Becoming a Writer – The Early Years, Trip to Celaya

Becoming a Writer – The Early Years, Trip to Celaya

One Sunday afternoon, Roselia and I decided to go to the movies
in the nearby city of Celaya. I drove the convertible, and on the
way back it got dark. Traffic was light, and we were tooling
along with the top down, enjoying the warm evening air. At the
entrance to the little town of Commonfort was a sharp turn to the
left and I slowed down. Suddenly in the headlights was a guy on a
bicycle weaving all over the road. He was obviously drunk, and
having trouble with his equilibrium. I had come almost to a
complete stop when he crashed into me knocking himself flying
onto the asphalt.

I got out of the car to help him, and as he sat up, there in the
road, a large pistol fell out of his waistband. We both scrambled
to grab it. I lost, and was sure he was going to shoot me in a
drunken rage, but he just tucked it back into his waistband.
Breathing a sigh of relief I noticed that another car had
stopped.

The other car was driven by a doctor. He and his family had gone
to the same movie that we had, and were returning to San Miguel.
The only reason they stopped was because they recognized the car.
The doctor later explained that in Mexico the police frequently
arrest everybody at the scene of an accident, investigating
afterwards. About that time the police arrived. The doctor, well
known in Commonfort, explained the situation, and the drunk, as it
turned out, off-duty cop that had hit me was hauled off to the hospital
in a paddy wagon.

I was pretty relieved, but was told by the police chief back at
the station house that my car was impounded, and that I should
come back in the morning to find out what was going to happen.
The doctor and his family made room for us in their car, and
kindly gave us a ride back to San Miguel.

Luckily I had bought Sanborns insurance when I crossed the border
so the following morning I called them. They arranged to have an
agent meet me at the hospital in Commonfort the next day. I was
pretty nervous that night and the next morning when I hopped a
bus to Commonfort.

The agent, sure enough, was already there with the police chief,
and they explained to the injured cop that I was a fine citizen
who stopped to help him when anyone else would have kept on
going. The insurance company paid for his hospital stay, and
repaired  his damaged bicycle, and we all went on our merry  way.
Thank You Sanborns!