Pissed off in Puerto

Being angry doesn’t work with my recovery. So I do what I can to keep from going there.  After all, for me it seems like a waste of time - because I have to work my way back from being angry to finding that pleasant place in the middle that I call serenity.

However, once in a while – when I’m unaware - I slip into anger.  And one of those times was a few days ago when I arrived at the car rental counter here in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. 

Now I’ve done this trip with the same booking company half a dozen times without issue. And because I don’t want to pay insurance rates that sometimes equal the price of the rental; I buy a liability policy from a Mexican insurance company – one that’s accepted across Mexico.

However, this time – even though I had my own policy - they wanted me to deposit $10,000 in lieu of buying their insurance.  No amount of negotiation helped.  Even though I told them I’d done this with their company a number of times they wouldn’t budge.

Feeling anger overcoming me I started rolling our suitcases to the street to hail a cab for a trip to another rental agency, However, before I left,  one of the nice drivers  from the rental agency pulled me to the side and told me in a confidential manner that he could solve the problem.  When he started telling me his solution I got really hot.

He said could get me the car for a week for nothing, plus $200 cash, plus tour vouchers, if we would attend a time-share presentation at a local resort. I left as quickly as I could before I really expressed my anger.

I was probably angrier at myself than anyone else.  Having been in Puerto a number of times I’ve seen the time-share sales people in their various guises. Sometimes they work as waiters, tour guides, and doorman. They’re always friendly and strike up a conversation with something like “Where you folks from?” or “Where’d you learn to speak such good Spanish?”

I have to admit, these guys snuck up on me. Anyway, we found another car half a block away for the half the price – a gift from God.

Today’s state of mind: anger gone, acceptance back, awareness raised, serenity restored.