Randy needed to go to Algodones, Mexico to have his final tooth "done" so we tagged along. Algodones is a small border town that caters to American and Canadian dental needs and it's jammed. Sometimes it takes two hours to get back into the US. It's not uncommon for something that costs $3000 here to cost about $500 there.
Unidentified merchant with Deb, Randy and Phil.
The four or five square blocks are crammed with actual "hawkers" on the sidewalks hawking dentistry. It's kind of bizarre. Otherwise, every few steps someone is tugging at you to come into their little shop and buy stuff.
Huge billboards everywhere, this one in a restaurant, advertising dentists.
This one was a bit scary.
A bite to eat.
Randy is happy with his lovely smile.
In the line at the border control crossing, we saw many beautiful Wahakan people, many with small children, basically begging for us to buy stuff as we stood in line. It was so painful. In an otherwise lovely afternoon, this was a stark reminder of how privileged we are, even Randy as a "hobo" who lives on practically nothing here in the US. I bought trinkets, Randy a tooth, Phil food and beer. It was so easy for us. But it felt so, so sad at the end of the day to be the white Americans who get to eat and smile with a full set of teeth. And then I saw two puppies in the middle of the road who were obviously orphaned and homeless. That totally did me in. I threw them the few treats I had in my pocket to the puppies and gave the mothers with babies and musicians a couple of dollars. It felt like a pathetic effort.
Back "home" at the parking lot of the Paradise Casino in Yuma, living and sleeping in my car seems almost "normal" now, but as the wind whips up and the rain starts, it's so lovely to have my new friend Randy inviting me into his warm camper to hang out. So I am grateful for all my blessings, our "simple" and "modest" are other's palatial.
Heading to "Slab City" soon, stay tuned, that should be pretty wild.
Here's a preview.........
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