I'll tell you a Mexican police story I witnessed with my own eyes. You will not see this story on CNN or read about it in newspapers - you have to take my word it is true.

After drinking margaritas and eating shrimp for a week I realized I was out of money. I guess it could be said I drank up all my money. My choice was to eat soup that was in our pantry and drink Mexican water or get some pesos. The decision was quick because I wanted to continue drinking and partying all night.

I jumped in my Honda CR-V making sure I had my Mexican insurance policy with me and headed to downtown Puerto Penasco. I spotted BancMex Bank and figured I could show a piece of plastic and obtain enough pesos to drink and party until our time was up or the Mexican authorities kicked us out, whichever came first.

The street parking in front of BancMex was full so I circled the block two times before spotting a parking lot. It was a sand lot, trash laden, and the rusted cars and pickups were packed into cramped unmarked spots. I took the lone empty spot and locked the CR-V before walking to the front of the bank.

There were about six tellers behind cages and about fifty customers standing in an unorderly fashion in front of the cages. Everyone was speaking a foreign language and looking confused. I assessed the situation and realized I might be in line for hours before reaching a cage to speak to a foreigner and trying to get pesos by showing a piece of shiny plastic.

Then I spotted it - an ATM. There was foreign writing on the screen that I did not understand so I took a chance and inserted my piece of shiny plastic. The writing on the screen changed, but I still did not understand it. From memory I knew the PIN number comes next so I entered my number and the next screen showed two columns of numbers I figured was numbers of pesos. I selected $150,000 and it started emitting funny looking paper very much like Monopoly money. I added up the numbers and they came to 150,000 so I knew I had the correct amount. I retrieved my piece of plastic and a receipt before walking away. Later I learned my checking account had taken a deduction of $142 US dollars.

Man, was I happy. I wanted to get back to the campground and restaurant before Happy Hour began so I could order more margaritas. I rushed to the parking lot and saw it was still packed with a couple of vehicles looking for parking spots. This was a poorly designed lot with one entrance and no exit which meant people leaving the parking lot had to back out to the street.

Right in the middle of the lot was a pickup truck with the words "Puerto Penasco - Policia" painted on both sides in big letters. Then I noticed a couple of Americans, probably age 70, got into their van and started to back out when the Policia truck backed up a few feet and honked the horn indicating it was OK for the van to back out.

The van did start backing up and kept going back, back, back, until it hit the Policia pickup truck - Bam, Wham, Bang were the sounds. Oh my, I just witnessed an accident in Mexico. Should I run and hide or stand my ground and shout - "I'm a witness."

The Policia driver's door opened and out stepped a short chubby man wearing a Policia uniform. The passenger's door opened and out stepped another Policia officer. I was only 20 feet away and I slowly stepped backwards not wanting to be near what might happen next. About this time the van's driver, a balding US citizen, got out and walked toward the Policia.

Now we all know about Mexican Policia. Jaywalk and they throw you in the slammer, run an ALTO (STOP) sign and you spend two months in jail with only bread and water, but hit a Policia pickup truck and I'm sure you are doomed to six years in prison and fed rat food. What would be the fate of this unfortunate American that hit the Mexican Policia pickup truck? Would he be beat to a pulp? Would he be handcuffed and dragged behind a building to never be seen again?

The short chubby Policia looked at the balding American and said in very plain English, "What in the world were you doing?" The balding American just stood there. The chubby Policia bent down and while smiling he patted the bumper of the Policia pickup truck and said, "Steel bumper - no damage." The he pointed to the van and said, "Big dent," where the rear door of the van was caved in. Then the chubby Policia said, "Get out of here."

I watched them all return to their vehicles. The Policia pickup truck left the parking lot and then the van left the parking lot. I must say I was disappointed because all my life I was told to be afraid of Mexican Policia and the chubby Policia let the van drive away. Heck, try hitting a police car in the USA and see if the police officer just lets you drive away.

This story had a rather happy ending because I made it back to the campground / restaurant before Happy Hour and I had 150,000 pesos in my wallet.