The Friendly Cab Driver
Ice Cream with a Business Man
Sitting at café on the corner of the Zocalo, I was approached by a miniature businessman. He demanded a peso: Dame un peso. He repeated this as incessantly as my gato (cat) demands queso (cheese). I asked him why. He said, “Dame un peso.” I asked him his name, he said, “Dame un peso.” I asked him if he wanted ice cream, he said, “Si.” Upon further questioning, I learned that he likes vanilla, so I asked him to sit and reserve our table as I purchased a double cone with sprinkles on the top of the cone.
He watched as I ordered it and was delighted to see such a large helping. I asked, “This is better than a peso, yes?” He had to agree. We sat together, talking a bit, but mostly we looked out onto the Zocalo’s beautiful lights and listened to the mariachi that had assembled on the sidewalk.
At one point, he began coughing. I politely suggested he cover his mouth when he coughed. He did. I thought, my Spanish is working a little.
A family of four was sitting at a table near us; they were watching him devour the cone. At one point, he nearly knocked the top scoop off and their worry was audible.
He wasn’t sure what to make of the sprinkles. He asked me what they were. I, fortunately, had learned the word “chispas” (sparks) which is used to describe sprinkles. He expressed excitement that they were not mere decoration.
Seeing his brother and sister (also aggressive business people) approaching, he let me know he needed to go, and so he headed off into the Zocolo, demanding pesos with one outstretched hand; his ice cream cone in the other.
shewhodaresnothing 