Cruisin' across the city to the other end of town, to Palermo, to have a Friday night group dinner at the Armenian Cultural Center, I notice the blanket flashes of lightning way down the street up towards the North. Summer has passed and when we exit the restaurant a few hours later, stuffed beyond belief - top notch food served in an auditorium family style - its rainy; steadily and warmly, a refreshingly humid rain.
Ethan and I both fly out of BA on Monday, both through Miami - the gateway to Latin America. He's headed on to NYC and I go back for two weeks to see friends and family in California before heading back to Buenos Aires in mid May. But I must say, the three day road trip while back home from May 5-7 to Humboldt County, Eureka to be more specific, to see my ex-roommate, ex-boss, ex-navy disordinance diver (READ - trained with the SEALS) and close, close friend step into the Octagon Cage for his first professional Mixed Martial Arts fighting debut, is really what I'm looking forward to. It's like the Super Dave story, an ongoing saga that's part of a larger syndrome. I've shot one fight story before (http://www.grphoto.net/cgi-bin/ICPro/showThumb.cgi?group=ufc_fight_club) and it left a definite impression in my mind when the guy I was covering lost. But FLETCHMONSTER is at the peak of his physical fight career and has what it takes upstairs to win. (You can read more about his preparation for his fight next weekend on his blog www.fletchmonster.blogspot.com or by clicking on the FletchMonster link at the top right link section of this blog.) We all wish you zen concentration and Master Ninja Warrior strength as you take this guy out!
Meanwhile, back in Buenos Aires my favorite expression in Spanish, or Castellano as it is pronounced here, still is 'es diferente', because Argentina really is different, even today after six months. And I still love it... a city that is alive, full of talk and walk and sit and listen and learn and to be alive. My other favorite expression, especially with my brethren taxi drivers is 'Nosotros tenemos plata sin vida y Uds. tienen vida sin plata', which roughly translates to 'We have money and no life and you have life with no money', which in many aspects is true. Consumerism naturally consumes North America, the United States, us, who we call Americans. But when you don't have any money, those choices don't exist, and you're forced to focus on other things... like your family and your friends and drinking mate in the park (which is about the cheapest thing in the world to do) and enjoying the weather - watching summer leave and to welcome the fall.
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11 comments:
I'd love to come with you guys to see the Fletch show in Humbo... but I don't have any money... you think you could borrow some for me from one of those cab drivers?
I'm sure spears knows a couple of taxi drivers, otherwise Steele or Super Dave can conver, I'm sure.
Well where's my money then?
And this "no life" of mine sure is beautiful, tragic, absurd, glorious and difficult for being "no life."
Then congrats to you!
And ask Bush about your money..
Well, the thing is its just a saying 'vida sin plata'. But even though some of don't have the big bucks, we have the opportunity to make the big bucks... thatt's what compells most Americans that I know. Stability - the thrid house, a newer car, bigger TV... Here, it's like Pura Vida, or Pure Life... and BTW ask Bush why he doesn't celebrate today, May 1 - International Worker's Day like the rest of the world? Shows where his priorities (or lack there of) really are.
And yes, dear Social Worker... we know you have a beautiful life and such; wife, kids, friends. It's just the part about having not enough money to live the kind of lives we've always dreamed about... where things move slower, the kids watch less TV, there's a beach and soem good surf close by... there's time to hang out and eat and drink with your friends till 5am on a Monday... that's the difference, Argentine style.
Well said my friend.. You´re so cool and intelligent..
I don't know George Bush, anonymous, and have nothing to do with him, and wouldn't speak to him if I could. I'm a fellow human being and would prefer not to be known by some arbitrary word signifying a national identity I don't want. I'm a citizen of the world. Happy May Day, power to the people.
Hey GR, there's surf in B.A.?!
And Goyo, can't wait to see you, my brother...
My mistake.. I think all of Americans think the same way, but I'm wrong. I apologize.
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