La Noche Turca

I have been fortunate here to meet some wonderful people, even though I don't see them very often.  One of my favourites is Jorge, a waiter at the Blue who used to be an accountant but makes more money, has less stress and has more fun being a waiter.  He's near my age and his wife is expecting their second child.  He is very proud, as are all Mexican men I've discovered, of being able to father children.  It's like some strange badge of honour here.  There is a lot of it going on, as you'll know if you have read my other blogs about the propositions I receive weekly on baby-making. 

Jorge is cool and likes old rock and all interesting music and loves to talk about all kinds of stuff, philosophy, how things are different in other countries, how people are and what makes them tick.  We gab for hours at work when it's quiet.  He used to be an alcoholic and cocaine addict but you'd never know it now.  He seems so squeeky clean. 

Abdel is another fantastic person who I have the privilege of knowing.  We met on the street . . he passes by everyday and finally one night I was on my way to grab some tacos (because the Blue turned cheap and stopped feeding me dinner) and we met on the way and he came along.  He is French/Algerian, born in Paris and has been in Mexico for 15 years.  He has some incredible stories; used to play professional soccer for France, now he is a surfer and is an artist and now paints murals and works as a sometimes waiter.  He knows a thing or two about life and suffering.

It was just by coincidence that I told him about a Turkish Night that my friend David, manager at De Santos restaurant, right beside my work, invited me to.  He passed by while I was working the door last night. Because he's Algerien,  I told him how there will be a Turkish menu, and belly dancers.  He starts telling me about the person who is organizing this thing who his good friend Aisha who is the dancer in town that I have wanted to meet for so long now.  He didn't know I am a bellydancer; I just never got around to telling him.  He was shocked and phoned Aisha right away.  10 minutes later, it was just by coincidence that she was walking by the street we were on!  I got to meet her in person and we bonded right away.  Later she came back when I was eating my dinner and we gabbed for an hour. She's hosting a turkish workshop with, of course, a turkish dancer coming to instruct.  It's very expensive but I want to go and it's this weekend, with the big show being held on the Saturday evening at De Santos.

How cool is that?  All this time, my good friend Abdel is friends with the person who I most wanted to meet in town.  And I would never have known if my other good friend David, hadn't told me about the event.  It's a good thing, having friends.

All these coincidences . . . it is my last week of work, and I was miffed that I couldn't attend the whole bellydance workshop because I am working my last few days.  I got a call today from my manager telling me not to come to work because the immigration dept. is doing a search for illegal workers and if they find me, I could get hauled off to Guadalajara and deported, and of course the restaurant would get a fine.  So that's perfect.  Even though I am out 3 days pay, at least I can now attend the workshop and attend Noche Turka.  Even if its a lie because they don't want to pay me for three days and have already found someone else to replace me I don't really care!  Well, so much for a final send off from the Blue Shrimp. . .  I'm sort of going out with a whimper, but well, onto other bigger things!