The Things You Do For Love

When my husband and I were first married, we had to wait till the end of the school year to take our honeymoon. It was a two month wait, and we were really looking forward to be in Mexico. We were stopping first in Mexico City. I was really excited to show him the places I had seen when I was there 4 years earlier. Then we were off to Acapulco! We took a small plane from Mexico City and in a little over an hour we were in Acapulco. Two other honeymoon couples were on the plane and we were all staying at the same resort. One of the guys invited us all to get together that evening after dinner for a little party. We arrived at the hotel and it was nice, but not very extravagant. I had my heart set on buying some silver jewelry. The city of Taxco, inbetween Mexico City and Acapulco was known for it. I did bring some items back when I was there with my mother. The stuff has lasted all these years and I still occasionally wear it.

Everything went well, we hung out that night with the others, but it was just once. They were just into different things than us. We took a boat ride, we watched the cliff divers, we ate, we swam in the pool and did a little window shopping.

My husband was not all interested in Taxco, or jewelry, but being a new bride, I convinced him we had to go!

We caught a ride with another couple that was passing through, but not staying in Taxco. It was a 3 ½ hour drive. It was almost evening when we got there only to find the hotels were on strike, and it started to rain. The other couple just dropped us off with our luggage, and went on their way. What a predicament to be in. We went to the airport to find no flights going anywhere for the rest of that day. It was a Sunday! Because of the hotel situation, people were renting out rooms to stranded tourists. They had set up a table against at the train station and had an awning over it. I still spoke Spanish and got a room for us, just overnight and a very nice looking hacienda. We overpaid, but I couldn’t be choosy. We walked as it was close by. The house didn’t disappoint, it was lovely and quite large. The landlord showed us to our room with a bathroom. In my mind, I was thinking about silver and what I hoped hubby would buy me. We didn’t bother to unpack anything. I just grabbed a nightgown and some underwear.

It was a good thing that we had bought a lot of snacks with us. We also had sodas. Not the most nutritious, but in a pinch we could eat what we had and could gulp down the soda. I got out my brush, to try and fix my hair which was wet, but only slightly. I pushed open the bar-like louvered doors into the bathroom. As the door closed behind me, I could see by the large mirror in front of me, that there was a tarantula on the door. I HATE SPIDERS! I had never seen a tarantula in person before, but I knew immediately what it was! I screamed and my husband was about to come into the room. If he pushed those doors with any force, that damn spider would be all over me. I yelled to stop and told him the situation. He retrieved a hangar from the closet and slowly, opened the door. When I thought I had room to get through, I ran out and down the stairs to find the home owner. Every word of Spanish went out of my brain. All I remember saying, “Arana Grande” “Big spider, big spider!

The owner came upstairs with me holding a rolled up newspaper and some spray bottle in his hand.

Quickly he dispensed with the spider, and started spraying. About 2 minutes later, in a very happy voice he said, “Mira, algunas cucarachas tambien! ( Look a few cockroaches as well!)

He was spraying DDT. When he finally finished I knew there was no way we could stay in that room for hours. The rain had picked up a little. I had my husband push the bed over to the Juliet balcony. I opened up every opening I could. I wasn’t so afraid of mosquitos, no self respecting mosquitos would attempt coming into that room. Then we left and walked around for what semed like an hour. He was livid! I was thrilled! There was so much to look at and to choose from. I was making my list for the next day. Eventually we had to return to the room. It was tolerable but not ideal.

Now this is something only a newly wed can do. I told my husband that he had to stay up and guard me from bugs. I can’t believe he actually did it! I got some sleep and woke up to him blowing his nose. I opened my eyes and he seemed to be in a full blown cold!.

That was it! No jewelry, no more Taxco, no nothing! We got a train to take us back to Mexico City, which was a short trip. We got earlier plane tickets and we came home.

We called our parents before we boarded and told them of the change in plans. They would meet us at the airport at the proper time.

The whole day was awful. He was so clogged up, he couldn’t talk, or hear very well, or breathe too well either. We boarded the plane, and off we went. When we finally got into NY airspace, the pilot told us the time and that we would land shortly. I had the window seat and I was busy talking and looking out the window. My husband wasn’t giving me any responses. I turned around, about to be angry when I saw him writhing in pain, and blood in his ear. Well it was not what our parents expected to see: the honeymooners coming back from a dream vacation, and needing to go to a hospital.

To make matters worse, when we finally got home to our apartment there was a bunch of mail. Among those letters and ads, was also a note from the United States Armed Forces. It was the Vietnam era and he had been drafted. Since the letter had probably been there for a week, the date to report for a physical was the next day. There was one big problem, he was almost deaf! He had no choice. He reported, and he was rejected for being extremely hard of hearing. He did not volunteer that the hearing loss was most probably temporary or how it occurred. I was on cloud 9!

I have him convinced that I saved his life!

He couldn’t fly for several years after the incident. Each time resulted in terrible pain and visits to an ENT. We call that era of our travel, the Train period. He still prepares himself for flights. Lesson learned, NEVER FLY WITH A COLD!