“Enjoy your adventure,” she said, drawing our stoop visit to a close.

Berthed in San Carlos Marina, Donna’s boat (S/V Magic Carpet) and Seamore Pacific are within touching distance.  We are neighbors, much like neighbors in the Bronx.  I suspect when she is under the weather, is having Magic Carpet detailed, and her husband is cleaning up the anchor locker.  She knows when my laundry is dry, I’m putting on my shoes to go for a run, or my husband is topping off our water tank.Two women separated by a generation, yet joined by an affection for cruising in Mexico.

On this particular day Captain Chameleon and I needed to go to Telcel in Guaymas to resolve why our Banda Ancha, after $400 pesos of recharge, was not working.  Having used the bus system the week prior, we were “pros” and looking forward to expanding our knowledge of the city.  Donna wished us some neighborly cheering as we set off to catch a bus to Guaymas.

What about our adventure in Guaymas?  Well, it didn’t go so great.  And, it is pretty much Jimmy Buffet’s undoing.  After visiting Telcel, dealing with empathetic sales associates, taking really deep breaths, mustering up tons of patience, and forking over another $400 pesos, we left with internet (and a New Year’s resolution to become proficient in Spanish).  Celebrating our good fortune to have internet and seeing the ‘golden arches’ just ahead, Captain Chameleon invited me to a lunch date at McDonalds.  Never afraid to dive into street tacos, quesadillas, and frijoles-a cheeseburger, fries,  and a Coke was something this sailor was salivating for.

A cheeseburger, a Big Mac… luscious salty fries…an ice cold Coke from a McDonald’s straw…pickles!!!! Just as I was about to shout out to all of Mexico that, “Heck yes I’m having lunch at McDonalds!!!”   Oily, dirty asphalt and a jolt of nauseous pain shoved Jimmy Buffet and Ronald McDonald off the stage.  Distraction by a cheeseburger in paradise from the golden arches had diverted my attention from a hole the size of a cow (ok, the size of a cake pan) in my path.  A split second later and lying flat on the ground, “enjoy your adventure” and “lettuce and tomato, and Heinz 57” were catapulted into the clouds like balloons cut loose from a child’s arm.  Now all I could think of, as I whimpered beside the cake pan shaped hole: “Oh darn, I’ve broken my ankle.”

Intermission Break

nautical window

nautical reflections

“You have to get up.  You are in the road and are going to get hit by a car.”  What I couldn’t do for myself, Good Samaritans did.  They lifted me to a safe curb and called an ambulance.  The few minutes it took for an ambulance, an overzealous security guard (just completing First Aid 101) ran to the scene and using both hands, was intent on straightening the fracture.

“NOOOOOOOOO!!!!!”  A collective shout came from the Good Samaritans, Captain Chameleon, and myself.  I felt bad for the guy, but thankful I’d escaped having my foot manually separated from my leg.

Then, the city of Guaymas came to a standstill….a policeman arrived, examined the ‘suspect’ ankle, made a call on the radio, and stopped traffic for the ambulance, with more policemen and lights joining the escapade.  Really, all of this attention for an ankle injury?  Feeling half stupid and half special, I took Donna’s advice to enjoy the adventure.

The ambulance arrived, ankle was splinted, patient lifted to a gurney, and with lights and sirens, transported to a hospital to the tune of Cheeseburger in Paradise in the adventurer’s head. 

To be continued…

Cheeseburger in Paradise video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jBsPZV14I-k