VP Explores South of Border

By Mr. J. Carr, Pipe-Up Editor & Chief

Carr arrives at base camp accompanied by his parrot
Mitzy shortly before he became surrounded by natives.

Pipe-Up, Sixth & Seventh Congress, December 2012

The Club’s Vice-President recently returned from an expedition to the Caribbean regions along the Mexican coast in hopes of establishing a foothold for the Club.  Preparations for the trip had been on-going several months prior with the acquisition of supplies, porters and mules for the arduous journey.  A stroke of luck befell Carr when he discovered an aerodrome with flying machines capable of ferrying passengers within 50 kilometers of his intended base camp. Supplies returned, porters discharged and mules eaten, Carr made record time with the lightened load.

While communication with the natives proved difficult, a relationship was established between Carr and a local fish hunter. Dialogue was established via a Canadian interpreter.  Carr, being somewhat fluent in Canadian, was able to make a connection with a Mr. H. Ryan who as it turned out was not native but an American from Memphis who, after going out for a pack of smokes, became lost ending up in this remote tropical location.

Carr defending his base camp from hostile natives.

As a sign of friendship, tobacco was exchanged. Ryan was impressed with the Karl Eric pipe that was offered. Carr was equally impressed with Ryan’s unique blend of local leaf and, after waking up, traded him some shiny beads for more.

After Ryan returned from a hunt in the sea of Mega-Mart, 2 large fish were shared, between the hunter and explorer after which more smoke was taken and several naps in between.

Carr captured this rare photo of the local native
women living in the rafters of the palapa.

Overall Carr found the natives unusual but friendly. Three of the tribal women who lived in the rafters of the main palapa were confused by the pale visitor with the smoking head. The women were soon calmed with the offering of doce pesos (.92c US) each, which they pooled together to purchase libation.

This is when Carr realized the main palapa was in fact a beach bar owned by Ryan. How he missed the steady stream of tourists, flashy lights, live music and extensive array of tequilas must have been a result of the local leaf. Shortly thereafter Carr was handed a tab that had been running since the explorer first arrived and was reminded that the large gratuity expected had not been included in the final summation. Oddly, the natives no longer desired the shiny beads used previously but were insistent on the left-over U.S. currency the explorer had not burned in the warming fire made on the flying machine. Left with nothing more than a few shiny beads, he reflected that selling the mules may have been wiser.

After settling up, Carr and Ryan discussed the future over some of the local leaf. Much was discussed about the club’s rituals and Ryan soon converted to the way of the pipe after Carr explained the black leggings and shorts, while encouraged, were optional. Carr left the village and natives behind with the promise of return. Ryan too promised to honor the rituals or to at least act like it when like-minded tourists were around.