Mexico Journal: Aug. 22, crossing the border

Many days later, so much as happened after Chamula, we discovered the nightmarish apparitions I was plagued with were for John. Sure, I could blame the 24-hour bug for my delirious delusions.

But it turned out that his friend Kayla really had died that night. She appeared three times in my dreams, she wouldn't go away. When I described what she was wearing and showed John her stance, he said that's Kayla. it was a message for John. They had parted on bad terms over poetry. I guess it was payback time.

San Cristóbal de las Casas is so full of tension and hatred especially toward women. I was glad to leave the place. At the Guatemalan border, an official tried to exhort a thousand pesos from the couple in front of us. We squawked loudly. A comedy of errors, we team up again with Sean and Terese. It's four against one. We all get in free. No additional mordita. Things are looking up.

We board a Bluebird yellow schoolbus and head for Panajachel. I marvel at the dark green Naugahyde seats, and turquoise ceiling. The bus brings back childhood memories. So that's where all our old school buses went, to Guatemala, on a banana republic student exchange visa.