Many years ago my father bought into a timeshare organization. It was the early 80's I was 19, and he offered me the opportunity to use the benefits before the given week was expired. I chose to go to Acupulco. Daddy wouldn't let me go by myself and nobody that I knew at the time could afford the $400 flight. So he hired a bodyguard for me. He chose a tenant of his. It was a single 28 year old, Armenian guy who owned a vacuum cleaner repair shop. I wasn't thrilled about the company, but dad would not let me go any other way. Since it was a two bedroom condo, I figured I could deal with it. I'm sure he would not really be glued to my side the whole time.
I was wrong. The flight was sheer torture filled with constant bantor that I wasn't interested in and my bodyguard really did glue himself to my side. For days he insisted on making plans and doing tours completely together. I hid my frustration pretty well the first few days, but I was getting pretty sick of being treated like we were a newlywed couple. I had to clarify everywhere we went. I was beginning to get a bit snippity. Lucky for me that the resort had a beautiful pool that seemed to spill right into the ocean. Many people went down to the pool for happy hour. I spent every afternoon there and I made good friends with the employees of the resort. They knew how I was feeling about my body guard and I didn't have to keep explaining.
Bodyguard and I went out dancing, but it was a real drag for me. The second to last night of my trip, the friends I had met invited me to go out with them. I decided to try and get out alone. I told them I'd meet them at the club. When I returned to the condo I'd found that my bodyguard was incredibly sick. He couldn't keep anything down and had the chills. I couldn't leave him like that, I'm not heartless afterall, so I stuck around and took care of him. He'd been sleeping for quite a while, so about midnight I thought I could slip out for a couple of hours. Surely he wouldn't miss me. I called a cab and put on my dancing shoes. I didn't really dress up fancy, just comfortable for meeting with friends. A long, full khaki skirt, a loose knit top and salt water sandals.
At the club, I didn't see them. I looked intently all around, and settled in at the back standing bar, with a cocktail. I'd been asked to dance, but I smiled and said "No, thank you. Just waiting for some friends." About twenty minutes passed and I noticed a man staring over at me. He look quite wealthy and he had two guys in suits on each side of his table. I tried to dodge his glances, but he was intent on staring. I walk to the back payphone and called the one number I had been given to call...this was before the days of cell phones at least for me. Noone answered that call, so I returned to my spot. Next thing I knew the waitress brought me a refresher of my drink. She pointed to the gentleman and I told her I couldn't accept it. I was waiting for a friend. She told me I had to accept it, there was nothing she could do because she really didn't understand what I was saying. So I smiled at the man and made a motion of "cheers" with the drink in hand. Soon after the men in suits came over. One motioned that his friend wants to talk to me. I explained to both with the best simple English that I could that I was waiting for friends. He said his friend just wants to say "hello" and I should thank him for the drink. He suggested that when my friends come I can go with them. That made sense at the time, so I agreed.
At the table, I said "hello" and "thank you" to the guy. I explained that I only speak English. He wanted me to sit down. I said I am expecting friends to come. As I was trying to keep my distance the guy's guard friend crowded me to the point I just sat down. It was very uncomfortable and I felt trapped with the guy in a suit blocking my way out. I really didn't want it to appear to my friends, if they showed up, that I had found someone else to hang out with. But I also didn't want to be rude to this man that seemed to want to know me. He and I shared some small talk and I even got up to dance with him, but I was so miserable. It was a very cold feeling. I couldn't understand why the man would even want me to stay there? Obviously I was incredibly boring. He tried to tell me in broken English that if they were good friends, they would have shown up. I tried to explain that I was delayed by another sick friend, but it was too complicated to get my message across with the loudness of the club.
Finally, after what seemed like an hour, I saw one of my friends at the back of the bar. He motioned me to come. I told the man my friend was here and I need to go now. The man and his guards in suits wouldn't let me go. I made a little quiet fuss about it and the man said, "Let me walk you out." I said, "I need to use the ladies room first." He agreed to let me use the ladies room on my own. He motioned to the suits to let me out and I walked through the crowded bar towards the ladies restroom. I didn't see my friend anymore, so I just kept moving towards the restroom. Then suddenly I felt someone grab and pull my arm. It was my friend and he said, "Follow me, quick!" Thankfully he didn't let go of my hand and we ran out of the club at lightening speed. He had a cab waiting with the door open. He pushed me in and jumped in himself. The cab took off before the door was even shut, but we were already laughing. I had more of a cry/laugh going. I felt so relieved! He said that guy was not a good guy.
The gang had changed the club plans and they were at another club they encouraged him to go find me. I was very thankful. We had a ball, dancing and drinking champagne till it was almost dawn. I don't know what that other man had in mind with me, but it didn't feel very good. I've always been convinced that would have ended in tragedy. So my friends saved my life...but the one friend who literally pulled me out of the fire got a little more thanks from me that morning and that really isn't like me, but I thought he deserved it.
I was wrong. The flight was sheer torture filled with constant bantor that I wasn't interested in and my bodyguard really did glue himself to my side. For days he insisted on making plans and doing tours completely together. I hid my frustration pretty well the first few days, but I was getting pretty sick of being treated like we were a newlywed couple. I had to clarify everywhere we went. I was beginning to get a bit snippity. Lucky for me that the resort had a beautiful pool that seemed to spill right into the ocean. Many people went down to the pool for happy hour. I spent every afternoon there and I made good friends with the employees of the resort. They knew how I was feeling about my body guard and I didn't have to keep explaining.
