Five pesos for the bano.

Stuart, who was "volunteered" to help is asking for clarification in the instructions.

Two weeks ago, I went to my Monday spanish lesson to find my teacher, Laura giggling.  When I asked about her weekend, she broke into a laugh.  Her cousin, Make', lives just down the street.  Make' called Laura Saturday morning to say everyone at her house was sick, and they were in need of help.  As Laura is telling me this story, I was sad to hear they were all sick, and wondered why this was so danged funny.  Weeeelllllll.

Make' and her family own a public bathroom and parking lot business.  In Oaxaca when you go in a public bathroom, you pay 3 or 4 pesos, and are handed a few sheets of toilet paper (papel personal, or papel higenico) and you can go into a somewhat clean bathroom.  No toilet seats, but that's another story.  Since everyone at Make's house was sick, no one felt like tearing the little bits of toilet paper to hand out at the bano.  So Laura spent her entire weekend tearing t.p. into appropriate lengths for her cousin.  She showed me the three bags of little bundles, and we both dissolved in laughter.

Maybe you had to be there.

The next week, Laura sent an email plea for volunteers to all her students.  You guessed it:  to tear toilet paper!  She pointed out that it would be a good spanish lesson, since no one in Make's house speaks English.  Well, you know I volunteered.  And, volunteered Stuart, too.  To my knowledge, we were the only students to volunteer.  You may have read in an earlier post about a trip during Dia de los Muertos when I met Make' and she told me about catching grasshoppers (chapulines) in the corn field.  Chapulines are a much-loved food in Oaxaca.  That Make' talked to me with expectations that I understood everything she said was a compliment in my eyes!

Laura led Stuart and me down the street to Make's house, where we were warmly greeted and shown to the dining room table.  Each of us was handed a huge roll of paper, and told to roll it out the length of the table, and tear it.  You can see the look on Stuart's face:  "Tell me again, what am I doing with this?"

Make' instructed us to roll and tear; roll and tear.  Stuart began cutting with the scissors (unas de tejidores), and Make' told him he was being too elegant!  After a while, we finished rolling and tearing/cutting.  Then, we began to fold (doble) each length.  Wow! I've never gotten this much papel for 4 pesos anywhere around here.  This is a nice public bathroom!

Each length of papel higenico was then wrapped with a peach-colored paper towel.  To dry your hands, which you surely will wash, afterwards!

Two small dogs kept us entertained with barking and playing while we worked.  This is Chile, with one of his favorite toys in his mouth.  Frijolito (Tiny Bean) wouldn't stand still long enough for a photo.  Tito, Make's 2-year-old nephew was also scooting around the room on his tiny car scooter (coche) with a shy grin

Make's sister putting the fruits of our labor in the box, ready to go down the street to the business, all smiles.

I figure this is sort of like herding turkeys for my brother on his farm.  Something everyone wants to experience once.  Just for the story. Herding turkeys?  That's another story, too.

Thanks for the spanish lesson, Make'!