another mystery solved

Time solves all mysteries.

It just solves some of them quicker than others.

You remember that multi-purpose local hill that once provided tsunami shelter for grade-school children, a screen against hurricane winds, and a billion-peso panoramic view of our quaint little commune? (where there never was a hill)

The mystery was why the company had left a tiny needle of the hill next to the highway untouched. There is a small pillbox structure at the top. I considered the possibility that the outhouse might have some sort of historical significance. But this is Mexico. Preservation is not a high priority.

So, there it sat looking like a groom's snaggle-toothed grin at an Ozarks wedding.

If I had looked closer at my own photographs, I would have had my answer. But, I didn't. Yesterday, all was made clear.

I needed to run some errands in San Patricio. Because it is only a 4-mile walk, I usually stroll over there and back. Being an old geezer, I managed to do something to my left knee. It is not bad, but walking was not on the agenda. So, I drove.

As I was passing the hill, I noticed CFE (our national electric company) was erecting new utility poles and stringing lines. From my perspective, it appeared they had run the lines to a new pole on top of the rump of the hill.

That seemed very odd for CFE. Even though it is a government agency, it is one of the most efficient institutions in Mexico. Whenever hurricanes are predicted, CFE marshals its trucks throughout Mexico to places as close as possible to predicted landfalls.

And they always have power restored quickly. Sometimes, in hours. Other times, just a couple days. This is not Puerto Rico.

CFE is a company that understands its market and customers. If no power is supplied, there will be no revenue coming to CFE.

That is why placing that major line on top of a hill that will get the brunt of hurricane winds seemed to be out of character. To be blunt, it seemed illogical.

And, it was, because that is not what was happening. The old line had run across the top of the hill. CFE had installed new poles at the base and had removed a weather-related problem.

Today, it was the turn of Telecable (our local company that provides cable television here, but not internet). Its workers were re-stringing the television cable. I assume Telmex (the telephone company) has already done its job.

And what now for our Ozarks groom? Is he awaiting his time in the Tower to have what is left of his pride lopped off (to truly cuisinart my metaphors)?

I don't know. I could not find anyone working the rock operation today. And the Telecable guys were as clueless as I would expect them to be. They were there to maintain service, not to be interrogated by Geraldo Rivera.

I guess that is just a mystery fragment that will entail more time to resolve.

And I will be right there to open Al Capone's safe for you. Maybe that is what is in that building.