Mexico is raw. 

Dusk urgency had us loading the van. 

Not a good plan to drive at night type urgency

I was to blame. I wouldn’t come in. 

The jungle, when lush, is amazing; it’s like a green canopy creating a tunnel as high as the highest truck that prunes it over the two lane highway.. 

We pulled through La Union and hit a checkpoint at the Troncones turn off. 

“Dude, we are next to a Pemex”

“Saw it, Fuck”

You can’t turn around and have them follow you. If they control the national petrol station… That’s not the Military. 

The Cartel monitors the highway because of business competition, not surf tourism, but that is not reassuring with automatic rifles and hard stares focused on your arrival to their open court. 

“CHEEEEECagO” was all he said. I was wearing a Bear hat. 

I took off my sunglasses and placed them of the brim of my hat, blocking the iconic “C” on my “lucky” Bear hat

We were searched and my new name was Cheeeeeecago. 

“¿Donde esta tu mota ?” 

“No fumar”

He didn’t believe me. We handed over our identification. Photocopies. We’ve been through this before, and there’s always money hidden inside the photo copies. 

The feeling of being shaken down never becomes normal because there is no normal on a jungle highway. 

Quick glance. Our “military” checkpoint did not issue military boots; they were all wearing tennis shoes. Not good. 

What would it take to acquire Military issue uniforms?  

The soldier in front of me with the assault rifle lingering much too close motioned to move over beyond the open door of our van. 

As I moved, the reflections of an approaching semi truck illuminated the highway canopy and headed southbound towards our location. 

That is when I noticed a sniper pad above us on the lush jungle headland and heard their whistles… They wanted us to move along.

Their target was arriving.   

The gun now faced me and his wide smile reminded me that he held the cards. 

“Vamanos CHEEEECAGO”

As he motioned for us to leave, he reached for my head and removed my sunglasses. He placed them on his face and smiled even wider…”Cheeeeeeeecgao”

We drove past the highway fire pits and guns and suddenly resumed our hunger

“You’re lucky he didn’t take your lucky Bears’ hat” was all Danny said. 

I thought he was reaching for my hat.