It happened in Tijuana When I took the train down from San Diego On the day off from our publishing meeting.
It was a cold, winter day and I wore only a light sweater. After an hour of walking the narrow streets of Tijuana Where vendors sold everything to tourists From leather jackets, peanuts and piñatas To ladies jeweled dresses and maracas I started to feel feverish.
A few more minutes of walking And I knew I had to act fast. As a first step I bought A wooly red and white poncho from A street vendor and asked the location of a church. I figured a church was a good place To lie down, And Mexico being a strong Catholic country Would have many churches. I wasn’t wrong. The Mexican vendor pointed to the next street And told me to Turn right and go down three blocks.
Being Thursday I thought I’d have The church all to myself. Boy, was I wrong. The church was jammed packed, Mexicans not only filling the pews, But Mexicans Standing tight together all over the place. I had a fever and had to do what I had to do. I squeezed through the crowd Until my back was against a pillar. I slid down the pillar so My rump was on the floor, Knees to my chest, back and head Resting against the pillar.
Instantly I fell asleep. After what must have been nearly an hour I slowly started coming out of sleep, Covered in sweat, And could feel my fever breaking. Still with my eyes closed and still mostly asleep, I could hear singing Sounding like the voices of angels. I was so disoriented I thought I passed from my body. So this is what the afterlife is like, I thought. Still with my eyes closed I saw the vision of a glowing goddess angel Framed by angelic singing.
Slowly, very slowly, I started to open my eyes. I could see the back of many legs. I looked up and saw a white and gold ceiling. It all came back to me: I didn’t die after all, I had a fever, I entered this jam packed Mexican church, I squeezed my way to this pillar, I sat down and fell asleep.
I remained sitting, Still listening to the music, remembering my Vision of the gold and white goddess angel.
It felt good to sit and rest. I couldn’t get over this packed Mexican church On Thursday! Mexican teen-agers on their tip-toes, Straining to get a glimpse of the priest; Smiling, well dressed young men handing out programs; Men and woman packed next to one another, And everybody so excited. What is all this?
After I rested some more, I made my way to my feet and squeezed back Out of the church and went back down the street To where I bought the poncho. I asked the Mexican vendor Why the church was so packed. He said, “Today is a big celebration; Today is the day the Virgin Mary Appeared in Mexico; Today is the day of Our Lady of Guadalupe.”
I used my head and didn’t tell him about my vision For I reasoned that if I did all these excited Mexicans Might nail me to a cross and parade me Through their narrow streets, Me of all people, a gringo tourist, Having a clear, ecstatic vision Of their Lady of Guadalupe.
It happened in Tijuana
When I took the train down from San Diego
On the day off from our publishing meeting.
It was a cold, winter day and I wore only a light sweater.
After an hour of walking the narrow streets of Tijuana
Where vendors sold everything to tourists
From leather jackets, peanuts and piñatas
To ladies jeweled dresses and maracas
I started to feel feverish.
A few more minutes of walking
And I knew I had to act fast.
As a first step I bought
A wooly red and white poncho from
A street vendor and asked the location of a church.
I figured a church was a good place
To lie down,
And Mexico being a strong Catholic country
Would have many churches.
I wasn’t wrong.
The Mexican vendor pointed to the next street
And told me to
Turn right and go down three blocks.
Being Thursday I thought I’d have
The church all to myself.
Boy, was I wrong.
The church was jammed packed,
Mexicans not only filling the pews,
But Mexicans
Standing tight together all over the place.
I had a fever and had to do what I had to do.
I squeezed through the crowd
Until my back was against a pillar.
I slid down the pillar so
My rump was on the floor,
Knees to my chest, back and head
Resting against the pillar.
Instantly I fell asleep.
After what must have been nearly an hour
I slowly started coming out of sleep,
Covered in sweat,
And could feel my fever breaking.
Still with my eyes closed and still mostly asleep,
I could hear singing
Sounding like the voices of angels.
I was so disoriented I thought I passed from my body.
So this is what the afterlife is like, I thought.
Still with my eyes closed
I saw the vision of a glowing goddess angel
Framed by angelic singing.
Slowly, very slowly, I started to open my eyes.
I could see the back of many legs.
I looked up and saw a white and gold ceiling.
It all came back to me:
I didn’t die after all,
I had a fever,
I entered this jam packed Mexican church,
I squeezed my way to this pillar,
I sat down and fell asleep.
I remained sitting,
Still listening to the music, remembering my
Vision of the gold and white goddess angel.
It felt good to sit and rest.
I couldn’t get over this packed Mexican church
On Thursday!
Mexican teen-agers on their tip-toes,
Straining to get a glimpse of the priest;
Smiling, well dressed young men handing out programs;
Men and woman packed next to one another,
And everybody so excited. What is all this?
After I rested some more,
I made my way to my feet and squeezed back
Out of the church and went back down the street
To where I bought the poncho.
I asked the Mexican vendor
Why the church was so packed.
He said, “Today is a big celebration;
Today is the day the Virgin Mary
Appeared in Mexico;
Today is the day of Our Lady of Guadalupe.”
I used my head and didn’t tell him about my vision
For I reasoned that if I did all these excited Mexicans
Might nail me to a cross and parade me
Through their narrow streets,
Me of all people, a gringo tourist,
Having a clear, ecstatic vision
Of their Lady of Guadalupe.