Saltillo to San Luis Potosi

We are in the middle of nowhere at a restaurant. It has a Carta Blanca sign out front and is partially painted yellow. If you walk out to the highway, you will see 10 more restaurants that look exactly the same, painting the highway into the horizon. I am sitting at the end of the table watching Travis, Jon, Kelly, and Daniel feast on chicken. I am hungry. I know that I have a wallet full of cash sitting next to me in my backpack. The interesting thing is, is that I have never experienced this. I can´t really recall a moment where I have sat hungry and did not indulge. this only the second day of the fast and I already know that this will be a challenge.

A few hours later...
All along the highway there are horses and goats and cows chained individually to a stake in the median of the highway. A cheap way to keep the grass cut low. We passed by a dead horse a few miles back. Imagine a life chained in one place, watching life travel past you 60 miles an hour in each direction. Wondering what it would be like to be in the driver´s seat. There have been times when I have felt stuck. I have realized though that we hold the keys to our own chains. There are certain institutions that see it in their best interests to keep us tied down. To keep their grass cut low.

A few more hours later...
I was sitting at the front of the bus and Jon and I were discussing the future, or more so, lack thereof, when suddenly something didn´t sound right in the engine. We pulled off to the side of the road at a Buenos Aires fried chicken restaurant that had KFC and Chicken Express advertisements, yet for some reason, I don´t think that it was a part of either chain. Sensing an opportunity to take a much needed bathroom break I walked to the front door and was disheartened to discover that this baño was for customers only. I reached into my pocket and felt my 5 pesos before asking the cashier how much a piece of chicken would be. They gave me an odd look before responding "9 pesos". Looking at the change in my hand, I turned and walked back out to the bus, all the while thinking of bathroom 'alternatives'. As I got back to the Cortez, one of the men from inside approached me and asked what we were doing. After talking about the trip and introducing everyone, I relayed my story of needing to use the restroom but not having enough money to buy anything. He reached into his pocket and was about to give me what few pesos he had so that I could buy a piece of chicken. I quickly refused him, saying that I only needed to use the restroom, which he then responded to by walking me inside the restaurant. I pointed at the sign that said "customers only" and he smiled saying that he knew the owners. After relieving myself, we ended up spending the next half hour learning about each other. As a sign of our friendship, I gave him a bumper sticker to sign and a Full Hearts wristband. As we were saying goodbye, he looked to me and said "You know... it is looking like rain, I would be honored if you and your friends would stay the night at my house." Knowing that we needed to move on, I respectfully declined, but was nevertheless deeply moved. This is Pedro. Silver Capped teeth. Great Smile. A good man. A conversation and friendship taht wouldn´t have happened if I had just walked in and casually dropped a few dollars to use the bathroom.

Gregorio