Friday and Saturday were a blur of Power Point presentations, interrupted with too short breaks, leaving the conference rooms bumping into little old ladies with oxygen tanks in one hand and cigarettes in the other

Sundat morning at 0645, in advance of the 0830 start, Evelio picks me up in the shuttle bus "for breakfast".
Yes, back to the Cuban pastry shop for Cuban coffee.
And ???? Proserpina?

We arrive at 0710 to see Ipolita there, as always, working away near her lit votive light with the picture of the Virgin Mary on it.

"Poor woman! Working all alone on a Sunday!" says Evelio, just to get an answer as we enter.

" No not alone" Our hearts jump

" My sister is in the back." Our hearts fall.
" I am just surprised that your daughter didn't offer to help...." I started.

" Well she would, but today, is Mass, then everyone goes to the pool party."

Yippee! things are looking up. Maybe we'll get an invite for lunch!

" But that's only for the membrs of her class."

"Her class?" I ask.

" Yes" says mom very proudly. "Proserpina is a junior in high school. She will be the first to graduate in our family in an American school"

Neither Evelio nor I loook at each other, but we have the same sinking feeling. It's the J-word in Nevada.

Jailbait.

"Well, I'm sure she will graduate, and be successful."

"We are very proud of her. Well, here -- time for coffee and postres." A plate goes in front of us and Evelio and I eat silently, presumably enraptured by the food. Well, they WERE good, but that's not why we were so quiet.

We excuse ourselves and Evelio tells Ipolita that I have to work today, so we must be off. I thank Ipolita and hand her a ten for the food. She says I only owe her 6. "Put the rest in the box at church" I suggest. She smiles at the idea, and we start to leave.

We get close to the door and I suddenly hear Ipolita say "Wait!" We freeze, like the cops have caught us. Then she yells: " HERMANA! VEN AQUI!"

"I want you to meet my sister Valencia."

Hmm, this could go either way, might not be bad.

It was sure different.

Out steps a very petite, almost delicate lady about 40, with very dark eyes, short pixie-like hair, small frame

and the biggest nose I have ever seen in my life.

We introduce ourselves, say mucho gusto, explain that I must leave and we wave bye-bye as we go through the door. The ladies are all smiles.

In the bus we say nothing until we are out on the highway back to the hotel.

Evelio breaks the silence.

" Oye muchacho, someone in that family had a midnight meeting with an Amazon parrot!" Then he breaks out in laughter.

I don't know what to say and Evelio keeps laughing at his joke for the next 2 miles.

We part company at the door; he goes to the casino, I'm back at the conference room/salt mine.

Life continues thusly, with several breaks and plaintive people asking me to call people up and fix things for them, until I escape to the security and quiet of the men's room stall.

More to come in the wrap-up

__________________
Strelnik
Invest in America: Buy a Congressman!

1950 170SD
1951 Citroen 11BN
1953 Citroen 11BNF limo
1953 220a project
1959 180D
1960 190D
1960 Borgward Isabella TS 2dr
1983 240D daily driver
1983 380SL
1990 350SDL daily driver alt
3 x Citroen DS21M, down from 5
3 x Citroen 2CV, down from 6

Sounds like no melons for Nik !!!!!!

Seen the nurse lately??

Hope you didnt put all your melons in one basket !!!

How does that saying go? 'a melon in the hand is worth 2 years in jail !!!!!'

__________________
Grumpy Old Diesel Owners Club group

I no longer question authority, I annoy authority. More effect, less effort....

1967 230-6 auto parts car. rust bucket.
1980 300D now parts car 800k miles
1984 300D 500k miles
1987 250td 160k miles English import
2001 jeep turbo diesel 130k miles
1998 jeep tdi ~ followed me home. Needs a turbo.
1968 Ford F750 truck. 6-354 diesel conversion.
Other toys ~J.D.,Cat & GM ~ mainly earth moving

It's odd, not trying to be critical, but one of the hottest and sweetest ladies I ever knew had a really large scnozzola. Damn, I wish I knew where she was.

__________________
1986 300SDL, 362K
1984 300D, 138K

One of the funniest post I've read recently keep them coming please.

__________________
Vivere senza rimpianti



Despite the cost of living, have you noticed how popular it remains?

As the French say " La verite depasse souvent les contes..." Truth is stranger than fiction.

