8 months.
Thats a life time in blogging. Things have changed in unexpected ways. All those old places are still around, however that last place near the bullfights is gone for good.
For a few months it lasted in a lower mid class neighboorhood. Near a Little plaza they would be selling their products. It took me about 2 weeks to find or more but I found them.
And again the whole thing about getting to know them and them you and building some kind of trust.
But after a while it got where the crowds where 100 strong. Too much to not attract attention.
Then one day gone.
Again. Finding them. El tajito. Less close each time. I went in car. I went in bike. Got upset with one of their Young punks who thought he was important. Almost didnt want to sell to me, but when the guys who did know me, told him to let me have it, he gave in. Typical asshole you know?
But after about 2 or 3 months they where gone.
Now they went to far off places. Too far for me.
So ive taken vaction. But son, near the end of November I was told another place to go much closer.
Without having to cross the river. But their is state pólice that pop up near the exit.
Have to be carefull their much more than the last places. Got a little bag, and not happy about the cost and amount.
Maybe ill take another vacation.

Yesterday I waited in vain for about 20 minutes. Its been a while since I posted but things have changed. The places they sell pot move from time to time. Just a few weeks this place lasted for me it seems.  Last time I came it was a sunday I think. Their was the usual sunday morning activity. Peoplel where eating at out door gorditas stands. Kids where playing lotteria on the sidewalk in the shade. A small group of maybe 7 girls and boys with their cardboard lottery cards before them. A Little frijol for placing. It was very normal and nice and right down the street, drugs where being bought and sold. 
But now it looks like am going to go a new place.

Yesterday early, I decided to again cross that river. But I drove instead and thought it would be ok since it was early. I was wrong. Chk point at the entrance. So I went under the bridge, not knowing that another was down below also. But it wasnt stopping people like the bridge above, so I blew thru it. I drove a few blocks away and was their. Too early. Ok Ill go spend time downtown. Needed to buy a waterhose so I killed about a hour. Coming back, I drove right up to the point. The goods guy where their. So I got out to ask. A guy in a pink shirt, young, typical cholo look but matured said nothing yet but soon. So I asked if it was ok to park here and he said yeah. Turning on the radio, I waited. Suddenly, minutes later, I notice the guys running in panic. I quickly turn on my car, not knowing what to expect. I left quickly, but not quick enough to not see thru the rearview mirror that it was the fed police. I turn left and again left. Then got on a wide street and just drove. To my horror, the fed truck that I saw was behind me. He put on his torrent lights and I heard them say pull over. So I did, and quickly turn off my car and as the young officer in his full fatigue outfit and machine gun at the ready got to my door. As he ask me to let them chk my car, I was already out the door, and opening the truck. He just look and saw I had nothing. Surely he notice the brandnew water hose on the passenger st. He ask if I lived their, where they had seen me pulling away. I told them no. I was their looking for a nephew who had not come home. "He drugs himself." Another one of them asks, and I said yes. Since they didnt find anything, and I gave them a credible story, they told me to go on my way, and took off. I got back in the car. And said to myself, Damm that was close. Mad that I didnt just get what I wanted and also that I was stopped.Glad that I wasnt searched or said anything about the car not having plates. They where too focus I guess now that am thinking about it on getting the guys with the goods. Drugs, money,ammo etc. So I wasnt nothing to them, plus I gave them a good story for being out of place. Another pluse for looking old. What to do now? Go back and see if the goods guys come back. But I parked a way aways. Near a park where people where helping out to paint it. Curb painting, benches etc. Nice commuity effort for a Sat moring. Lots of people. Perfect place to park the car. So I went again walking slowly scopeing. Didnt see police or anything. Did a few trys and then they where their,the goods guys. They where waiting still. I asked if anything will come?Sure, just wait a sec. And soon it got their. And time was taken without effort. Just half hour before running, panic. Searches. Because some had been caught and been beaten but butts of rifles and slapped around. Cell phones taken. But they where let go since they had no drugs or guns.
And now just 30 mins later, a line of guys like me. 2 guys sorting out the pot in baggies. Counting them out. Few at a time. Like nothing happen at all. It was bussiness as usual. I got my stuff and left. Even got 10 off for the scare. Ill have to give it back and then some to get their trust. But I had mention to them, that I got stopped and searched but left alone basicly. Since am new to that spot, it was a way of building trust. I as a consumer and they as goods guys. The only drawback in noramlecy was the feds and their machines.

Got a call early like 11. I saw I had none, so Idecided to go forth and get some. Needed cash so I waited till I got some. Promising to get back in half a hour, I took off on my bike. I wont go across that river with a car. But I still have to go the same way. And I was lucky that the check point today was manned by army units and not marines. Just in case somebody might notice me coming and going. I try to take other routes and not go so directly.  I got their by following someone who I suspected was on their way. I didnt want to get their alone but I should have gotton their 1st. I got the last bag, and was told  to come back in 15 mins. I needed one more so I went bikeing toward the center of town. Just a few blocks away. You cross over blvds and suddenly its very diffrent. Commercial and Hotels and plazas and the busy busy of your average city in the west. What I had just left was just homes and modest streets. Small little non streets. Working class. Near the river close to the bull fights. I went to kill 15 mins by going toward more people. I had a bag, but I didnt worry much. I came up a street the wrong way slowly. Not too many cars but enough. And suddenly a tank. A blue federal police tank parked off the corner. It look like a check point, and I saw personal around, but they where not stopping anyone. The next corner the same. They where up the street from the mayors offices. So it was no suprise for them to be their. I just drove slowly by in no hurry. I got to the plaza and look at the watch tower. I took out the bag I had and knew I could make it 2. But I wanted another one since I was here already. I put it away quickly and without attracting attention so I hoped. I didnt have to much time. So I left again. Avoiding the feds, and went up again to that other part of town. I got their hoping and saw a small crowd waiting. Nothing. Had to wait. A mixture of young boys and men.Some real young. Some young men in their 20s 30s. Working guys mostly on foot and bikes. A few started stopping in cars. Their was maybe 15 guys. The goods guys would tell the newcomers to go around the corner and not be too obvious. But we looked all like we where waiting for a concert to begin.Too many in that place. But I had to wait. Till I got desperate about the time and left. It was good that no check point wasnt place on both ends of the bridge. I cross the river with 1 bag at least and pedel on as fast as my over weight body would take me. When I got their I took a tiny bit out, since I didnt get none. He didnt mind. And I got my obligations done a little bit late, but not to much.
Its like having to run a maize. The drug war makes us all mouses.

