GIMME SHELTER

There are quite a few hotels in Corozal; most of them charge in the

neighborhood of $100BZ a night. There used to be a very inexpensive one

called the Central Guest House, run by a Pakistani, but it closed down. So,

now, the most inexpensive is Marvirton's Guest House, run by Anthony Bradley

and his wife. Because of write-ups in _Rough Guide_ and _Lonely Planet_, it

is well patronized by backpackers and itinerant musicians like Tim and I,

and so that's where we stay. Upstairs, it's $40BZ a night for a double.

Two beds in a small room and the bath is across the hall. There are chairs

and a table outside on the balcony, and we buy a couple of Belikin's apiece

and a little cooler-sized bag of ice, and we've got Home Sweet Home, for the

nonce.

Tim takes the divorce papers over to Charlotte and starts negotiating a

property settlement. We start picking up my stuff, which is all stored in

the "backhaus" -- the two story house on the back of our old place. There

is a mountain of stuff to move, and we start storing it in Tony's back room

at Marvirton's.

I begin to track down old friends. All are glad (sometimes overjoyed) to

see me back, pleased to meet Tim, interested in what I'm going to do next.

(So am I!!) So much for the reports that I had lost all my friends. For

several years, a number of Gringos have had breakfast at Al's. Breakfast of

Brewed Coffee $1BZ, Fresh Squeezed Orange Juice $1, a breakfast burrito $2,

and fry jacks (fried pieces of flour tortilla) $1, is awesome. Eggs cost a

couple of dollah more. Inflation has not yet hit Al's.

At Al's, I meet Whitey, an ex-farmer and contractor from rural Iowa. He has

a couple of acres in San Antonio and is building a guest house there. We

need to get out of Tony's place and find a yard for Brutus, and so I check

out his place and negotiate a price of $300BZ a month for a 22-ft Winnebago

with a bed in the back and one over the driver that pulls down for Tim. It

is "cozy." It also feels safe, because Whitey has erected a 12-foot fence,

barbed wire on the top, clear around the place, except for the 10-ft high

gates. I will refer to it as "the compound" and Tim calls it "Gitmo" -- for

Guantanamo Bay, which it resembles. It only lacks roving attack dogs, but

we pick up Brutus and remedy that.

Brutus  is really glad to see me, and get the attention he deserves, 

but he misses his old home -- wherehe grew up for almost three years. 

Every time we leave he wants to go (back home) but two acres is inviting, 

and he soon owns the place. Later, after Tim leaves, he will become my 

"boon companion," eh? (A line from an unforgettable Daffy Duck cartoon.) 

He sleeps on the porch and barks at intruders in the night.

I feel pretty secure at the compound until Whitey tells me that unknown

neighbors scaled the gate and passed two bicycles over the fence. Can you

imagine? I can, and it quickly becomes apparent that amplifiers, accordions

and luggage, stored under the awning of the motor home, are not going to be

safe for long, even with Brutus patrolling the place. Also, my friends Tony

and Lester are aghast that I'm living in San Antonio. They won't go there. It is

pretty much a closed community, and Whitey is one of two Gringos living

there.

HOME (Be it ever so humble)

So, I start looking for a place to store my stuff, and I ask Lester about a

space for a shop down town. I could store my stuff in the back and put "RIX

FIX-IT" in the front. Lester, always my financial advisor, points out that

I could live in a sizeable house downtown with room for me, my stuff, and my

shop for less money. Also, commuting back and forth from San Antonio (about

a mile and a half) will run my gasoline bill 'way up. He knows about a big

place which he can get me for $450BZ, a block and a half north of Mike's

Spare Parts -- an easily recognizable land mark on the main road thru town.

It is WONDERFUL -- in a humble sort of way -- and so I rent it and Tim & I

start moving stuff in. My shop will be in the front bedroom. The middle

bedroom will be mine, with space for my computer, books and office. The

back bedroom will store some stuff, and become a spare bedroom for guests.

The living room is huge, at least 12 X 20, and I envision all my band

equipment set up permanently in the back, with chairs in the front so

friends can come over and listen as we rehearse. Room to teach music

students. A permanent home for my pedal steel guitar. Wednesday evenings

are reserved for itinerant preachers. ministers, and gospel singers!

The large back yard has one each grapefruit, orange, lime, mango, soursap,

and a couple of different avocado trees. Banana trees, loaded with bananas!

A sort of zinc-covered ramada to dry my clothes. One side of the house has

a big carport with room for both the Scout and Betsy. I hafta add a gate on

the other side, and it's home for Brutus. Tim says "Dad, I had my doubts,

but it's clear that the Lord wants you to be in Corozal."

The address is 15 8th Avenue, and I need to build a mailbox and get a

phone. I'll let you know what the number is. 

Afterward:  The number is 501-402-0300.  Pix upcoming. 

Rick Z.

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