Sunday 24 September 2017

This is part one of a two part episode, involving El Gringo Viejo and his daughter's Father-in-law

Consuegro,

     We had thought that we could be back in communication earlier, but it seems that I am confounded at every turn.  We were hoping to be able to pick up more confinable information about San Miguel de Allende and Guanajuato....which finally, we have.  But, your communique' from the day before yesterday about being involved, as was I, with the activities surrounding the really big pair of earthquakes of 1985.   You recall probably that there were two massive quakes, one during the early morning (for Chilangos) of the first day, and then another about 26 hours later of only slightly lesser magnitude.   I remember clearly that the first estimates of intensity were almost all in the area of 9.1 or a little higher.  Over the years, for some reason, that measurement seems to have diminished to more "reasonable" impossible levels, such as 8.2 - 8.5 or thereabouts.   It was pretty well agreed that the second temblor was slightly less intense than the first.

     My arrival was on the train, in the morning of the day after the first shock.  Unbeknownst to those of us travelling on the train from Monterrey, the second event occurred about an hour before our arrival.    The train, EL REGIOMONTANO, normally arrived about 30 to 40 minutes late, but on this day, we went in about 90 to 100 minutes late.   Frankly, I was surprised that we were that timely.   I transferred over to the Hotel Emporio area, looking for any sign of the condition of that hotel on the Paseo de la Reforma.   That is when I managed to begin my search for the brother of the Bellman at the Hotel Ancira in Monterrey, who had given me a considerable amount of money to deliver to his brother, if possible.   It still astounds me that the first person I asked about being able to find Sr. So-an-So, just happened to be Sr. So-and-So.  I had to ask him if he could give me (a) the name of his brother in Monterrey and (b) his own telephone number and place of employment.   (It is best to include here that the Mexico City brother was adopted into the family and therefore had no resemblance to his Monterrey brother.   The Monterrey brother had told me about that)

     I delivered the money to the Hotel Emporio bellman - brother, and on my return to Monterrey later had to refuse a gratuity from the Monterrey brother for complying with my duty.   After walking away from the Hotel Emporio about four blocks I finally grabbed a cab to the Hotel Alameda where I had my reservations.  While paying the taxi-driver, the first taxi-driver honked from his place at the stop light in the mix of traffic, and I recognised him and waved.   The light changed and he came over, with a fare in the back, and said "If you need anything, just call this number and ask for "Roberto"....I told him that I was going to change and shower and find a bite to eat, and then it would be nice if he could stop at this same place at 15:00 hours, en punto, and give me a drive around the centre of the city.    He assured me he would be at the front door waiting.

    All those things transpired, and incredibly enough, at 15:00 hours, I presented myself at the front of the Hotel Aristos, briefcase in hand, and armed with a camera, of all things.   My driver arrived with almost exact precision.  I told him that it would be appreciated if we could go where crews were digging out and trying to locate survivors and casualties, and to the Nuevo Leon Condo federal housing project....where there were four very high, ugly, stylistic public housing / apartment buildings.   I think they were about 30 stories each.   One collapsed totally, with an estimated 2,000 people killed inside.   The others remained standing, with only minor, superficial damage. 

     Even after driving around for about three hours, stopping here and there to take pictures, and bear witness.....even helping to carry concrete blocks in the "block brigade" volunteer groups several times....it began to dawn on me that, in reality, 97% of the very centre of Mexico City, the worst hit part of the metropolis, was still intact.  Much was still functioning....water, electricity, even traffic lights and such.   As we made our way back to the Hotel Alameda, for instance, we came to a stop at the base of the Torre LatinoAmerica, the Empire State Building of Mexico so to speak.  It is about 44 stories of steel and glass, with another 600 feet of antennas and lighting on top, and since the mid-1950s until fairly recently, was the tallest building in Mexico and Latin America.  It has survived with essentially no damage, four very major earthquakes.
     While stopped, and waiting for a traffic light to change, I noticed a manila folder that had been Scotch-taped to the inside of a ground-floor heavy glass wall-window.    On the manila folder had been written "ANTES" (before).   The window had a small amount of damage, apparently from an errant automobile that had jumped the curb somehow and struck a glancing blow at the very thick glass.   My driver confirmed this, stating that it had been a collision between a motorcyclist and a "pesero" (jitney cab) three days before.    I thought it to be a noble thing that the staff of one of the tenants of the illustrious building felt moved to protect the honour of the "Old Girl".

 MY LAMENT:
     The problem with all of this is that upon return to Texas, I needed to talk to some folks who ran a nice little weekly newspaper a few miles from McAllen.  When I showed them the pictures of my "adventure in the ruins" of Mexico City, they asked me to write up an article about my observations and experiences.   I complied, and was awarded a few copies to take to family and friends.   The only thing wrong with all of that is I cannot find any copies here.   It is a real shame that I did not take better care of the copy.   Perhaps it will turn up some day....

To-morrow, the rest of the story.
DCN I
________________________