700 soldiers arrived in Gomez last night. More men more equipment to patrol the streets of this side of the river. Yesterday I should have gone to the dentist at ISSISTE, a worker funded hospital systum. But the dentist chair cleaning systum was on the blink. No light blub since October. So when you get worked on,the dentist has the use the cieling light to see.The drill was also on the blink.No money for parts yet. Yet on the tv screen, airplanes flying in, troops filling trucks with strom troopers like moves. No money for a dentist chair up keep but millions spent on attacking drug gangs. Yet also yesterday close to my work place, I heard that someone had their car jacked just a couple of blocks away. Armed gun men. Was a time not to long ago that kind of crime had been un heard of. Lately small late model cars have been used in shootings and attacks. 2 days ago the siglo de torreon newspaper office was shot up in the middle of the day.
They had just celebrated 90 years of exsitence as a daily newspaper. Nice birthday present.
So all these new soldiers are on the streets. I see them driving up and down main streets. Their was two of them with their green fatigues and machine guns hung on their sholders while they bought cups of sliced fruits from a street vender. Their is money for all that protection. But not for a light blub for a dentist chair at a workers hospital.

Again the war on drugs makes its apearence. Its everywhere in the presence of military and federal police. Because thats all thats left on this side of the river between here and torreon. I bike a lot when I can, and since I had to go to Torreon to take some xrays, I decided to bike there. I had the time, and I knew that their would probally be a cheak point on the river between the cities. And whoala, their it was. A old two lane steel bridge made in the 30s was packed with traffic. So I narrowly missed people while going steady through a marine chk point. Both incoming lanes blocked. Marines in full gear, stoping traffic. Sending them either on their way, or stopping for a full inspection.
Since I was on a bike, I was oblivious to them. However I could see 3 marines looking through a working mans car trunk. Paint cans,tools etc. The t-shirted driver, looking anxious to go on to work, but having to wait for military men to go thru your things. I got where I had to go pretty fast and saw I had enough for some pot. I went to the usual places. Forgoten places. Where the working poor and the retired live. Old neighborhoods where torreon was made. Now vacant lot and slaughter house factories. Where the crevices of the nearby hills in the warrens where people lived, some sold drugs.
Yet their was none. The guys who where where out of pot. I asked them, since I saw their where guys Ive seen lots before so I could comfertabley ask them about a new place I knew of.
Was it theirs? "Yeah they said. And if they ask where you come from, just say here."So I went and almost didnt find them. But then I saw a guy with a bunch of cash sitting outside with a phone. I came up to him and said got any pot? The bags over their he pointed and he did ask where I came from. I answered the password, and approached the guy with the goods. I was still on my bike and was told by the goods guy to go bikeless. Obeying and not wanting to test anything, I willing forked over for a nice baggie. I ask till how late, and he said till 1 am. I left noticeing everything around so I wouldnt forget next time. Funny how all that happen just 10 blocks away from the marines check point.

Now their are no more cops in lerdo at all. The war on drugs takes all kind of victums. Somehow they where all link to bad elements. Now poof, no more authority on the streets.  As i went to the dentist yesterday, I biked ride since it was close. Yet the normal streets that I sometimes use to avoid heavier traffic have been blocked by those who live on them. Its a nice part of lerdo in the houses and cars that are their. Big middle class money homes and cars. Yet the streets belong to all. But they blocked them off with the excuse that it keeps the thieves away. But it also stops your average citizen from taking a shorter route home. They blocked streets that everyone payed for. The lights, drange etc. Yet now by using so much mayhem and that the cops are gone, to convert private what was once public.
The war on drugs takes so much away from normality.

As i drove to take someone to the bus, we drove up to a intersection. That area is notorious for transit police who are always hovering around catching speeders and more often those with no plates. I slowed down to a stop and i notice a transit cop laying on the street by his bike. The bike was parked right. He apeared to be asleep yet had one leg up akwardly. His dark face with full mustache was young. He was maybe in his early 30s. I drove away thinking he had a heart attack or some such thing. Close by another transit police was arriving. His look as suprised at the scence as all the on lookers. He slowed down as i drove on. A ambulance passed by as i drove on. Ill chk the internet as soon as i get home. When i did i discoverd that 4 transit cops had been gunned down. 3 in Gomez palacio and 1 in lerdo. But the lerdo direction wasnt the one i saw. Yet later the news did mention the one i saw. Its not a uncommon thing to see the victums of the drug wars as so much trafic accidents with onlookers, curious to know.