Pepe's Friday the Thirteenth Adventure
January, Friday the 13th, 2017 started out quite wonderfully.
We were housesitting for our landlords in their big, beautiful, Italian Villa style home in Ajijic, Mexico. Our main focus for the house sit was to devote our efforts to their three amazing pooches and one precious cat. The first task of the day was to take the pooches for a walk and of course the cat would not let us escape without feeding her immediately. Once everyone was collared and leashed up we were out the garage door onto Francisco I Madero's cobblestoned street to begin our morning stroll.
I was the first to notice that there was an empty space where usually Pepe the van stood ready for us to take him for a drive. The van was gone!!! The situation took Ken aback. His first reaction was to blame himself as many of us do in life's inconceivable moments. He thought perhaps he had driven to the grocery store and had absentmindedly left Pepe behind. We walk almost everywhere so this did not seem too inconceivable.
Why deal with the unanticipated if you can delay it? We decided to continue on our morning walk, pooches taking us in tow to our routine spots. Meanwhile we discussed every conceivable, safe scenario regarding our missing van. Reality was beginning to sink in.
Our delicious breakfast poolside was weighed down by thoughts and conversations of the reality we found ourselves in. Our faithful mode of transportation for the last decade had been taken from us. Questions were popping up such as, when and how did they take the van? Why did they take the van, it's over 25 years old? Where is the van? How are we going to deal with the situation? Are we insured? How do we deal with reporting the theft to police officers who speak Spanish? The annoying reality of the situation had set in all too quickly.
Ken was up for dealing with this inconvenience by himself and wanted me to continue on with my routine - walking to my 11:30 yoga class. I knew there was little I could do to assist so off I went to yoga. When something like this happens that affects your life so enormously it does not leave your mind even during a meditative yoga class or walking through paradise village. You turn over all scenarios hoping to solve the mystery, watching for the van on every street.
Ken had put the untimely news of our van's disappearance out on several Gringo Facebook pages in hopes that someone has spotted Pepe. Or the someone could give us advice on how to proceed in reporting Pepe's departure.
Once home, Ken advises me that we have to go and find the lawyer. He has been sent from the insurance company in Guadalajara to assist us in reporting the theft. Back out the door we go to LaFloresta to find him and his small, white pick-up truck. Once we locate el abogado we hop in his truck as we direct him back to our second floor apartment. I return to the big house to care for the pooches and be sure they are happy.
Again out of the garage door onto the street. As I return to our second floor apartment I see the la policía cruiser parked across the street. Up the stairs I go to see a most unusual sight for our home. I see two young police officers in their uniforms with M-16 rifles sitting on our breakfast nook stools conversing with Ken. Somehow everyone was working toward understanding the other person – with Ken's limited Spanish, the police officers' limited English and the lawyer's great Spanish but limited English there was some amount of communication in the room. All seemed under control as Ken let me know he was going to Chapala, a neighbouring bigger town, to declare the theft in court. He was getting a ride with el abogado, first to Walmart then to Chapala. I stuck around home for the pet sitting gig.
Ken has taken the key fob for the van with him on his Chapala adventure. Believe me, this is a key piece of information. Pun intended.
There has been some miscommunication between the Spanish and English in what was happening for el abogado as that afternoon came to a close that fateful Friday the thirteenth. I am surprised there wasn't many more areas of communication break down.
Ken came to realize that it was too late for the business at the courthouse. His trip to Chapala had not been ill-fated, however.
He was able to flash and click the fob trying to get a signal back from the van. Now I must say this would've been something I would have never thought of. If I knew Ken was doing this I might have pooh-poohed it thinking he would never locate the van again. Oh ye of little faith! Ken not being one of those kind of people, he is always positive and expects the best to happen. Once the lawyer saw what Ken was doing he took him to the police station to talk with an officer. The officer told Ken that if he located the van he must let them know because there is a warrant out on our van as it has been declared stolen. Ken being the eternal optimist continued on his quest with the fob to try to find Pepe. Lo and behold he got the return signal from Pepe! I can only guess how thrilled Ken must have been. He didn't see the van just heard the beep. It was a matter of going one way or the other to locate Pepe. One way he turned was up a hill so that was out. It had been a long, tiring day. He walked in the opposite direction from the hill. Ken continued clicking the key fob and located Pepe right there on the street in front of a convenience store.
Ken's next move was a call the police, telling them the location of the van. Las policías jumped into action sending officers on bikes, motorcycles, quads, cars and trucks with machine gun turrets to the location. Even the chief, el jefe, attended the event. About a dozen Las policías in all. No culprit was loco enough to show their face to that motley crew.
Ken now exhausted just wanted to climb in Pepe and drive home. Not going to happen! Having previously declared Pepe stolen Ken could not just take Pepe away. Some official red tape had to be severed. Ken was told he could wait about two weeks for this red tape to officially untangle or alternatively he could pay a rather exorbitant amount right there and then to take Pepe home that night.
Hmmm, something seemed a bit fishy so Ken thought a lawyer might be in order. Ken's quick thinking got him the contact number of a trusted, Mexican lawyer living Lakeside. Oddly enough she was in the immediate area at a child's birthday party. She was able to assist Ken right away even though Ken was only a friend of a friend. Once she was informed of the van-money situation she was quick to sharply and succinctly admonish those trying to bribe Ken. She let them know that no money was going to change hands but Ken was going to go home with his van. Even though la abogada had a fun family event happening she stayed with Ken until all paper work was settled. He drove home with Pepe!
The thieves had done a good job of emptying Pepe. They had taken the bed out of the back, so also the mattress, sheets, pillows, etc. everything having to do with the bed. They had emptied the glove box and the pockets on the side of the door and behind the seat seats. They had robbed us of our bug screens for the van and the window coverings. Even the spare tire under the van and the jack, etc. had been taken. Spare parts for Pepe which were in the van were taken. Even a trickle charger in the engine area had been robbed. All very maddening! Many of these items had to be replaced before we would be able to do any serious travelling again.
In the end Ken was discussing the days events with la abogada. He was lamenting the fact that something so out of the ordinary and distinctly rotten had happened to us on Friday the thirteenth - a supposed unlucky day. She turned the conversation around by saying, "This is not your unlucky day, this is your lucky day. You did get your van back! In Mexico, when we steal a van, it stays stolen." Keep it all in perspective mis amigos! Grand theft Previa.
