The power of electricity in my back yard.
About two months before, one of the electric posts that had been planted in the swamp, fell to the ground. No one seemed to be concerned about the long-term impact of downed wires and the strain on the remaining wires connecting Moroleón to La Yacata. About a month after that, someone cut and stole a large section of wire. This released the strain on the remaining wires, and they hung lower than ever over the highway. I mentioned my concern several times to our new president, but he didn’t have the time or the inclination to do anything about it. So finally, the wires over the highway were cut, possibly by a passing truck, which left the wires laying loose on either side of the road. So again, I told our new president that someone was going to steal them if we didn’t gather them up.
He called the electric company, who insisted there were no wires connecting Moroleón and La Yacata, but gave their permission in event that there were, he could gather them up. Then he hired a crew to remove and roll up the wires. My husband was the acting supervisor, making sure that those paid to collect didn’t steal any. Nearing the end of the first day, having collected from the crossroads to La Yacata, one of the albergue (rehab) people drove past. Then 10 minutes later, Chuchi drove past. Another 20 minutes later, the police came and demanded to see the workers permit. They didn’t have one, as the electric company said there were no wires. So the police hauled them to jail and left my husband to watch their truck. He called me and I called our new president to see if he could go out there and resolve the problem. He did and everything was hunky dory. The gathering of the wires went on.
It was a nice change to be able to call someone with the power and influence to solve these sorts of problems. As it always seemed us against them, I dubbed our new association president—tra-la-la the Super Prez!
The second day the workers started at the crossroads and went towards Moroleón. First el contratista showed up and told them they could not take the wire since La Yacata still owed him money. He named a debt of $70,000 pesos, a figure he refused to give us when he went to his office. The workers paid him no mind and he went off. Then Jesus showed up. He also said they did not have permission to remove the wires. This time the men got irate and told him he better be off or else. So he left, not one to risk life and limb.
So the wires, the future hope of La Yacata, was in large rolls stored in my backyard, where it still sits.
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Surviving Mexico 