border CROSSING stories: PAY THE FEDERALES AND GET LOST

DE TIERRA BLANCA NADA

The group of 14 traveled by train or by bus, without any luggage, aiming to look and act like locals. They are split into small groups by the coyote, who would also give advise and pep talks to the group before each stop. The 14 trusted their well being to Coyote without question, even if they only met him the day they departed their country. If an unknown person approached any of them and quietly mentioned Coyote’s name, they instantly followed his instructions blindly and trusted their life to the coyote representative. For no one had any idea of who the coyote knew in this journey, but it was evident that the coyote had knowledge, contacts and means way beyond any of them.

Therefore, when Alicia received word to get off the train in the next stop at the Distrito Federal, she did not hesitate. Her instructions were to say if asked, she was a local from Tierra Blanca. So she exited the train, and tried to follow the rest of the pack. She soon realized she had nervously rushed ahead of the slower moving part of the group, and was behind the faster moving group ahead. She thought, I’m between both groups, better speed up and catch up with the lead group.

She heard someone say, Usted detengase, ordering her to stop. She ignored him twice, but he caught up and tapped her shoulder.

-Oiga, le estoy hablando! Sus documentos. De donde viene? He said as he stopped her cold. It was a Federal, she guessed because of his shiny shield.

-De Tierra Blaancaaaa, she replied trying to mimic the local accent as best she could. It was not good enough.

-Usted no viene de Tierra Blanca nada, usted viene de Honduras. Documentos ahora.

Just like that, Alicia was hopelessly trapped. Her accent had not been successful at all, she was not making it to second base with this Federal. Quietly but forcefully, he demanded her documents now.

-Es que yo no tengo papeles… she mumbled, as the rest of the group ahead continued their exit and avoided looking back at her. I have no papers.

-Como? Viaja sola ? Con quien anda? What?, alone? who is travelling with you?
Alicia thought, I’m going to left here, what am I going to do, no one is going to help me…Her ears were ringing, she was freezing and burning at the same time. Time stopped. At the same time, she became completely aware of the surroundings.

She did not replied in words, her eyes and lips pointed the Federal towards the second group as they continued on their way out of the station. She rolled her eyeballs once, twice, to make it clear without a word. The Federal caught on and quickly stopped three more of her group, those who had the misfortune of walking the slowest. It was her friend Alita, and a husband and wife couple that always walked together.

-Detenganse. Sus documentos ahora.

Alita found courage from who knows where, and instantly became the leader.

-No tenemos documentos, cuanto quiere?, How much? she said, instantly taking charge and becoming the lead negotiator. The Federal may have liked this, for he was alone and they were all in the center of a train station in the Distrito Federal no less, and surrounded by travelers oblivious to this incident. He looked at Alicia, who murmured –no tengo plata- as if hinting not to ask for too much. He looked at each, assessing the possibilities, looking for clues, and finally said,

-300 for todos. They looked at each other. Alita winked at Alicia.

-Y mas nadie nos va a detener? No tenemos plata para seguir pagando todo el camino! Alita said, in a no nonsense manner.

-300 y se me desaparecen antes de que cuente a tres, the federal said convincingly. After all, no one else had come to join the Federal. Without attracting attention, women quietly put their hands into their brassieres, and came up with the 300 in a second. Alita handed him a crumpled handful of bills, looking at his eyes.

-Se me pierden, ya. Get lost, now.

As the federal quietly instructed them to get lost, he also turned around as to lose sight of them faster. On cue, they turned and rushed towards the exit. Together they walked out without any idea which way to go, but in perfect coordination. Alicia just followed them instantly at each and every turn; they moved as if they were one.

Outside they slowed down a little as they distanced the station, in relief, then in disbelief. No one was more shocked than Alicia, who had seemingly just survived a Federal encounter, without any money or ransom. She had given away three of her friends, did they realize this as they negotiated payment of the bribe? To this day, Alicia feels she had no choice, she did what she had to do, she is without remorse.
Down the block, a guy runs to join them. Once he says the magic phrase –Coyote sent me, he watched the whole thing-, together they grab a taxi to the bus station. They catch a bus to the designated hotel, where the group of 14 meets again.
The mood is cautiously celebratory, everyone is too nervous to lay back, there is a long way in front of them all. In the large hotel room they eat together, shower and prepare to leave next day. The next stop, Guadalajara would be fortunately uneventful, just an overnight stop on the way to the important destination, Tijuana.

border CROSSING stories

Pages

Thursday, January 17, 2013

PAY THE FEDERALES AND GET LOST

DE TIERRA BLANCA NADA

RELATED VIDEO

RELATED READING

No comments:

Post a Comment