Meet Carlos and Geronimo

On Tuesday, Terry and I were hanging around the house, and it was pretty darned hot so we had both the front and back doors open to catch whatever breeze we could. Mosquitos and moscas have not been as vicious as they had been in the weeks past. Maybe because the front door was open and maybe because it was obvious there was no screen door, but we heard a tap, tap, tap on the front gate. That's the Casa Kahanek doorbell ringing. Terry went to the door and I heard some exchanges in Spanish. Next thing I knew in walked Terry and his two new amigos. They introduced themselves as Carlos and Geronimo. Carlos is tall, thin, can't quit talking in his Spanglish, and his most identifying characteristic is the black patch worn over one eye...a patch just like Capt. Ron wore in the movie. I wanted to ask him; Hey! what happed to your eye? (Just like in the movie, but I didn't.) Geronimo was short, stocky, spoke no English, and he was el jefe. Geronimo knows how to build and Carlos knows how to speak some English - it is the cornerstone of their work relationship. Carlos and Geronimo build aluminum screen doors and it sure looked like we needed one. Then they realized we needed two. After dickering with them and getting them to lower the price some, Terry shook hands with them and the deal was sealed. They wanted to come back and do the job the following day, but we had already planned on going down to Progreso for cruise day so we asked if they could wait and come back Thursday. "Si, a los ocho en la manana".

We went to the beach on Thursday and had a great day. Lots to look at and we did as we said we would and after all the trips we have made to Progreso and all the exchanges and jokes we have made in talking with Antonio, and all the times we said we would buy a hamaca from him "one of these days", we did exactly that. He was very grateful for our purchase, and we now are going to do a favor for him. On our return trip back down here we are bringing him a pair of Nike tennis shoes in a Size 6. "It's a deal!"

Yesterday, we set the alarm sure to not oversleep. By 8 o'clock Terry had all the taping and prepwork completed, and I started painting living room walls. Sure enough, shortly after 8am Carlos and Geronimo show up. They have a backpack, but no supplies. Terry gave them part of the agreed upon price to go get supplies...not in a truck but walking around centro. Terry could have accompanied them, but he chose not to. As is customary around here, they left the backpack and whatever was in it here at the house as somewhat of an insurance policy that they weren't skipping out on us while they went shopping with a pretty good chunk of change given to them. Well, they were gone quite a long time. Terry and I didn't discuss it until later, but both of us had flashbacks to the gas tanque and the "bombero" hauling off our gas tanque. Carlos and Geronimo did show back up....with supplies. And they went to work. Well, Geronimo went to work and Carlos helped. They had to make several long trips back to get additional supplies, and maybe stopped off along the way for refreshments. One time they both left, and Carlos showed back up but said he had lost Geronimo. Several minutes later Geronimo hops off a city bus at the corner by the church and is ready to go back to work.

Geronimo, Terry and Carlos with the new screen door

I went to the local and new economica and bought them lunch. They appreaciated it, ate and then went back to work. We ended up eating their leftovers for dinner.
By 9pm we had two new screen doors. We were happy. They were happy, and they were happy we were happy. Terry gave them a reward for their hard work, and they got even happier. We celebrated our new screen doors with cocktails on the patio and had a toast to Terry's two new amigos - Carlos and Geronimo.