small victories at the 7/11

With K gone for the month, I've had to pay most of the utility bills. I mean, we're going to settle up later since we're splitting them, but I mean, only one of them can be paid online. The rest of them you have to actually go bring cash and pay them somewhere.

In an effort to combat my procrastination, I decided to not wait for the internet bill to be past due before taking action. I waited until the day it was due.

There is a store about a ten minute walk down the street for the internet company, but its only open when I'm at work (and on saturdays, faceplant), so I needed to find one near my office during lunch.

Lo and behold, the website lists a location in the Mall of the Stars, a short 20 minute walk from my office.

In general, pretty much everything mass produced for sale in Mexico is pretty low quality. Don't get me wrong, artesian items are fantastic here, vastly superior to American, but let's talk about umbrellas and shampoo and electronics and the stuff that actually fills our lives. If you're not spending through the nose, you're generally getting crap.

Now imagine what the malls are like.

This one was also under renovation. The ceiling had been ripped out and they were in the processes adding new floor tiles. But not in a consistant way. The new floor was about 80% done, but that last 20% was a random constellation of missing tiles, leaving 2" depressions everywhere. I saw a woman literally sprain her ankle while I was walking around, trying to find the damn store.

It was like playing Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego? I'd ask someone and I'd get a little clue each time. "it's a small store." "It's definitely downstairs." "It's a kiosk." After about 20 minutes of searching, I finally found it.

"Kiosk" is generous. I'd have said "podium with a laptop" and a dude advertising services. I asked if I could pay my bill there. He said no. And he also told me that my bill was due today and they'd disconnect my internet if I didn't pay it today. "Where can I pay it?" I asked.

"7-11," he told me.

Well hell, there's SevenElevens on every block.

I thanked him, found a SevenEleven in the mall, handed over my bill and my payment, and they took care of it for a convenience charge of about 40 cents.

SevenEleven is also where I pay the water bill and my phone bill, so really, why should I be surprised that I could pay for internet there too?

Anyway. I guess I can chalk it up to small victories. Paying bills on time and learning how to work the city better. I still hope they don't cut off my internet. My internet addiction is probably the only thing that got me out there today anyway.