With credit to Daytimer.


There is a large group of characters who roam the streets of La Zona Norte. One group of roamers call themselves "tour guides". In some cases they are nothing but cleaver bums finding different ways of getting handouts.

This is a list of the "tour guides" that I have run across and my comments about each one.

Texas Mike: He is American and is a veteran. He sometimes looks really bad when he has been on a drunk and has been down on his luck. He is friendly and seems sincere about his chosen profession. He has a habit of always hitting me up for money every time he sees me. That gets old after awhile.

Ramona: This is another American who has landed in TJ. She claims to be taking care of 8 orphan boys. She asks for money so she can feed them. As most stories in this area, they are not to be believed. Ramona is trying to survive and is doing so by telling stories. She is like Texas Mike and seems sincere about what she does and always hits me up for money.

KB: KB is a husky young black American who claims he was a Marine. He talks in a very intelligent way. He offers advice about TJ to mongers. He hits people up for two and a half-dollars so he can buy a bottle of boos. At least he is honest about that. He says he has some mental problems and is on medication.

Franco: Franco seems to be the most honest of the "guides". He has never told me big stories about himself or has said any BS to me. He has accepted money from me, but he has never asked. He now works to promote the Tropical Bar. He is a good person to talk to if you want the real story on something. He knows a lot of the girls so he can lead you in the right direction if you can not find a girl you want.

Ramona has trouble with the cops too. I got stopped once simply because she was trailing after me trying to get my attention. Cops let me go and took her away. If you walk or chat with her, you are just begging to get hassled by the cops.

Franco has asked me for money in the past, and he flat lied to me about a chica I was interested in once. He's translated for me in the past too, and seems somewhat respectable.

I've never met the other two.

-Superman-