Finally: MiMi the cat goes to Mexico!

Here is a guest article written by a friend of mine who is living out her dream. She tells a story of transition, courage and wonderment. Using her cat as a frame of reference, Benne  Rockett gives us a glimps of her exciting new, self directed life.  

Six months ago I packed my car and moved to the Yucatan.  That’s in Mexico ya’ll!  My little toaster car, a 2005 Scion XB, can hold almost as much as a 5’x5’x10’ storage space.  I managed to bring an IKEA futon by deconstructing the frame and sucking the life out of the cushions.  Thank You Space Bags!  I packed towels, bed linens, kitchen supplies, and a few personal items into three green 20 gallon plastic totes.   Under front seats, I slid two packaged sun shade cloths, jewelry placed in a cupcake covered pan, and a canister filled with Non-GMOs from Humble Seed.  Filling the backseat floorboard, was  my beautiful mandolin, my grandfather’s Singer sewing machine, a crate full of tools, a divided tote with art supply do-dads’, and two 4’ multi-drawer towers filled with cookware and spices.   My dear friend, Jessi, was squished into the front seat.  Her bags, a kitty litter box and a tote for cat food, were placed on either side of the backseat items.   Finally, Mimi the Cat, who rode inside a soft, luxurious crate, was wedged securely between the two front seats.   This configuration was well rehearsed weeks in advance.  Still, I barely managed to squeeze three changes of clothes into the mix. 

Mimi the Cat has achieved international notoriety.  She may not be the first kitten to sleep in a sex motel, but she is certainly one of the first house cats to do so.    Her first evening was spent behind the security walls of a no-tell-motel in Matehula, MX.  Given a half dose of cat Benedryl, she came out of her carrier with the grace of a sea sick ships’ captain.  By the time we turned in for a nights rest in the single king sized bed built for twenty people, she was back to her fluffy fur ball self.

For her second night in Mexico, Mimi the Cat elected to stay in a very posh and super expensive hotel, the former home to one of the Pre-Revolutionary Spanish governors of Puebla, Mexico.   And why not!  Puebla is home to more churches per captita than any other city in all of the Americas and houses the first ever library on this continent.  Mimi the Cat loves shinny things and prefers sleeping on any book I am reading, thus, Puebla made her “A” list.  After a pleasant evening spent with spinning frescoed angels, gilded concrete molding, and a quick shower in the fully converted contemporary bathroom lounge, she was ready to hit the road.  

Not one to miss an opportunity to hear the magnificent tales of NAFTA truck drives, she bought a bottle of tequila, stored it neatly alongside her Ziploc packet of Benydryl, both tucked into her Hello Kitty backpack, and made it all the way to Villahermosa, MX.   Looking particularly glamorous after a head to tail-tip brushing, Mimi the Cat was ready for the shimmering sleaze of a red hot night in her second no-tell-motel.   Behind paper thin walls, fellow flea baggers enjoyed her night of singing a beautiful rendition of “Don’t Cry For Me, Argentina”, a favorite of her mother.   In the morning she apologized for not having song “Las Mañanitas” to the very handsome Pero Gãrgola, the rooftop watch dog .

Finally arriving in the Yucatan, she was challenged by a two Mexican Federales.  While one searched her papers, the other taunted her by calling her a tiger – he put his hand up like he was going to claw her and let out a low growl.  Mimi the Cat remained calm.  Once at the beach, she shed her coat, and gazed at the magnificence of the Gulf waters.  After a leisurely week of tanning, she finally met the village idiots.  Not afraid of their dogged attempts to steal her fur coat, she casually approached the leader, the local garbage man and leader of the deadly La Basura gang, lifted her paw to his muzzle, and challenged him to a dual.  Some members of La Basura were so fearful that their shaking caused imediate loss of fur and teeth.  One poor fellow lost the tip of his tail.

Now, the village idiots are persuaded that Mimi the Cat is an extraterrestrial raccoon, sent down by the Mayan gods to change their fate.   Images of her likeness have been posted on the sides of many fishing boats at the Ria, and fisher man from all around bribe her with tasty morsels.   Life is Good in Mexico.

http://www.newsfromabroad-online.blogspot.com/

What Benne does not mention in the article is that she is a very savvy and talented mental health professional who is now using her experience to assist other ex-patriot woman in the huge adjustment (and sometimes the hazards) of moving to a new culture. Be sure to click on the link at the end of the article and check out her site. It makes a good uplifting read.