February 11, 2017 - Out With Friends

February 11, 2017

Out with Friends

I am going to combine two different events for this blog, because people I knew in the 80s are treating me as friends.  I like that and want to share my joy with you.  This was originally written sometime in September.

First, about two weeks ago, I get a text message from my former student Debbie.

“What are you doing?”

“Nothing.”

“Want to go see Ben Hur?”

Well of course I did!  I loved the 1959 movie with Charleton Heston and had been looking forward to the new version.  I figured with all the special effect capabilities we have now that this movie would be spectacular.

I took a taxi to the Hipermaxi (a big grocery store) on the Fourth Ring, so they would not have to drive all the way to my house.  From there we drove to the Ventura Mall, which is small by US standards, but as modern as any mall.  An American would be very comfortable there.

There are about 8 theaters in the cinema and those are as nice as any in Dallas.  One difference is they have sweet popcorn.  While eating it, I realized it tastes like Cracker Jacks.  After the movie, we had a nice sandwich at Subway.  Basically, the food court has many of the restaurants you are familiar with.

The movie?  Not as good as the 1959 version.  The message was diluted.  The graphics on the sea battle and chariot race were spectacular.  But little things bother me.  They have a woman wearing pants in 30AD!

My next event is dinner with the mom of one of my present students and her sister, Sandra and Andrea.  She was also my student back in the 80s.  While writing a poetry book in creative writing class, she introduced me to Pablo Neruda, one of the greatest poets of the 20th Century.  If I had stayed in Bolivia a few more years, I would have taught her sister.

They heard I had just published my book, so they invited me out to celebrate. They had prepared a nice meal for me at their house.  Her boys were spending the day with their dad, who I also taught.  I should have taken pictures!  The meal was fabulous.  They have a cooker that cooks meat on a platter, while little spoon-trays under the cooker melt cheese.  So we cooked bacon, to flavor the meat, and steak, and onions.  The cheese was to put on bread after it melted and stack the meat on top of that.  Yummy.

These two young ladies love to talk.  I find out so much about the history of their family.  It would make a good novel.  We also talk about books.  Sandra loves to read.  She says she averages 200 pages a day.  I think that is awesome.

These are just two reasons why I am loving being in Bolivia.  My friends treat me like family.

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