since we're neighbors --

You may or not remember that lead-in to one of Safeway's most successful advertising slogans in the 1970s. "Since we're neighbors, let's be friends."

It was a brilliant slogan. Rather than seeing Safeway as a corporation from the big cities, customers starting noticing all of the people who worked in the store were their neighbors. The stock boy was your son's best friend. The produce guy was your second cousin. The cashier was your first wife. It was not a foreign entity; it was family.

I have not thought about that slogan for decades. But I am now wondering if our new Bodgea Aurrerá in town (soon to open) should think about stealing it.

Just after I moved to Villa Obregón, a sports park was opened on the other side of Highway 200. The park includes several facilities. A jogging track. A multi-purpose court where young Mexicans play tennis and basketball in the evening, and older Canadians play pickleball in the morning.

But the star facility is the indoor soccer field. That is it at the top of this essay. (Yes. It is outside. But the "indoor" refers to the size of the field, not where it is located.)

I have no statistics, but I am willing to bet that the soccer field is the most-used facility in the park. And it looks it.

Rooster's and Papa Gallo's each have teams that compete in a local tournament on that field. My son plays for one of the teams.

I enjoy soccer. It was one of my favorite sports in high school. Watching Omar play brings back memories of attending my nephew Ryan's games.

That Parenthood Thing may be one reason I was very concerned about Omar playing on that particular field. A decade of hard play has left the artificial turf full of holes and pulled-up seams. It looks like the carpet in a Cat Lady's trailer house.

All of that is about to change. Thanks to the good graces of our new neighbor, Bodega Aurrerá, the field is going to be repaired. Starting next week, the artificial turf will be pulled up and replaced with a new surface. The process is scheduled to be completed in two weeks.

I know some people here are unhappy with the arrival of Bodgea Aurrerá in our community. Other people are looking forward to the doors opening.

I am agnostic on the topic. When I first moved to this area, I would drive the 15 minutes to Bodgea Aurrerá in Cihuatlán once or twice a month. But, with each visit, the number of items in my cart decreased -- until I arrived at the point of leaving with no purchases. I have not been to the Cihuatlán store for almost two years.

But I know a neighborly gesture when I see one. And, for that, I say good on you, Bodgea Aurrerá.

I can now spend less time calculating how much it will cost to repair torn ligaments in Omar's ankle.