So, my son has been madly prepping for “Step 1” of medical school exams, which future doctors have to take at the end of their second year. This preparation must be done in addition to the regular med-school workload, he explained, thus securing the mom sympathy vote.In spite of all this, he has been making the most of being centrally located on the East Coast. During the past few months, he has been skiing in Vermont, visiting New Hampshire and sightseeing in D.C.
He then mentions he and his girl are planning a small vacation after the big test in May. OK. That sounds reasonable. Key West, they think, might be nice. I agree. Warm. Not hurricane season. Mosquitos, maybe, will be the biggest threat.
And, oh, by the way, could I send the starving student just a little money toward the trip? Well, gosh. My baby boy has been working pretty hard, pushing through his second year of med school in Boston, so I wire off the cash with a smile.
No sooner does the cash clear then I get a new email. Gee, it says, we got a fabulous deal on an all-inclusive resort in Cancun! As in Mexico. As in, not on U.S. soil and in that country filled with drug cartel madness.
Mother is not pleased. Mother has a stomachache. Mother did not hesitate to express her surprise and dismay at their choice.
“Mom,” my son gently replied, like the invulnerable 25-year-old that he is, “We will be in one of the busiest resort cities in Mexico. And we will be inside the resort walls the whole trip. I promise no drug lords will try and storm our hotel.”
“Ha!” I retort. “Says you! And how would you know this, Mr. Smarty Pants? Have you spoken with the drug lords lately? No, I didn’t think so. Because they don’t take calls from Whitey McIrish boy and if you end up being held hostage, you can just call your father!”
I was once the queen of nonchalant travel to Mexico. One headless body in the streets, and all that disappeared. Just flying down there makes me nervous, but my son’s use of the term “inside resort walls” has a nice ring to it. Maybe they can borrow the Pope-mobile to get them to and from the airport.
I did hear Cancun beefed up security for spring break, with military walking the beach, and extra tourist police. I plan to make sure they are still hanging around by late May. Drug lords may not chat with blond American medical students, but I’ll bet President Nieto or at least Cancun tourism director Maximo Garcia Rocha, will take a call from a concerned madre, no? I’m dialing now.
Jean Gillette is a freelance writer who may need a Margarita to steady her nerves. Contact her a [email protected].
