Apologies to the late George Carlin for stealing the title of this piece. Lately, though, it seems to me that everything has taken on a surreal vibe. With the presidential election in our collective rear view and Christmas fast approaching, one wonders where the past year has gone? It is becoming ever more apparent that Peñasco has been the focus of a lot of folks…for good or ill is yet to be determined.
As of this writing, the new Walmart hasn’t yet opened its doors, but you can bet it will have a huge impact on the city and especially on our local merchants. As it has everywhere in the ‘states, it will mean the end of a way of life for many small and midsized merchants here in our little corner of paradise.
Many of my friends tell me that they still plan to patronize all the stores that they do now, but who are we kidding? The convenience the big box store will bring is hard to ignore, and the visitors who don’t know about those little shops in the first place will almost automatically go to Walmart as a knee jerk reaction simply out of familiarity.
I suppose Peñasco has grown large enough to accommodate all comers, but more is the pity that it has. The “old” Peñasco is no more, sadly. As they have everywhere, in the U.S., the money and mobility of transplants from north of the border has, and is, changing the complexion of our town. I say not for the better, but that’s just me.
Where people used to come to Peñasco for tranquility, the beaches, fishing and a little culture. Today, they come for all the glitz and amenities that Sandy Beach has to offer. The town has taken notice and ever more places are opening that to cater to the big bucks flowing into town. It’s very much like the boom/bust gold towns of the old west and the Yukon; except we have social media and are interconnected with the wider world. Where will it all end?? I would not even speculate.
Even the politicians are taking note. I can’t tell you how many years me and many of my friends and neighbors begged to have the paved roads repaired. Our pleas fell on deaf ears. Those roads were in really, really bad shape…like lose an axle bad shape! Now, a few mentions of the deteriorating road conditions between Peñasco and Sonoyta or Peñasco and El Golfo on social media and “voila” we not only get solid repairs, but we are getting a whole new roadway from Sonoyta to Peñasco. Not just any new road, mind you, but a TOLL road! One that will charge the gringos, but not the locals! How’s that or for “reading the room”?
Of course, the new road might take several years to complete, but this is Mexico after all. As most of us who live here know, “mañana” does not mean tomorrow, necessarily, it just means “not today!” (Apologies to Mark Mulligan) In the meanwhile, take it easy when driving to or from the border at Lukeville, or over to El Golfo and keep the mobile tire repair guy’s phone number on speed dial.
And so it goes…the more things change, the more they change I guess. Perspective is an important thing, so a walk on the beach in cool of the morning, watching my dogs run around chasing the gulls and sandpipers; chatting up the other folks doing the same thing and spreading “treats” to all the doggos like a politician handing out favors, helps to bring it all into focus.
Although the changes we are experiencing here in Peñasco are pretty jarring, most of us who live here can still enjoy the things that brought us here in the first place. For how much longer, no one can say, but in the meantime, I’ll take it.
For you visitors and prospective newcomers, try to keep things on the “down low” if that’s the correct terminology. Enjoy our town. Enjoy everything that we were known for back then…and try not to change us too much!
