Smiling Hotels

Have you ever seen a building smile? I have, and, believe me, it's an odd phenomena. Some have a small curl in the lips, some show off with happy teeth. But, it hasn't always been this way in Mazatlán.

About five years ago, my little city went through a tough time... the hotels were sad, fear had taken over our lives. The news was grim. I couldn't convince my family and friends to come visit me. Then, a low blow... cruise ships sailed past our port without stopping. I was mortified, and I saw the frowns on the hotels, on the people... on me. It was an era of depression for this little city. But, as cycles go, something wonderful happened, something so great, so incredible. 

Crime dramatically declined, government elections weeded out many of the dishonest, my city began to stand proud. Her charming personality felt confident once again. We have a lot of firework shows here... on a weekly basis in the winter, and if there ever was a reason to fire those babies off into the sky on a clear night, this is the time. Mazatlán IS BACK.

I was strolling along the Malecón the other day, a place where there are always loads of folks out to enjoy the beauty of the Sea of Cortez. I couldn't help but hear the scuttlebutt all around me.

"Hey, did you hear that the cruise ships are back? This is such great news!"

And...

"This new road to Durango has brought in so many more folks. I can't get a hotel room on weekends, they're all full!"

And...

"Man, that new shopping mall is so cool. Liverpool, so many great shops. And, have you been to the new cinema there? What is going on with this little city?!"

And, and, and.

It's true, Mazatlán is happy, the hotels are smiling proud... the music scene is alive, the artsy cultural section of town is movin' and a groovin', the restaurants are showing off their magnificent cuisine. This is the place to be, and I couldn't be more proud of her.

I know that I often have happy eyes, I see the beauty in this city with all her grandeur. I also know I take it too far sometimes, my daughter has told me this. She has said that I even sh%###t rainbows about it. But the other day, something happened that made me a believer in myself, something so bizarre, so incredible, that I just about went into a joy coma.

I was walking the beach when I heard chatter from the other sand walkers. It was the same excitement I hear when there is a school, or pod if you like, of dolphins making their way to the mouth of the sea. Yes, it was that good.

Folks were pointing, not at the sea, but at the hotels. It was an eye-popping event. It reminded me of the flick, Independence Day, with the alien spaceship hovering over the city. It was that big! 

It was broad daylight, so no fancy lights to bend our perception. It was there, they saw it, I saw it. I tell you, it wasn't just my happy eyes! The hotels, all of them. They had smiles plastered on the sides of them. 

As luck would have it, I had my camera with me to catch this magnificent shot. Then, to my dismay, the smiles of the faces on the hotels began to fade, to actually disappear. I looked at the beach people around me; they had all gone back to their walking, building sand castles, laughing while jumping the waves.

I was distraught. "My daughter will never believe me!" With a sense of gloom, I went back to my house. I had a sick feeling in my tummy, I actually began to question my sanity.

I ran to my computer and began reading all the local online news. "Nothing!" My dog, Rani, detected my depression, she came to my aid by licking my knees. I think that's her way of kissing me. It wasn't enough for me. I knew I couldn't share this event with anyone, I would seem crazy. But how could I keep this quiet?! Then, a thought popped into my head. I smiled. Then, I stood and did a little dance; sounds of glee escaped my lips. "Yes!" I remembered the photo I had snapped.

Scrambling, I fumbled for the camera, and searched for a dark place in the house to take a look. My windows allow so much sunlight in during the day, it's practically impossible to detect a photo in my camera. My breathing was heavy, my head felt light. "God! I only took one shot. What was I thinking?!"

"Calm down, Cynthia..." My hands were shaking, but I found it. Yes, it was there, and the proof was in the photo! I was saved from my daughter's wrath! Instead, she would be proud of me, she would finally know that my rainbow stories were the absolute truth!

Ahhh. So there you have it. I still haven't seen any notice of the phenomena in the papers, nor have I heard any scuttlebutt, but mark my word... it's in the pudding. Enjoy the smiling hotels photo. You won't see or hear about it anywhere else. Is this what they call an exclusive?
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You can read all about drama in my novels. Check them out at www.cmichaelsbooks.com, author of Twisted Thrillers.
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