September 7, 2008
Well, by now I'm sure you've noticed the changes in the Tribune. Aside from the fact that its editor for the last seven years or so has quit, this column is no longer published in that publication.
I am posting this in Montreal, my former home town, where the weather is as crazy as always, if not more so. It was 32 degrees Centrigrade a couple of days ago and today it was a most uncomfortable, rainy 14 ! My friends tell me it was the worst summer they can remember... As I've said on numerous occasions, we've really screwed up this planet of ours.
I've only got one incident to share with you at this moment. It happened on my Mexicana flight up here, but I should give you a little forword first. The rear calipers on my little old Miata were killed by time ...and rust. So I called the Mazda dealer in Montreal, who told me I could get replacements for $100. each - a huge savings over the regular price, but only on one condition: I had to bring the old ones in. What the dealer did not tell me was that each weighed a zillion pounds. OK, so I put them in my carry-on bag so as not to pay for excess luggage at 5 dollars a gram... (I'm joking, of course.) I read all the rules on Mexicana's internet web site, so I knew that I could not put my bag in the overhead rack as it was superheavy, and could pose a danger if it should fall out. I had to put it under the seat in front of me but... it did not fit as I had chosen a window seat. So I pushed it in as far as it would go and hoped for the best.
The stewardess, or flight attendant as they are called nowadays, came by, saw the bag sticking out and told me, ordered me, to put it in the overhead bin. I told her it was super heavy and thus illegal to be stored up there. That's when she switched tone and using the same voice as that TelMex woman who lets us know when a line is busy (as if we didn't know), snapped "Then we're going to bring it down in the cargo hold!" Now remember, her colleague had just finished informing all the passengers over the PA system that "nothing heavy should be placed in the overhead bins"! I repeated that it was very heavy - and I'm not kidding here - to which she responded, "Don't worry. The plane is well built; it will support the weight." Sure, but the law says NO. She sends me one of those oh-so-pleasant "I am in charge here and you're not" looks, and repeats her threat to place it in the cargo hold.
No way, ma'am. That was not going to happen, not with my two calipers, my laptop and all my accessory cords in there, it wouldn't. So I had a nice gentleman help me heave it up into the bin ...and hoped that the door wouldn't open to let it fall out and onto an unsuspecting passenger's head.
So that was my experience with Mexicana this year, the only event I thought you might be interested in. The rest of the few days I've been here so far was devoted to family matters ...and eating, dining, enjoying all those little delicacies Montreal is renowned for, so I won't bore you with my kvelling over fresh croissants, real baguettes, freshly-picked blueberries and "peaches & cream" corn, strawberry rhubarb pie, 15% coffee cream, etc. etc.
I promise to let you know if anything funny or potentially interesting happens within the next while. In the meantime, if you're reading this in Puerto Vallarta, enjoy yourselves 'cause it really is paradise, folks - at least as far as the weather goes.
Take care, and hasta luego. Please note my new email address: sheis@ymail.com
posted by Anna Reisman @ 10:26 PM
1 Comments:
Perhaps you could explain, as best as possible, why the editor of the Tribune has quit. The editor did an excellent job especially as it relates to ferrating out certain establishments in PVR that were true tourist traps (like places at tops of hills that charge just for the drive up the hill).
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