The blood of the serpent: Mexican lives / by Robert Joe Stout

Unlike the United States, Mexico took shape suddenly and abruptly. Earlier civilizations systematically were destroyed and newcomers took over. There was no systematic formation of boundaries and possessions. While the first English pilgrims clung perilously to a few acres of Massachusetts forest, Mexico already had laws, churches, mines, shipbuilding, riots and a compelling mestizo conscience. This narration takes readers through Mexico City at night and in the daytime, through its suburbs rich and poor, into its ceremonies - Christian and pre-Christian - and on journeys with reformers, rebels, manipulators, workers. It unravels "The Imaginary State of Petroleo" (which is more real than you might think), explores the orchards and landed estates of northeastern Mexico and the deserts where ancient cave paintings mark the existence of lost cultures and where drug dealers have established hidden landing strips. From rural villages in the northwest through Tijuana and the melee that is life on the U.S.-Mexican border, and from Baja and the cultivated coastal plains to the changing rhythms of Oaxaca, Chiapas and Yucatan, the experiences, opinions and adventures of Mexicans from all walks of life form a mosaic designed to perplex, provoke and entertain. Robert Joe Stout has written major articles about Mexico for The Christian Science Monitor, Notre Dame Magazine, and American Educator. His fiction has been published in The South Dakota Review, Kansas Quarterly, Southern Humanities Review and various anthologies. Portions of this book have appeared in Aim, Catholic Digest, Commonweal, Focus, Kit-Kat Review, Mexico West, Rosebud, Toward Freedom and other magazines. Preface......Page 9 Introduction......Page 11 THE URBAN CORE......Page 15 Nuevos Ricos......Page 17 Special Services......Page 23 Young Eyes, Old Brains......Page 26 A Witch’s Pit......Page 29 A Margin of Respect......Page 33 Welcome to Neza......Page 37 Making It in Neza......Page 44 The Battleground......Page 47 Choices......Page 54 The Tiradero......Page 59 Meat for the Table......Page 65 Reasons To Cheer......Page 71 Raiders and Thieves......Page 74 A Malicious Prank......Page 77 The Scar......Page 82 Sacrificial Pigeons......Page 85 Things Are Seldom What They Seem......Page 87 ALL ROADS LEAD NORTH......Page 95 “Soy Cristiano!”......Page 97 Why Laws Mean Nothing......Page 101 Highway Ants......Page 105 The Hunger March......Page 107 The Cure......Page 111 “Mojado” No More!......Page 121 No Way Forward, No Way Back......Page 123 What Are They Talking About?......Page 124 Medicine without a License......Page 128 Too Close to Hell......Page 133 Igniting Everything......Page 138 Nothing Is Simple......Page 141 Closed Eyes......Page 146 The Gay Side......Page 149 A Few Extras......Page 154 Marcos Is Here!......Page 156 Now or Never......Page 157 No One To Show It To......Page 159 Stool Pigeon......Page 163 Street Dog......Page 169 Getting Rid of the Squatters......Page 174 Diarrhea Syndrome......Page 176 The Winning Side......Page 180 Practicing for Bigger Things......Page 183 Like a Bird!......Page 188 The Edge of the Volcano......Page 189 THE TORTURED SOUTH......Page 195 Leave Your Women, Come!......Page 197 Life Afuera......Page 200 Missionaries and Coffee Beans......Page 201 A Living Experiment......Page 205 The Brujo Bueno......Page 208 The Guardian of Market Day......Page 211 I Won’t Melt......Page 214 There Are No Fathers Here......Page 220 A Cloud Floating Past......Page 223 A Road Back......Page 226 Ma-es-tros!......Page 229 The Curandero......Page 233 Where the Magic Doesn’t Work......Page 241 Blancura......Page 244 Singing New Songs......Page 246 Separate