And Along Comes Mary

I went into town to save money on airport transportation and came home with art, trinkets, and a reminder that I need to leave the damn house more often.

Because of where my house sits in relation to the center of San Miguel de Allende, going downtown requires a little intention. I might take myself out for a nice meal or venture into a specialty shop for something I need. But I can also go several weeks without making the trip.

My home is simple but fabulous. It’s peaceful. I love being there. And when you’ve created a place that makes you happy, it’s surprisingly easy to forget that there are perfectly good reasons to walk out the front door.

Today’s reason was a bargain.

The airport shuttle normally costs about $35 each way. One day a year, they sell books of ten tickets for $20 a ride. That’s $150 saved, which I consider a compelling argument for getting dressed before breakfast.

I woke up early, ordered an Uber, stopped at the ATM, and arrived half an hour before the sale started. Naturally, about 25 people had already beaten me there. Apparently, I am not the only person in San Miguel who can be lured out of bed by a discount.

And along comes Mary.

She stepped into line behind me: Mary is in her early seventies, deeply tanned, a smoker, and an absolute hoot. Before long, we were talking about motorcycles and living in Alaska. I’d come prepared to stand around waiting for tickets, and suddenly I was having a thoroughly entertaining morning with someone I hadn’t known existed ten minutes earlier.

There’s something wonderful about those encounters. No planning, no introductions through mutual friends, no checking calendars three weeks out. Just two people standing in the same place with enough time to get past the polite little nod.

Mary reminded me how much I enjoy meeting people. How curious I am about the lives they’ve lived. How easily a stranger can improve my day if I’m actually somewhere a stranger can find me.

And God, there are a lot of homosexuals here. You’d think that alone would get me downtown more often.

After I bought my tickets, I wandered past a few shops and picked up some small pieces of art and a few trinkets. The weather was perfect, and I was happy to keep wandering. Having successfully saved money, I was apparently ready to redistribute a little of it.

I rode home with a smile on my face.

Nothing monumental had happened. I’d bought shuttle tickets, chatted with a woman in line, and poked around some shops. But I felt better. More awake. A little more connected to this beautiful place where I’ve chosen to live.

I love the peace I’ve found at home, and I intend to enjoy every bit of it. I just need to remember that sometimes a little conversation and a change of scenery give me an energy boost I didn’t realize I needed.

So here’s my reminder to myself: get out more often, Nick. Mary is unlikely to turn up in your living room.