FINALLY...Paco and I and our not-so-little family are TOGETHER FOREVER...but not without having our last not-so-little hurdle to jump over.
Sit back. Make yourself comfortable. Pop yourself a bag of popcorn and grab a Coke. Maybe even find a box of tissue. I have quite the story to share...
Paco and the girls were scheduled to fly into Houston on November 8th--our 15 month anniversary. The bathroom floor was scrubbed. The kids were scrubbed. I had the perfect outfit picked out. Paco and I had talked the night of the 7th and they were all set to come. What could possibly go wrong?
Let me tell you...
When Paco and the girls arrived at the Lima airport at 5:00 a.m., they checked in their luggage, paid the taxes to leave the country, said goodbye to family members seeing them off at the airport, and then proceeded to the immigration office of the airport to check all of their documents. So far, so good...until the following conversation took place.
Airport Official: "Mr. Torero (a.k.a Houston) we have a problem. There's no judge available here at the airport today to sign the girl's documents allowing them to leave the country."
Paco: Silence.
Airport Official: "Sorry, but you can't fly today."
Paco: More stunned silence.
Airport Official: "If you can get a judge to sign the documents today, you can fly tomorrow... But you have to know that all judges in the country are on strike right now."
Paco: Continued stunned silence combined with nausea...until he could gain enough composure to speak. "Okay. If this is what I need, I'll get it. See you tomorrow."
At this point, Paco was composed...but the same couldn't be said for two sweet young ladies who had been waiting 14 1/2 months for this day to arrive.
Maki, our 9-year-old began to cry. (To the Airport Official) "Do you know what you're doing to me???!!! There's a HUGE Barbie house waiting for me at my home in Houston. And my twin sister is there waiting for me too!!!!" Tears falling down face. "You are a very mean man!!!"
Mafe was less verbal, but equally disappointed. Her very own bedroom adorned with Justin Beiber and Jonas Brother posters was waiting for her in Houston. Tears spilled from her eyes as she left the airport with her dad and sister.
Paco's dad and best buddy (The Great Pancho Torero), picked up the trio from the airport, and when Paco explained the situation and what needed to happen, Pancho, in his deep, unmistakable, Darth Vader-ish voice said, "Let's go for it!"
And they did.
Pancho drove the three to the courthouse where so many judges were marching outside with their picketing signs. Inside, Paco asked at the front desk if perhaps there was a judge inside who he could speak to. One judge (a lady) was available, so Paco and his dad proceeded to her office. If you know my husband as I do, you know that he can sell sand to the Egyptians. After a thirty-minute conversation, he left the courthouse with the signed document the Airport Official had requested.
By now it was the afternoon, and Paco decided he'd better call me. For some reason I didn't hear my phone ring, but received the following message on my cell:
"Hi Gringa. We weren't able to make the flight today because the judges are on strike. But we are going to try to fly out tomorrow morning. Let's talk on the phone tonight at 8. I love you."
I left work that day so excited because after 14 1/2 LONG months apart, I was finally going to SEE my husband that night. He was flying in at 8 p.m. I can hardly express how disappointed I felt when I heard the message. At the time I didn't even really understand what was happening. Would the strike be over the next day? Would they EVER make it here to Houston??!!! The only thing I was certain about was that, as usual, we would be having our 8:00 p.m. phone conversation. And we did.
The next morning Paco and the girls were back at the airport at 5:00 a.m. The airport employees recognized them and they were allowed to go to the head of the line to check in. After paying an additional $300 fee to change their tickets, and ANOTHER $100 airport tax fee, once again they approached the airport immigration office, and the same official from the previous morning.
Paco: "Here are the requested documents."
Airport Official: "But Mr. Torero, how do I know that these aren't forged documents? How could you have possibly gotten these documents signed by a judge when every judge in Peru is on strike?"
Paco...no longer silent: "With all due respect, this isn't your business. I got what you asked for, signed by a judge, and here it is. So, if you won't let me fly to my new home in Houston today, I'm going to bring TV cameras here to the airport, and show all of Peru what you are doing here. And not only that, I'm also going to sue you and sue the airport, and anyone else who tries to stop me and my girls from leaving today."
Airport Officer...now silenced, and red faced, took the passports, stamped and signed them. With an angry voice he replied, "I hope I never see your face again."
Paco: "That's the idea, my friend. Hasta la vista, Baby. But...I'll be back!!!!"
And that's when I received the best phone call of my life...at 5:30 a.m.
"Hey, Gringa... We're on our way. See you tonight!"
To be continued...very soon...I promise!!!
