A Mexico Moment

The other day I bought an ice cream cone at a shop on the Jardin, Guanajuato's plaza. There were two employees working, a girl and a guy. The girl gave me the change in a handful of coins. I counted them, put them in my pocket and left, licking my cone. Less than a moment later, I had a doubt--I was pretty sure I had been given the wrong amount. I re-counted--sure enough, I was owed two pesos. I felt OK going back to reclaim the missing change since I had only just left the shop.

I went back in, explained, and showed them the change.

"Maybe you dropped the other coins," the girl said. (Actually, in Spanish, you never say, "you dropped," you say, "it dropped itself." Personal responsibility is not a core teaching in Spanish grammar!) But that was the message.

"No, I'm sure I didn't," I said, shaking my head with emphasis. We stood there a moment and I thought the girl was going to get two pesos out of the cash register. But I felt around in my pocket, though I didn't think anything was there, and suddenly felt something metallic. I pulled out a two-peso coin.

"Oops!" I smiled ruefully, now feeling a bit awkward that I had been so sure a moment earlier. (Yes, "oops" is a word in Spanish). "Disculpeme," I said.

As I left the shop, the guy was laughing his head off. Not in a mean way.

There was something about his reaction that felt very Mexican. He wasn't annoyed at me for thinking they were in the wrong (as I might have expected him to react), he didn't get self-righteous, he didn't act curtly or coldly towards me, didn't scold me or give me a lecture--he just laughed at my silly human foible. I loved it. I waved goodbye, laughing too.