I was sitting in the Coffee Tree in Chapala, eavesdropping on the "Six Sages" who help keep me up-to-date on local doings. (I almost wrote "abreast of" but didn't want to take a chance of offending those people who are removing books from the L.C.S library. A breast does have some erotic connotations.) There wasn't much going on, just complaints about the lack of rain and the condition of the Lake. But just as I was about to leave, a well-dressed oriental looking man approached the group. He bowed slightly,
"Gentlemen, I am Sam Hong Fong from Singapore. I represent the Hong Fong Tong. Our opium is no longer competitive. We need new revenue. I am here to see about building a Chapala Airport." He pulled up a chair and sat down. "My friends call me "Singapore Sam."
"Local Airport?" Sage number five started to laugh. "There is not enough level land here for that."
Singapore Sam
Now Sage number two spoke up. "Sam, It may be years before the Lake loses enough water for that."
"Not to worry," came the reply. "We are already negotiating with Mexicana nodded in agreement, "It will not be long until the Lake has shrunk enough to provide the space. There is already enough new land to build a terminal and a hotel."
"But why would anyone want to fly here from Guadalajara?" It was Sage 6 speaking.
"Have you ever gone to Guadalajara to pick up an incoming passenger? There is not a single monitor giving information on incoming flights. At night, when the airline ticket counters are closed, it is impossible to find out anything about the flight you are waiting for. Besides, you must stand. There are only 10 seats in the arrival area."
Sage 1 was shaking his head in disagreement. "You're wrong Sam; there are 12 seats." He was an ex-accountant who once worked for an accounting firm named Anderson and had been trained to be very exact with numbers.
Sam smiled. "Ah so," he said, "but you did not notice that two of them are broken."
Singapore Sam
"But what if the Lake recovers?" said Sage Five.
The other sages started to laugh, but Sam held up his hand. "We will build the terminal on a barge. It will have monitors and seats and the hotel will really be a line of houseboats, sitting on dry land. They will able to float if the Lake does rise. Then we will just continue the seaplane service. Besides, we will probably have only about four flights a day. We can pick up some extra revenue by renting the terminal out for meetings between flights."
The six Sages looked at each other. Number one spoke up. "But what do you want from us?" he asked.
"We need local representatives to circulate petitions."
"Petitions?"
"Yes, they will be addressed to the governor and farmers of Guanajuato demanding more water and threatening to cut off their Tequila, which we have been stockpiling in Singapore for the last five years for just this kind of leverage. Tequila is becoming a scarce commodity so maybe the people in Guanajuato are ready to trade water to get a guaranteed supply. Remember, they can't drink the water we're asking for." He handed out some business cards and started to leave.
"Hold on there Sam, what do we get for doing this?" That was Sage four speaking.
"Gentlemen, for each signature you get, we will buy one cup of coffee for each of you in this café. In fact, I'll pay for what you drank today. Then, when things get going, you can run a restaurant or bar concession in the terminal."
"How about a round of cappuccinos today?" That was Sage three who had been a lawyer and had remained silent up until now.
I could see that the idea was taking hold and when I left, Singapore Samwas right. I'd been in airports in China, Kashmir, Thailand, Tibet, Uzbekistan and other remote places. There were always seats plus arrival and departure monitors.
So don't be surprised if you are approached to sign a petition. I recommend you sign. Just think of the trips to the monitor-less, seat-less Guadalajara Airport you won't have to make. And even if the plan doesn't work, you'll still be helping a local business plus coffee growers, pickers, and shippers.
was scribbling out the details of the plan. to start seaplane service from Guadalajara. The U.S. has some PBY's moth-balled. They can land on water and are very cheap."
