Puerto Vallarta, Mexico – Some people collect souvenirs, others collect memories, and MiMi Bomba seems to have collected a few lessons along the way. In her latest tale, she reflects on the curious ways life can steer a person away from old habits — sometimes with a little humor, a touch of irony, and an unmistakable crash.
When I was 17 years old, I was on a train traveling across the country, and I met an older woman (she was 20 or 21). One evening we had dinner in the dining car and the waiter asked us if we would like a cocktail.
She ordered something like a Tom Collins or a wine spritzer, and I said, “I’ll have a martini. please”. That’s what the beautiful actresses drank in the movies that I saw, and I thought they looked very sophisticated.
Skipping ahead a few minutes, I looked in the bathroom mirror and a map of Texas had appeared on my chest in bright red.
In hindsight, I figured that meant I was probably allergic to gin. (Or maybe it was because it was my very first drink.) At that point in my life, I had not had so much as one beer or a taste of wine. I just dove into a straight-up martini because I thought they were pretty.
I have to admit, I have had a few (?) martinis since that day, but they have all been vodka martinis. That was my loophole.
However, I think the universe might be trying to tell me something. I had a brand new bottle of vodka in my fridge along with a couple of jars of olives, and when I opened the refrigerator door the other day, the unopened bottle of vodka fell and broke.
I have to say it was a cheap bottle of vodka because my kitchen smelled like rubbing alcohol for a few days, leading me to believe that it was, in fact, a bottle of rubbing alcohol.
So I have decided that I have had my last martini, gin or vodka. I’ll stick to Spanish vino tinto, Mexican beer, and tequila. But not all at once. Ole!
Hasta luego,
MiMi Bomba
Writing with warmth, wit, and a deep affection for Puerto Vallarta, MiMi Bomba draws inspiration from classic humorists while creating a style all her own. Her stories celebrate the people, places, and experiences that make life in Puerto Vallarta both unpredictable and rewarding. Click HERE to read more essays by MiMi Bomba.
