Whiskey Domino and Meli’s “Rally”
Since it’s Sunday, Melissa, Olga, and Uri organize a late lunch at Olga’s place, which eventually turns into an early dinner. The meal is chicken prepared with some dark-colored local seasoning, a recipe from Campeche, which is Meli’s hometown.
The evening ends with a game of dominoes, but with a twist: every time someone loses a round, they have to drink a shot of whiskey.
Meli had arrived by car, and after a few rounds of this “whiskey domino,” she becomes so drunk that she can barely walk. Olga, always the rational one—even though she also had a few shots—comes up with a plan.
She suggests that she will drive us home in Meli’s car (since Meli’s house is on the other side of the city). Meli will come with us, let us into the house, find the spare keys, and then Olga will drive her back so she can sleep it off at Olga’s place.
At first I oppose the idea and suggest simply taking a taxi, but the thought of Meli leaving her car behind seems completely unacceptable to both Olga and Meli.
So we drive to Meli’s house. When we arrive, it turns out she has somehow managed to lock the house keys inside her car.
Back we go again.
At Olga’s place Meli climbs into her car, swaying slightly, and suddenly refuses to get out. Olga goes to talk to her, but before we realize what’s happening, Meli starts driving home in her own car.
We follow behind her with our hearts in our throats.
Luckily, nothing bad happens.
When we arrive, Meli insists on parking the car inside the yard. The car had been bought by her parents and is very dear to her, so she refuses to leave it parked on the street like many others in the neighborhood.
I watch her reverse the car into the driveway, and to my surprise she actually does it perfectly. But after stopping in exactly the right spot, she apparently forgets the car is still in reverse and gives the gas slightly—bumping the wall with a small thud.
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