EL GUAPO’S GRATIS TAXI SERVICE

On a good taxi day—always Wednesdays mid afternoons—Mitch Schilling nets nearly two dozen takers.  And they’re tickled to be part of the roll-out, getting a personal, open-air lift to the Lo de Marcos Senior Center (La Gente Grande or Tercer Edad) due south of pueblo centro.

 El Guapo has been providing the transportation services since January 2008 in his five-seater electric golf cart. He sticks to a regular route, picking folks up at their casas; then, between and after, Mitch makes a sweep through the village to fetch stragglers.  Once the afternoon activities subside, he reverses course and squires home his village elders. Roy McLean and Patricio Murphy have helped Mitch out this year.

 I recently rode with him to experience the convivial exchange. All of the participants were pleased, appreciative, and festive about the ride.

 Though Mitch didn’t know exactly what he was getting into when he first began this community service, he has stuck with it for two winter seasons and is committed to helping out indefinitely.

 “I really didn’t know what to expect when I first started doing this gig," he told me recently.  "But now there’s an established routine my riders have come to rely on.  I am rewarded by getting to know them and they better realize that gringos don’t bite.  It's good PR, and now I have lots of new friends.”

So when you’re out and about on Wednesday afternoons, keep your eyes peeled for El Guapo and his happy clients.

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