Talk with Elder McKinlay

I had the opportunity to talk with Elder McKinlay today in the office.  He told of the following experience that happened right after arriving:

He and his companion were walking down a busy street.  A man on a bicycle approached them and asked for 2 pesos. (It takes 12 pesos to make $1).  They truly didn’t have any money on them so they told him so.  At that point the man used his bike to cut them into a side street.  He then told them he wanted their watches and phones.  They didn’t want to give up their shared phone because it’s a slow process to replace it.  Elder McKinlay’s companion handed over his watch (a cheap knock off watch) and told him they didn’t have a phone.  When the man showed them a gun in his belt, the companion reconsidered and said, “I do have a phone but it’s an old Nokia”.  The phone battery was almost dead, and there was no credit on the phone so it wouldn’t make any calls.  The man took the phone, tried it, and said, “This is lame” and handed it back.  Off he rode on his bicycle with his new watch.

Elder McKinlay also had a few sayings about the traffic and crazy drivers:

“If you come to a complete stop, you have yielded the right of way and you have to wait for another person to make a complete stop – which may never happen.”

His theory on speed limits: “You go as fast as you want as long as you can slow down for a speed bump.”  By the way – I call them speed mountains here.  You can forget about the alignment of your car if you hit one of these babies with any speed.

And Keith: “There are no nice drivers in Mexico” which is quite true.  Today two, not just one, did a left turn over in front of us from the right lane.  Driving is truly an experience here!