Mike and Corey regress, and our unemployment system at work

1-19-09

This Past Tuesday, was a busy day. Cory, Mike, and Mikes brother and sister-and-law(Of Luperon hall) where flying into POP after a month of being away to the states, working and visiting friends as the routine goes. Cory scheduled a taxi with Casa-Lopez to come pick them up, and set up instructions for them to pick me up at 12:30 at the house. It was all choreographed perfectly. Knowing this, I got an extra early start to the day, packing my backpack for Puerto Plata early So I could just grab it and go. I made sure I was well prepared to do the Tuesday morning studies, got to Al Fundo early, and Studied with Norca. Great study there by the way. Winter break is finally over for the school kids, and this brought the kid count at Norca’s down from 5 to 1. Finally, some relative quite. Good success there. Off to Cambiaso, Met up with Jose, told him that I probably wouldn’t have time today to share a meal with after the study, as is the custom, He proceeded to go out back to the kitchen area, and pull out a plate of fresh rice and one and a half fishes, fresh caught that day, and says I need to keep up my strength, and lunch should not be skipped.
“Ok”, I said. He had reason.
The whole fish was about 6-7” long, Head to tail. Some of the locals eat the heads I hear, but, I have to draw the line somewhere. The remainder of the fish, very Tasty. Very boney. Normally not that big of a deal, but this time I managed to lodge a rib bone into the roof of my mouth pretty deep. That hurt.
To add insult to the injury, ass a sat there, trying to remove it, I accidently broke the bone off at the insertion point. Ugh. The hazards of seafood. In my book, sharp bones piercing the flesh is right up there Mercury & toxic industrial waste seeping in to the food stream. Ok, so not that bad. Just stop the bleeding with big spoonfuls of rice if it ever happens to you.
Anywas, After eating, we followed up with a good study, and a record breaking ride from Cambiaso to Calle Coa. Mostly of this being due to there to the dry weather we’ve been having, which gave the mud holes time to dry up a little bit.
So the short of it, Raced around all morning, get home, grab my bag and start sitting on the side of the road outside the house, 12:30 on the dot. I proceed to stay there for about 35 minutes. Nothing. I finally decided to give up and take public transportation and started walking to the stop. Not sooner then 35 seconds latter, a large and shiny white SUV fly over the hill and hit the brakes, skidding to a stop in front of my house. My ride has arrived.
His name was ******(the driver, not the car), the brother of ******. **** grew up in New York much of his life, so quickly the conversation switched to English. Very entertaining Fellow, Describing his adventures of being a cable guy in the big city, some problems with, and hypocrisy in the police force, as well as the benefits of working for the government (unemployment). After reviewing what he is doing, I Pretty much figured out that it sounds pretty fishy. Getting paid for unemployment in the states, having a friend make a deposit to a different account and pulling out the money in a foreign ATM….Hmmm. I don’t know. Receiving more in a week from the government then I live on in a month here, all the while having a local business of your own, seems just downright dishonest. But who am I to judge. On the way back he told us about the apparent he was subletting to a friend in NYC, He was only paying 500 a month for it. New York City. 500 dollars a month…Hmmm. Turns out it was section eight housing. Ah man. Our tax dollars at work. Oh so it turns out, The car we where driving…the Mayors personal Car....(for the non astute reader, the driver was NOT the mayor)