Wednesday, October 16th, 2013

I took my medicine at 9pm and then watched the Season 1, Episode 3 of Sleeper Cell.

I went to bed at 10:45, got up twice during the night and finally woke/got up at 6:45.  

The weather report for today is a high of 74 degrees with a 40% chance of rain and at this time it’s very overcast.

I left the apartment at 7:15 and caught the Circular 302 bus at 7:20.  I sat in one of the front seats because it was available and there is more legroom there.  When the bus driver made a quick stop a 500 peso coin (about 25 cents) rolled to the front and stopped right next to my foot.  My lucky day! 

(Actually it was someone else’s lucky day because later at the Flip Flop Sandwich Shop I gave it to a street person.)  Traffic was very heavy and for the first time I was on a bus that took side streets to get ahead of the traffic.

I got off the bus at Monterrey right at 8am.  While walking up the street I saw a small store that sells empanadas called Empanadismos (or something similar) that Bob later confirmed might be the one that’s supposed to have the best empanadas in town.  Just before I crossed the street from Parque Poblado there was a young man handing out free newspapers.  Again I declined to take one and this time he said “good morning” in English!  I returned the greeting and added “how are you”?  Silence!  

I was at the Flip Flop Sandwich Shop at 8:20 and ordered “The Hangover” which was 2 eggs scrambled, toast, 2 strips of bacon, home fries and 2 cups of coffee (free refills).  I decided to cut back on my coffee since I would be in the dentist chair for at least 90 minutes.  I asked Chris if anyone had found my travel toothbrush and he went in and brought it out wrapped in a napkin.

I left FFSS at 9:10 and was at the dentist by 9:30.  Just to be safe I used the restroom on the floor before I went in.  I asked my dentist how I could disinfect my toothbrush and he said to soak it in a solution of 50% bleach and 50% water.  He numbed the area near my top tooth but had a problem with the bottom tooth.  It appears I have a bruise where he would normally insert the needle so he had to use a different area.  But I still felt some pain in that area which reminded me of the old days before my dentist would use Novocain, and also Dustin Hoffman in the movie Marathon Man.  

I left the dentist at 11:10 and was across the street from the bus stop on Avenida Las Vegas by 11:25.  I just missed a bus but there was another one there within 5 minutes.  While I waited I watched a dog run an obstacle course in the adjoining university soccer field.  I was back at Exito by about noon.

I met Bob at the Tinto store and we talked for a while.  He paid me back the 100mil he had borrowed from me last week.  He was waiting for Patricia to finish her manicure and then he was going to take her to lunch (hers, not his).  He’s going to buy me (and his friend John) lunch at the Burger Bar at 3pm.

I was at the Burger Bar just before 3pm and Bob showed up a few minutes later with Patricia.  We waited about 30 minutes for his friend John Gomez to show up.  We all ordered burgers.  I ordered the American burger cooked medium and it comes with French fries.  It was still a little bloody and I would have normally sent it back to be cooked a little longer.  The bun was fresh but it had a slab of catsup and guacamole on it.  I removed it and added a little mustard.  The pickles on it are also of the sweet variety where I prefer dill slices.  It also came with 2 onion rings on it which I removed and ate separately.  

His friend John speaks English and Spanish fluently which was a big help with talking to Patricia.  The waiter spoke good English so we really didn’t need John's help with ordering.  About ¾ the way through my burger one of my crowns came out.  I’m glad I caught it right away without chewing, or worse yet swallowing, it.  I called my dentist and he told me to keep it clean and he gave me an emergency appointment for tomorrow morning at 9:15.

We finally left at 6pm which is about the latest I could handle because Beatriz is coming over at 7pm and we have to talk more about our relationship.