Mexico - Land of Enchantment
When Vincente and Julietta were driving/running away to Chicago (after leaving Dorchester where they moved to after living in Atlantic City where they moved to from Louisiana and Charlottesville), so that Vince could apply for a desk job with Sears Catalog and get away from the Boston mob, they stopped at a diner for breakfast on Route 66 in Indiana. Vince sees a newspaper at the checkout and sees himself on the front page. Apparently he is being accused of murdering Davey Scott, the boy that attacked him in Atlantic City when he was first going door-to-door selling his Electro Lux vacuum cleaners. The boy beat him rather badly and stole his sample case. That was the end of Vince's willingness to be subtle about carrying cocaine for the Willis cartel. Davey was barely hurt in the altercation, but Vince is not only surprised but really frightened by the newspaper -- so much so that he does not even want to tell his daughter. Davey Scott ran away after the altercation and showed no indication of even being hurt.
Vince, Julie and Romeo headed towards Laredo, Texas and the Mexican border which was easily crossed in the fifties -- no passport required -- sometimes not even an I.D.
From there, the two drive through the Sierra Madre Oriental to Monterrey and Julie meets a fine young girl in front of a clothing store. The girl, Jacinta Garcia, helps the two fugitives and teaches Julie Spanish. Her mother works at a local radio station -- for her father's occupation, you must read the book. Julie and Jacinta become friends for life.
The woman at left represents Jacinta's mother and a favorite outfit of both Julie and Jacinta.
Julie is delighted in Monterrey by the sight of a young boy in a red cart pulled by a donkey.
Vince and Julie both buy new clothes in the Sierra Madre mountains and in Monterrey. No sombreros but a nice pink embroidered shirt and skirt for Julie and a matching embroidered pink Guayabera shirt for Vince.
Not all is wonderful in Mexico. Vince is sent back to Atlantic City to investigate the false accusations against him concerning Davey Scott's alleged murder. He goes back in disguise and leaves Julie with the Garcias. Will he return? Will he return unharmed and alive? The Scotts are a vicious crew that the Willis cartel has been trying to get rid of for years. Read on, readers...to find out.
This is not the end of Vince's trials -- the accountant he eventually hires when Julie and he finally reach Chicago turns out to be less than honest. And yet another intrigue commences when Vince's dream of owning his own men's tailoring shop comes true.
Vince, Julie and Romeo headed towards Laredo, Texas and the Mexican border which was easily crossed in the fifties -- no passport required -- sometimes not even an I.D.
From there, the two drive through the Sierra Madre Oriental to Monterrey and Julie meets a fine young girl in front of a clothing store. The girl, Jacinta Garcia, helps the two fugitives and teaches Julie Spanish. Her mother works at a local radio station -- for her father's occupation, you must read the book. Julie and Jacinta become friends for life.
The woman at left represents Jacinta's mother and a favorite outfit of both Julie and Jacinta.
Julie is delighted in Monterrey by the sight of a young boy in a red cart pulled by a donkey.
Vince and Julie both buy new clothes in the Sierra Madre mountains and in Monterrey. No sombreros but a nice pink embroidered shirt and skirt for Julie and a matching embroidered pink Guayabera shirt for Vince.
Not all is wonderful in Mexico. Vince is sent back to Atlantic City to investigate the false accusations against him concerning Davey Scott's alleged murder. He goes back in disguise and leaves Julie with the Garcias. Will he return? Will he return unharmed and alive? The Scotts are a vicious crew that the Willis cartel has been trying to get rid of for years. Read on, readers...to find out.
This is not the end of Vince's trials -- the accountant he eventually hires when Julie and he finally reach Chicago turns out to be less than honest. And yet another intrigue commences when Vince's dream of owning his own men's tailoring shop comes true.