Night of the Iguana

Tonio is a brother of Norma's. He currently lives in a small pueblo near Chapala with his wife, Lourdes and 5 kids. I first met Tonio a couple of years ago when he and 3 other uncles of Denise were in California working for Marc on construction jobs. He speaks little English but more than the rest of the work crew here in Armeria. After Marc and Denise arrived here in Armeria, Tonio came to work on the new house. Tonio is a good, talented worker and I like him.

Just before the Schroeder Fiesta, Marc paid for Lourdes and the kids to come to Armeria on the bus. They stayed in the new house, sharing the house with Marc, Denise, Catalina and Keone. After Marc, Denise, Catalina and Keone returned to California, Tonio and family started using the two beds in the house.

After a week, Lourdes and the kids returned to their home. I started using Marc and Denise's bed so Tonio and I became roommates in the new house. If you know anything about Mexicans, you know that for them to be away from their family is a major hardship for them.

A couple of days ago just before 5 PM, Sergio captured a green iguana that wandered into the driveway. Tonio wanted to keep it as a pet for his kids so he put it in a sack in the kitchen.

Norma and I went to the Hotel Fenix for drinks and some food. While at the Fenix I met Jordan’s dad and we had a talk about Mexico, Keone, etc. When we returned to the house, Tonio was gone so Norma and I had some time alone in the house. I went to sleep and sometime in the middle of the night, Chay, one of the other men on the work crew, and Tonio showed up at the front gate too drunk to figure out how to get in so I got up and let Tonio in.

I couldn't get back to sleep because Tonio was staggering around, banging into stuff and talking. I got up again and he had the iguana and was kissing it. After awhile he dropped the iguana and it escaped.

Finally shortly before dawn, he fell asleep. He managed to get up for work somehow.

While I'm on the subject of wildlife, I tell you about some other in the area. One night at dusk, in the living room, a bat zoomed in one window and out another. One day after a new load of sand was delivered, we killed about six scorpions. On neighbor's rooftops, we have seen large dark iguanas. I have mentioned before that there are now three geckos living in the house.

I think that almost every house has chickens so it is not easy to sleep in late with the roosters crowing. Last night there was another fiesta going on so the night was punctuated by fireworks explosions which got the dogs barking and the roosters crowing.

Tonio told me that Lourdes was sick maybe with appendicitis so he caught the bus and has returned home to his family.