Chayo's Fence

So after the Delagada and the Presidente had seen hard evidence, firsthand...we figured time was right to make our next move. Chayo'd gathered some rough fence posts, which he'd hacked from dead branches from arroyo Carrizalito's large stand of Palo Blanco trees. For weeks already they'd laid in plain sight just outside Trojillo's south fence, right out in front of that Y where Saul's newly cut route intersects with historic way.

Us anxious to spring this part the "Chayo's Parcel" plan, we gave him the word to move forward. How much of a fence did I think was needed? he questioned me; him looking forward to this nearly as much as I was. Six er seven posts and three strands of barbwire we calculated as sufficient. About half of one of his mornings was all that this took. This was the beginning of the week, a time when Saul is never around.

However, Saul's work crew had come back, them seemingly moving in great haste to throw up that edifice's steel skeleton. Their reaction to the closing of that new road, as ya might expect, set in immediately.

Chains and locks, full time, were applied to old road's two gates that Saul had constructed. Some gringos on motorcycles were first to be denied access to hot pool beach, at least with their machines. And, essentially, us along with the others camped on the rancho were blocked from exiting...unless, of course, we'd wanted to tamper with Chayo's fence; an offense that would have been absolutely unthinkable.

For some reason that work crew took off again, possibly to inform Saul as to what was shakin' down. The young kid who was left to guard that place was not at all the confrontational type. Vehicle traffic through those gates was possible, this gent gladly using the keys for those who were desirous of passing. But then that work crew came back with very stiffened attitude.

This coincided with my buddies Joaquin and his wife Marta's time of parting for the States. From both directions that crew, headed by Saul's almost equally fat brother, was not permitting "Any!" passage. Great! This is what I had been hoping they'd get lured into. I told Joaquin that I was pretty sure that he'd get his car and all their gear to San Cosme, whenever they were ready to move.

Chayo was instructed to arrange with the Delagada for another San Cosme meeting at 9 A.M. the next morning. I was pretty sure she would come. Not wanting to mess with that low-tide pass route or waste my time in confrontation with Saul's brothers (at least two of that three man crew were that) I took our small boat, a 12 ft. aluminum thing with 71/2 h.p. motor, from Playa Carrizaltio to San Cosme. Greatly facilitating this, the sea, that morning lay almost flat. I was hopin' the Delagada would trust her life to my feeble seamanship. At 8:30 I was anchoring right there front of our old palapa's ruins.

Things were really calm at Alejo's place. Work was in progress at new kitchen, the work crew reduced to two. Guadalupe seemed about the only other one around. She asked what I was up to there, Chayo having told her nothing about the Delagada. She seemed mildly nervous but understanding of my moves. Nothin' was mentioned about Chayo's new fence...although I knew she had to have been aware of this.

At just about 9:00 in pulls Chayo, but he's alone, in his small white pickup. At first this gives me a bit of alarm but almost as soon as he's out of cab he hands me a note from Delagada with her official stamp. In a nice enough way she's telling Saul's crew that they must open those gates.

Good enough. In fact - great!

Putting back out to sea my small craft is laden with Chayo, Maria and lovely little Mari. "The unfoldin' is," I remember thinkin'. "Ya never know what it's gonna serve ya." They were going back to their straw-bale casa to pick needed provisions and then head off on a shell mission they'd gladly accepted. These are family adventures along with paying work. They were slightly nervous with this little boat at first. By time we pull to shore at Playa Carrizalito Mari was really getting into this new form of play.

In a group we walk up on Joaquin's camp, them hearing our laughing and talking before we get there. I'd sorta assured him that I had things all set with the Delagada, and I can sense the questioning in his eyes before I've time to fill him in. He obviously relaxes several notches after reviewing document I presented. "I think, armed like this, your exit from the rancho is virtually assured. She's the law here. They'd be really dumb if they played this one the wrong way." I was sorta hoping they would. Chayo'd told me that the Delagada had made contact with the Presidente by cell phone. What she was doing was being done with that end's O.K.

Even though he was moderately ill at that moment, Joaquin actually seemed revved up to be first one to see if the Delagada's letter would fly. Much to my surprise he volunteered to make the trip to San Cosme, hauling Chayo and family along with all the gear they felt they needed for what was speculated to be a ten to 12 day outing. As soon as tide went out, that was the plan. We had plenty of time to copy that important little document by then, us in our increasing more modern camp.

So Chayo and Maria's stuff gets loaded in Joaquin's not-yet-packed SUV...and off they head to do almost certain battle. Chayo knows the game plan: If they are denied passage, he walks to San Cosme and then goes and physically gets the Delagada, who's already said that if there's further problems she most certainly would come. If those others were even minimally thinking, we didn't think things would get that far.

I got Joaquin's rendition of event while sitting around martini time that night. As expected, they'd run into belligerent confrontation when coming to first locked-up-tight gateway. He was told to go the way that Chayo had blocked off. Joaquin said he couldn't, even though Chayo was there standing next to him. Apparently a fairly long exchange went on before displayed official letter started having the desired effect. I could tell that Joaquin had enjoyed the task of talking through their passage. I know the mindset of the characters involved and I know it couldn't have been easy.

Joaquin furthered the story in telling us of his recrossing about an hour later. He said he came upon this force seemingly making great haste to leave, anxious for him to get through so they could lock up and depart right after he'd accomplished this. (Joaquin said he was coming right back.) He guessed that maybe there'd been cell phone contact with Saul. He was relatively sure that they'd all cleared out, even that guy who'd been the guard; them snapping padlocks closed behind them. Because of Joaquin's under-the-weather condition they'd put off striking camp till waters receded next day.

Saul's got three muschovi ducks, maybe six chickens and several turkeys, plus a Doberman pincer dog all fenced in woven wire there. This, we suppose, was his rationale for keeping those gates closed in the first place. He's just protecting his livestock, or so the story goes. I didn't think he'd leave the place unattended, so when Joaquin worried about finding it thusly, and locked up tight, I made light of his anxieties. Besides, you just can't lock off a historic roadway without having someone on hand with key. "You come get me tomorrow if you do have a problems," that's the way we left things.

We're aware of their parting...and we soon become aware of their vehicle's noise when they get close to our camp, comin' back. He'd been right in his assumption that all had cleared out with both gates shut off. OK. They relax in my work shops shade as I gather the needed equipment. I have this 1000-watt inverter that will run just all sorts of handy tools when hooked to truck's battery. I have a dremmel tool with a diamond-cutting wheel that cuts hard things amazingly well. And fast! Too. Marcia doesn't want to miss any of this fun so when truck's ready she jumps in the driver's seat. Off we head for parcel #30.

I'm not going to say just who did what at this almost ceremonial opening. For a short while a high whining sound could be heard before chains fell loose and gates did get pulled open. Joaquin laughed out something about this being a medical emergency, him as sick as he still looked and felt. They headed off over that low-tide pass and we headed back to camp, home on the rancho.

The next day, late in the afternoon, we had good friends come and visit, tell us they were going to camp here for at least a week. Ray, Christina and Ebi. Ray told us that Saul's place was still deserted. And that they'd had no trouble at all untying ropes, which Marcia and I had tied in place. A weekend passed then, us sure that during it Saul had showed up. Monday we'd made plans to park truck at San Cosme so we could walk out the next morning. Marcia volunteered for the job.

Upon her return, she'd walked back, she told me there'd been absolutely no problems. Another young guy was on guard duty and she said he fairly scampered to untie ropes to assist her passing. Hey! Sometimes you get lucky.

Email: david@dondavidonbaja.com