July, noting that it was sent the 6th of June, and have until the 6th of August to complete, and return, the form to Pennsylvania.
Seriously?
As we’ve not mailed anything, much, to the US, we have no idea how long it takes to get a letter of such significance delivered to the appropriate authorities. Therefore, we make our annual pilgrimage to the Embassy, handing the form directly to the Embassy representative at the entrance of the Embassy building.
Last year it cost us $280MXN, total, for the round trip, via taxi, so I’ll include the cost this year, round trip, as a comparison.
This time we asked the driver if he would wait, and return us to our apartment, and told him we would pay him a bit more if he could/would wait a moment. All I had to do was hand in the forms to someone at the gate at the entrance to the Embassy.
As the intelligent man he was, he drove around the block, Ivan in the back seat, and came back for me as promised.
I have to tell you, though, that from the moment I gave the young lady our papers, I felt several moments of fear, and abandonment.
I went back to where Ivan, and the driver said they would be waiting but
They were gone.
They weren’t there.
They weren’t over there, across the street.
They were no where.
Where were they?
The driver said “we” were to meet him the next block over, turn left, and we’ll meet on that corner.
When I was standing there, I felt confused; which way was the way I was supposed to go? This block? The block over there?
Ivan wouldn’t leave me here, alone. He wouldn’t do that.
Calm yourself.
Ivan won’t leave you. He/they will come around the block soon, and find you.
They aren’t here because the policía said they needed to move from the spot, where they left you off, so that’s what they did. They drove around the block.
I walked to the area where they dropped me off, and waited where they could see me.
Within minutes, we saw each other.
It took less than 30 minutes to get home.
Until next time, stay happy, healthy, and safe. Wash, cover, and protect yourselves.
Post script: the taxi ride, with the wait, was, in reality, $158 MXN each direction; totaling $316MXN/$16.68USD. We parted ways having given him $400 MXN/$21 MXN. A good transaction done.