__________________
Strelnik
Invest in America: Buy a Congressman!

1950 170SD
1951 Citroen 11BN
1953 Citroen 11BNF limo
1953 220a project
1959 180D
1960 190D
1960 Borgward Isabella TS 2dr
1983 240D daily driver
1983 380SL
1990 350SDL daily driver alt
3 x Citroen DS21M, down from 5
3 x Citroen 2CV, down from 6

"Oui bien sûr, mais la vérité est drôle comme l'enfer" yes of course, but the truth is funny as hell

__________________
Vivere senza rimpianti



Despite the cost of living, have you noticed how popular it remains?

I’m sorry but that word-for-word translation doesn’t exist in French.
You might say “rigolo comme tout” or “ C’est une drôle d’histoire” or “ça me fait rigoler” but sadly, our rendition doesn’t work.
I am on a Peach Parts-like website in France for Citroëns and I understand what the Merkins say when they try the word-for-word translation in their posts . The French send back a giant “HUH?”. Or at least the more polite ones do. There’s one self-styled big important guy in the Cit community in the US who fancies himself the be-all-and-know-all, they shut him down repeatedly on the French website just like I would expect the members of this group to do, with a snotty foreigner.
The real be-all—and-know-all was an American named Don aka “ Red “ Dellinger who operated a Citroën dealership, spoke fluent French and was as nice as this guy is snobbish. I knew Red for years before he died and helped find the history and service records of his uncle who was killed during the Battle of the Bulge.
And so it goes.

__________________
Strelnik
Invest in America: Buy a Congressman!

1950 170SD
1951 Citroen 11BN
1953 Citroen 11BNF limo
1953 220a project
1959 180D
1960 190D
1960 Borgward Isabella TS 2dr
1983 240D daily driver
1983 380SL
1990 350SDL daily driver alt
3 x Citroen DS21M, down from 5
3 x Citroen 2CV, down from 6

I don't even come close to speak French, it was Google translation services fault

On a serious note, I still think that your writing style is fantastic and I really enjoy reading your LV story, can't wait for the next chapter.

__________________
Vivere senza rimpianti



Despite the cost of living, have you noticed how popular it remains?

Thank you, kind sir.

I have been studying and speaking French for 47 years so I do have a little bit of a handle on the language after gradumacating from one of their universities too. (Poitiers- a very nice town).

The writing style I learned because in my French studies, we were required as foreigners to write stories in various styles.

Like assignments in an English class where you might be told to write a story in a Hemingway telegraphic style, versus a Somerset Maugham multi-clause style.

Once we were taught how to identify distinctive traits of style, it was easy to transfer that skill to English.

It was a great education there. Went to cooking school as well, and learned to identify the distinctive traits of the female form, too.....

Now you know why the guys spend so much time drinking coffee in outside cafes...

__________________
Strelnik
Invest in America: Buy a Congressman!

1950 170SD
1951 Citroen 11BN
1953 Citroen 11BNF limo
1953 220a project
1959 180D
1960 190D
1960 Borgward Isabella TS 2dr
1983 240D daily driver
1983 380SL
1990 350SDL daily driver alt
3 x Citroen DS21M, down from 5
3 x Citroen 2CV, down from 6

I don't need any explanation on that considering the fact that I am Italian and I mean ITALIAN, not American with Italian roots

Un italiano vero

__________________
Vivere senza rimpianti



Despite the cost of living, have you noticed how popular it remains?

My French is a bit rusty, but I will give it a whack....

Je parle un peu de français.... (Dont beat me too bad, its been 6+ years since I spoke French...)


Strelnik, your stories are fantastic. They have peaked my interest, and sparked my imagination...

When will we get the next installment? I am eagerly awaiting it!

__________________
-Justin

91 560 SEC AMG - other dogs dd
01 Honda S2000 - dogs dd
07 MB ML320 CDI - dd
16 Lexus IS250 - wifes dd

it's automatic.

So you really got flashed by that young thang? Wowzer! Glad you didn't take a pic! Great read nonethless.

__________________
'07 Yukon 2500
'13 Subaru Outback 3.6R
'13 Orbea Carpe 9-speed

Currently Benzless
Formerly: 300TD, S600, E55, 560SEL

---= The forest breathes, listen.
-Native American elder