Mixing With Old World Celebrities

Background:

Toby and I met in San Miguel six years ago. He was 19 years old and was spending a year in Mexico studying Spanish. We struck up a friendship and since I was recently retired, and not quite sure what to do with myself, we decided to spend a month exploring the Yucatan together. When I asked Toby how his parents felt about him spending a month traveling with a 42 year old gay man, he said, “They say kindest regards to Charles.” A year later I was in London and received an email from Toby. “You can’t be this close and not come to Munich.” So I did and spent an amazing week with him and his family. Our friendship has endured and three years ago, he came to visit with a girlfriend.

Through his visits to San Miguel, I have come to know a German woman named Anita. Anita and her late husband split their time between San Miguel and Vienna and used to host German youngsters who come to San Miguel to study. They published one of the first German travel guides to Mexico (which I understand is still in publication) and have appeared on the cover of National Geographic, Anita in scuba gear reaching for the tail of a moray eel that was swimming above her.

This February Toby, now 25 and studying in Vienna, came to visit for a month. We decided that we needed to return the lovely dinners that Anita has invited us to in the past, so we invited Anita, Alex and his mother Regina up to the ranchito for dinner. Anita invited us to dinner the following evening.

The next night we were met at the door by a maid in uniform and directed to Anita’s beautifully appointed living room. In addition to Rodrigo, Toby and me, the guest list included our young friend Vanessa, Margarita (an Italian Princess) and Toller (a former Canadian ice skating champion and Olympic bronze medal winner, now an artist and full-time resident of San Miguel).

The dinner, as usual, was exquisite. Anita would use a small bell strategically placed in front of her, to summon the maid to serve and clear. But it was Toller (his long auburn hair slicked straight back, wearing a bright orange blazer and sporting a belt that might have been worn by Johnny Depp in Pirates of the Caribbean) who stole the show.

It is no secret that Toby is a strapping example of German youth. Toller took one look at him and it was to Toby that Toller focused nearly all of his attention for the entire evening.

“I’m having a show in Ajijic,” Toller said, “Worse than trailer trash. I’m going to have to import my own guests.”

At one point Toby was speaking with Vanessa when Toller interrupted. “Toby, I’m speaking to you. What amazing hands you have. Do you play the piano?”

“Umm, no. I did a bit as a child.”

“I’ll bet you could reach nearly two octaves with those hands.”

“Maybe and octave and a half . . .” Toby replied.

“Well, I must take my leave,” Toller said, standing to address the room. “I’m going to be walking home past the park. So if you hear screams of someone being molested, don’t come.” And with a flourish, he was gone.

The next day I received a phone call from Anita. “Hello Charles, I’m trying to reach Toby on his cell phone and it is not working. Toller has invited me and some ladies over for dinner this evening and he wants to invite Toby.” (No mention of me or Rodrigo or any of the former evening’s guests.)

“I’m sorry Anita, but Toby has gone to the ranch with Alex for the weekend. He’s out of cell phone range. Rather a good excuse for Toby I imagine.”

“Alright then, I’ll let Toller know.”

(I don’t know if Toller made any further attempts to contact Toby. Shortly after he returned from the ranch we took off on a road trip.)

Toby