With A Little Help From My Friends

On Monday morning Ib peered through the front hatch and found me stoically attacking the contact glue in the V-berth area, resigned to two days or more of unpleasant and boring work.  While we were discussing ways of speeding up the work Bob Carrol paid a visit and soon we were having de facto project meeting through the hatch.

Bob asked why I didn't employ a local to do the work and I growled back that I wasn't prepared to pay the $10 per hour that I had been hearing around the marina.  Bob replied that it would be much cheaper than that and soon we were visiting yet another Robert (They're everywhere - I met the guy in the adjacent boat this week and he's another Robert.) at his boat who said that he had three young men at his disposal.  The cost would be 250 pesos (about $20) per day, plus lunch.

I returned to Robert's boat at 7 AM and met young Joel, who appears to be about 18 years old, is quiet and very serious.  The "quiet" I can understand because he speaks no English which is a challenge to my pidgin Spanish.  I took him to the work site which was prepared: clean and laid out with tools and materials such as gloves, safety glasses, scrapers, and varnish thinner.  He worked steadily until 11 AM which was the agreed lunch time.  As we were about to leave for The Dock Cafe he asked if I had a "cepillo de alambre".  (Gulp, say what?)  Demonstrating with the dust brush he let me know that he needed a wire brush, which I didn't have.  


At the cafe I let him order, left him to it to eat in peace, paid for the lunch, then set out to find Seamar then Comex where I got two wire brushes and the fourth liter of thinner for the day.  (The thinner costs only 22 pesos per liter.)  When he resumed work he started using the wire brush with great satisfaction saying "mas rapido".


At 3 PM, the end of the working day, Joel had completed the port side of the area.  That left the starboard side and then the ceiling.  Manana?  I asked.  Si,  Manana.  It will take Joel two, maybe three days to finish the job


The cost structure is interesting.  Lunch for Joel costs 120 pesos per day and yet his services for an entire working day costs only 250 pesos.  Before we think exploitation let's remember that the highest minimum wage in Mexico in 2010 is 57.46 pesos (about $5) per day.  I found out from others that Robert acts as a sort of mentor to young people getting started in their working life.  He finds menial day work for them and over time trains them up to higher skills.  Two of his young men have "graduated" to real jobs in permanent  positions elsewhere because of their experience around the marina.  As for the 250 pesos per day, it goes directly to Joel, not through Robert.

This help released me to attend to painting and varnishing of the head.  The walls, ceiling, and floor were OK because I had repainted them in Fremantle.  However, the wooden cabinet doors needed sanding and varnishing, and the interiors of the shelf compartments needed repainting.  Yesterday I laid down the first coat and I hope to finish that job today.

Oh, and my work pattern has changed.  I now set the alarm for 5.30 AM to be at the jetty gate at 7 AM.   Retirement is great - isn't it?