Dimensions......Page 251 Not by Magic!......Page 261 You Are the Problem!......Page 265 False Rumors......Page 269 Over the Hills Through Guerrilla Land......Page 273 Different Faces......Page 277 An Angel on Earth......Page 284 The Destruction of Mexico......Page 285 Scheherazade Eyes......Page 289 Se Habla Pemex......Page 292 The Black Disease......Page 295 Choices and Gambles......Page 300 Used Up......Page 302 The Passing Suns......Page 308 Preface 9 Introduction 11 THE URBAN CORE 15 Chapter 1. City of Life, City of Death 17 Nuevos Ricos 17 Special Services 23 Young Eyes, Old Brains 26 A Witch’s Pit 29 A Margin of Respect 33 Chapter 2: Problems! Problems! 37 The Sprawling Suburbs 37 Welcome to Neza 37 Making It in Neza 44 The Battleground 47 Choices 54 The Tiradero 59 Meat for the Table 65 Chapter 3. Where the Past Is Not Forgotten: 71 The States Surrounding the Distrito Federal 71 Reasons To Cheer 71 Raiders and Thieves 74 A Malicious Prank 77 The Scar 82 Sacrificial Pigeons 85 Things Are Seldom What They Seem 87 PART II 95 ALL ROADS LEAD NORTH 95 Chapter 4. Elusive Dreams 97 “Soy Cristiano!” 97 Why Laws Mean Nothing 101 Highway Ants 105 The Hunger March 107 The Cure 111 Chapter 5. Nowhere-Land 121 “Mojado” No More! 121 No Way Forward, No Way Back 123 What Are They Talking About? 124 Medicine without a License 128 Chapter 6. The Baja Aberration 133 Too Close to Hell 133 Igniting Everything 138 Nothing Is Simple 141 Closed Eyes 146 The Gay Side 149 A Few Extras 154 Marcos Is Here! 156 Now or Never 157 No One To Show It To 159 CHAPTER 7. Down the Mountains to the Sea 163 Stool Pigeon 163 Street Dog 169 Getting Rid of the Squatters 174 Diarrhea Syndrome 176 The Winning Side 180 Practicing for Bigger Things 183 Like a Bird! 188 The Edge of the Volcano 189 PART III 195 THE TORTURED SOUTH 195 Chapter 8. Where Trees Once Grew 197 Leave Your Women, Come! 197 Life Afuera 200 Missionaries and Coffee Beans 201 A Living Experiment 205 The Brujo Bueno 208 Chapter 9. Too Soon for Some, Too Late for Many 211 The Guardian of Market Day 211 I Won’t Melt 214 There Are No Fathers Here 220 A Cloud Floating Past 223 A Road Back 226 Ma-es-tros! 229 The Curandero 233 Chapter 10. A Complicated Dream 241 Where the Magic Doesn’t Work 241 Blancura 244 Singing New Songs 246 Separate Dimensions 251 Not by Magic! 261 You Are the Problem! 265 False Rumors 269 Over the Hills Through Guerrilla Land 273 Different Faces 277 An Angel on Earth 284 The Destruction of Mexico 285 Chapter 11. Land of the Mayas 289 Scheherazade Eyes 289 Se Habla Pemex 292 The Black Disease 295 Choices and Gambles 300 Used Up 302 The Passing Suns 308 Today's Mexico is presented through the experiences, opinions and adventures of hundreds of Mexicans from all walks of life: not politics, nor statistics, but the personality of a nation grafted onto deep, indigenous roots by a European invader that still was entwined in feudal customs and superstitions. This narration takes readers through Mexico City, through its suburbs rich and poor, into its ceremonies--Christian and pre-Christian--and on journeys with reformers, rebels, manipulators, workers. It unravels "The Imaginary State of Petroleo," explores the landed estates of northeastern Mexico and the deserts where ancient cave paintings mark lost cultures and where drug dealers have hidden landing strips. From Tarahumara villages in the northwest through Tijuana and life on the US-Mexican border, and from Baja and the cultivated coastal plains to the changing rhythms of Oaxaca, Chiapas and Yucatan, Stout brings Mexico to life. Inside Mexico - a historian and talented writer provides a comprehensive view of the history and culture, with throbbing scenes of contemporary. life at all levels and in all regions