Checkin' In: El Paso, TX

[thehefner]

There were a couple times in Vegas when I wished I knew how to do a Voice Post. Because man oh man, simple writing and photos just wouldn't suffice. Nor will they still when it comes time to spill the details. A different tactic may need to be taken.

Needless to say, the adventure has continued unabated. And yes, I dare say it now does meet TJ Dawe's qualifications for adventure: "An adventure isn't an adventure unless you reach a point where you seriously wonder if you'll come out of it alive." If I haven't thought exactly that, I've certainly come closer than I usually ever do in my life.

It'll take me another month to write the LJ posts covering what's happened this past week, not to mention the week still to come. I have experienced days where I'm content in the morning, ecstatic by noon, zonked by afternoon, joyous by evening, and sobbing by nightfall. Well, maybe that was just *one* day where I ran the full gamut, but throw good dashes of anger, frustration, loneliness, silliness, hyperness, zombiness, and just plain hungriness, and that should give you some idea of what this week's been like.

For now, I will say this, through: Juarez, Mexico, was scarier than the scariest dive bar in Vegas. Yes, for the record, I *did* earn my "Tom Waits/Charles Bukowski Citation for Daring While in the Pursuit of Drunkenness." Just wait'll I tell you about a fella by the name of Billy Bob...

Comments

[bitemetechie.livejournal.com]

If we were in the same room, this would be the point where I'd pat you on the head in a condescending but still affectionate manner and say, "It's sort of endearing how technologically inept you are. Much to teach you I have, young Skywalker."

Glad to know you're still alive. Not that I was worried or anything, 'cause that would just be irrational :P

[tompurdue.livejournal.com]

Shit, dude, Juarez scared the f*** out of me. I insisted we be out by nightfall.

[thehefner.livejournal.com]

My thoughts exactly. It was only afterward when I discovered the Duty Free store on the US side, with all its cheap, awesome booze that can only be purchased for export only. They said I could buy it, but it would mean going back in and out of Juarez.

Fuck it, I'll pay the extra fifteen bucks for the bottle of Absinthe when I get back. I'll even get to Delaware to get it tax-free. It just wasn't worth going back.

That said, I could see it being better if I was accompanied by a tough, Spanish-speaking friend. More than once I thought, "I NEED AN ADULT! I NEED AN ADULT!"

[tompurdue.livejournal.com]

It was the dentistry that got me. I remember many signs for dentists. My friend told me it was because the poor people of El Paso went there for unregulated, cheap dentistry.

I distinctly remember a sign, "1 to 32 teeth pulled, same price".

(In English, which tells you the target market. Ugh.)

I got the distinct "college party town" impression: the UTEP undergrads went there to get hammered.

[thehefner.livejournal.com]

Oh god. I didn't even *see* those.

Gordon made Mom call me up because he was afraid I'd get caught in drug war crossfire.

And just today, NPR had a piece about drug war violence, saying that something like 5,420 Mexicans have died over the past year, and one-third of that total was in Juarez alone.

[thehefner.livejournal.com]

Y'know, you're just SO setting yourself up for a serious mocking when I inevitably discover *you* being harmlessly inept about something.

[bitemetechie.livejournal.com]

Ah, but that statement assumes that there is some situation in which I suffer from crippling ineptitude. There is only one activity at which I do not excel--or can't at least bluff my way through. -theatrical gesturing- Bet you can't guess what it is!

[rosered2318.livejournal.com]

OMG - this trip is going to start a whole new slew of Hefner Monologues in and of itself.

[thehefner.livejournal.com]

Ohhhh, you ain't kiddin'. I realized early on that this was a book. Just wait, the big finale will incorporate about three or four different threads, and maybe go on for a couple posts. I'm definitely gonna put off tackling that big one for a month or two. I just hope you enjoy 'em when I get there!