Monday, July 25, 2011

Texas and Back

The Monday night before I was supposed to be leaving to Montana with Brealynn and her family, I got a text from a company owner and he said he needed me in Texas pronto. So I came home, packed up my stuff, and was gone in a few hours. Ten hours and seven hundred miles later I arrive in Hereford, TX.

This was really an uneventful trip, with just a bunch of work and watching television in a hotel room. Thanks to Kevin passing quite a bit of work my way, it was a worthwhile trip. I tried to stay as late as possible so I could make as much as possible. I ended up finally heading out about five o'clock Friday night. I decided I had enough time to make a last minute trip to Mexico to pick up some medicine though, and that's where the excitement happened.



I pulled up to the Mexico border right at two in the morning. Now, the office had decided to close when I left and filled my car with tons of alarm equipment. And random things like Kevin's giant bin of brown rice. After a fairly thorough inspection, I was allowed to cross into Mexico. However the Mexican authorities thought even less of the contents of my car and informed me I would have to declare everything in my car. So. I drove back across the border, found a McDonald's parking lot, stuffed three hundred dollars in my pocket and started running. I crossed the border to find the weekend partiers spilling out of the clubs, some of them saying things but most just staring at this crazy gringo running through the streets of this border town.

Aiming for where I had believed this pharmacy to be I made a few turns, quickly finding myself lost in the dark, abandoned streets of Nogales. Now I am not someone who worries about my personal safety too much. Nor am I someone who gets nervous going down to Mexico. That being said, running past the three or four shady looking characters on the nearly empty streets made my heart beat a little faster than the jog already would have. I almost took a taxi, but instead asked two guys getting into their car where there pharmacy was located. They pointed me in the direction and my pursuit resumed. I had to stop and ask for directions from someone else shortly thereafter. Anyways. I didn't die. I finally found it. I got what I needed, gave a few bucks to someone else for helping me, and ran like mad for the border. I crossed without any problem and finally made it back to my car at a quarter to three. Though Google says this is a three hour and seven minute trip, I arrived a five o'clock on the nose. Whew. I showered and packed my things in fifteen minutes, and at five thirty I was at Brealynn's house. Fifteen minutes later we were in the car traveling a thousand miles to the north to my parents' house.

2 comments:

RC said...

The story of the midnightrun through Mexico sounds way scarier in writting then when you told me in person. The few things you left out when you told me in person was you were in Nogales, one of the worst border towns there are. Running through there with $300 in cash is nearly a death wish. I swear the thugs can SMELL that much cash. Doing this a few months before you get married also could cause one to consider your sanity (or intelligence). We were all glad to know you made it out in one piece. Please be more considerate of your family and almost wife before you do something like this again.

indeazgirl said...

Brad. a) I agree with dad b) I think it's hilarious that you talk about running across the border like this. I want to tell you to slow down so you don't get shot. Luckily, you're almost as tan as me, and you're running the wrong direction, so I guess you're ok. and c) You're such a good driver.