Bodyguard and I went out dancing, but it was a real drag for me. The second to last night of my trip, the friends I had met invited me to go out with them. I decided to try and get out alone. I told them I'd meet them at the club. When I returned to the condo I'd found that my bodyguard was incredibly sick. He couldn't keep anything down and had the chills. I couldn't leave him like that, I'm not heartless afterall, so I stuck around and took care of him. He'd been sleeping for quite a while, so about midnight I thought I could slip out for a couple of hours. Surely he wouldn't miss me. I called a cab and put on my dancing shoes. I didn't really dress up fancy, just comfortable for meeting with friends. A long, full khaki skirt, a loose knit top and salt water sandals.
At the club, I didn't see them. I looked intently all around, and settled in at the back standing bar, with a cocktail. I'd been asked to dance, but I smiled and said "No, thank you. Just waiting for some friends." About twenty minutes passed and I noticed a man staring over at me. He look quite wealthy and he had two guys in suits on each side of his table. I tried to dodge his glances, but he was intent on staring. I walk to the back payphone and called the one number I had been given to call...this was before the days of cell phones at least for me. Noone answered that call, so I returned to my spot. Next thing I knew the waitress brought me a refresher of my drink. She pointed to the gentleman and I told her I couldn't accept it. I was waiting for a friend. She told me I had to accept it, there was nothing she could do because she really didn't understand what I was saying. So I smiled at the man and made a motion of "cheers" with the drink in hand. Soon after the men in suits came over. One motioned that his friend wants to talk to me. I explained to both with the best simple English that I could that I was waiting for friends. He said his friend just wants to say "hello" and I should thank him for the drink. He suggested that when my friends come I can go with them. That made sense at the time, so I agreed.
At the table, I said "hello" and "thank you" to the guy. I explained that I only speak English. He wanted me to sit down. I said I am expecting friends to come. As I was trying to keep my distance the guy's guard friend crowded me to the point I just sat down. It was very uncomfortable and I felt trapped with the guy in a suit blocking my way out. I really didn't want it to appear to my friends, if they showed up, that I had found someone else to hang out with. But I also didn't want to be rude to this man that seemed to want to know me. He and I shared some small talk and I even got up to dance with him, but I was so miserable. It was a very cold feeling. I couldn't understand why the man would even want me to stay there? Obviously I was incredibly boring. He tried to tell me in broken English that if they were good friends, they would have shown up. I tried to explain that I was delayed by another sick friend, but it was too complicated to get my message across with the loudness of the club.
Finally, after what seemed like an hour, I saw one of my friends at the back of the bar. He motioned me to come. I told the man my friend was here and I need to go now. The man and his guards in suits wouldn't let me go. I made a little quiet fuss about it and the man said, "Let me walk you out." I said, "I need to use the ladies room first." He agreed to let me use the ladies room on my own. He motioned to the suits to let me out and I walked through the crowded bar towards the ladies restroom. I didn't see my friend anymore, so I just kept moving towards the restroom. Then suddenly I felt someone grab and pull my arm. It was my friend and he said, "Follow me, quick!" Thankfully he didn't let go of my hand and we ran out of the club at lightening speed. He had a cab waiting with the door open. He pushed me in and jumped in himself. The cab took off before the door was even shut, but we were already laughing. I had more of a cry/laugh going. I felt so relieved! He said that guy was not a good guy.
The gang had changed the club plans and they were at another club they encouraged him to go find me. I was very thankful. We had a ball, dancing and drinking champagne till it was almost dawn. I don't know what that other man had in mind with me, but it didn't feel very good. I've always been convinced that would have ended in tragedy. So my friends saved my life...but the one friend who literally pulled me out of the fire got a little more thanks from me that morning and that really isn't like me, but I thought he deserved it.
5 comments:
wow zoned ,that is quite a story. It seems like it could be a movie or the bones of a script.
I guess your dad was right about the bodyguard.
Im glad yo came out of it OK. It must have been frightening at the time.
It looks like quite a celebration and a good time was had by all in the picture ...thanks for telling the real story about what happened that night :)
Glad you enjoyed it. It took so long to write because I kept falling asleep while trying to write it. This is happening to me more and more lately. I can't get enough sleep. I have more pictures related to this story.
I forgot to mention the moonlight swim at his house on a hill overlooking Acupulco Bay, the maid walking in on us in the morning, The breakfast in bed and the "Good-bye" conversation that basically was him saying let's write each other and me saying "No, I think this was just perfect," the long kiss and ride back to my condo in his little convertable black Porsche, I think it was. I had a love back home that I was hoping would work out eventually and that's the reason for my behavior.
that sounds romantic. i would like to visit costa rico sometime along with acupulco but i get scared when i hear about bad water and brain eating organisms . i know that is silly but i know when i stay home i never seem to get sick :)
It's a shame to live your life in fear of dying , because we're gonna die anyway, may as well be from living it up. Go and enjoy yourself just be wise. Only eat at reputable places and drink only bottled water. Brush your teeth with bottled water too. Don't eat from the fruit carts. There's my opinion;~)
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