It had been quite some time since the last time and suddenly there it was, twice in the same day. Spoken English. The first time spooked me a little as it turned out to be non other than me talking to myself but we needn’t follow that train just yet.
The next was a man who recognized my poor Spanish and introduced himself as someone who had spent some time long ago in New Jersey. Almost immediately he hit me with a question I hadn’t given a thought to in the previous months ….
” What do you miss the most about the United States ? ”
I tactfully pretended to give this some thought but there were answers to that question that hit my thoughts in an instant. Like very hard seriously sharp cheddar cheese for one. I’m not fond of the very soft almost liquid creamy cheeses in Colombia that they seem so very proud of .
Good craft beer jumped right in line as well . This one would be a difficult explanation on my part as the entire barrio is completely aware of the copious amounts of local brew that is purified through my overtaxed kidney’s on a daily basis. I’m quite certain I offer the impression that I think it’s the best and they seem pleased about that so I’d prefer not to deny them any joy in that regard .
A rib eye . I’m talking a one and a half inch thick heavily marbled slab of beef singed on the outside, moist on the inside and tender enough to cut through with a single pass of a moderately sharp blade. Of all the wonderful food items to be found in Colombia a decent steak just isn’t one of them . I might add that having it served without rice and music playing would be pleasant as well , both being a staple of each and every meal . In fact rice is such a staple that I recently asked for my meal to be served sans rice and everyone laughed at the obvious Gringo joke . I was served a double portion of it in honor of my obviously great sense of humor……
