hold the colada

One of the great joys in life is encountering the unexpected.

And Mexico is a master conjurer. You never know what is going to pop out of the sombrero. It could be life-altering. Or merely a tiny jewel to share for the moment.

The latter type showed up this morning for a minute or two.

I was driving to Melaque to have breakfast at one of my usual haunts. In a hurry -- as I am wont to do in this land where time does not actually stand still, even though it loiters a lot.

The main highway (Mexico 200) that cuts through Melaque is the major north-south highway on Mexico's Pacific coast. Mostly two lanes. And, because it runs predominately through farmland in our area, impediments to speedy transit are the norm.

Today, I came roaring up behind a little white Toyota pickup whose snout was sticking up in the air as a result of the load in its bed. Of course, I started muttering I was now going to be late -- late for a deadline I had created in my fetid mind.

And then I smelled it. The unmistakable sweet scent of freshly-cut pineapple. Living in the belly of a Dole can could not have been more pleasant.

With each breath, I relaxed. And laughed at myself. Here I was in a hurry to a place where people were not waiting anxiously for me -- and I almost missed one of Mexico's little offerings of joy.

I could have sped past the little pickup: missing that ethereal perfume . But I didn't. And that made all the difference this morning. I arrived at breakfast happy to be in Mexico where the smallest experiences often pay the biggest dividends.