Sunday, Dec 11, 2016

I took a walk along the river today. The sun was out in full and I like walking the trail that follows the river’s edge winding between all the trees lining the banks. On my way back today I stayed as long as I could close to the river’s edge. Usually, by this time on my walk back, I am walking on the more groomed path farther from the edge.

I was walking on a trail that was only a single foot-print wide and had to duck down to go under tree branches that arched over the river bank. As I was crouching through this area I walked upon this kid sitting in a large cut-out cave-like thing in the side of the bank. He had a small fire going. It startled the crap out of me.

I just said Buenas Tardes and kept moving. The kid looked like he was only about 13 but what the heck was he doing there? Was he homeless? It was a curious situation, and very unexpected as I was caught up in my own nature-zen moment. Of course I probably startled him even more…crazy gringo man combing the river banks.

We needed to make a run to Supermaxi and it was busy. I forgot Sundays seem to be the busy day in this store. The customers seemed to be an equal mix of gringos and Ecuadorians today. Some of the cashiers speak English. I always start off speaking in Spanish and when they can’t bear my poor language skills any longer I’m usually told by them, in English, I can speak English. I take that as a hint. 😉

The night was finished off with Kelly teaching us a new card game. It was a fun game called “Asshole”. Basically the two highest winners of each game become the President and Vice-President. The two lowest losers are the Vice-Asshole and Asshole.

What is interesting about this game is that the Asshole has to give his two best cards to the President and the President gives his two worst cards to the Asshole. The same exchange happens between the Vice-President and Vice-Asshole except only one card is exchanged. There is a social commentary in this game to me. When people are really disadvantaged, it is harder to climb out. People with many resources acquire even more resources to help them.

Unlike life however, this is a goofy card game where chance plays a greater role, and even the President can become the Asshole. Hmmm…maybe that is like life. 😉

Chau.