Mexico is famous for many things, two of which are its Mariachi music and tequila. And nowhere did these two items merge in the 1980’s more seamlessly than in the Plaza Garibaldi in downtown Mexico City.
Plaza Garibaldi is located in the historic district of downtown Mexico City. The plaza was known as Mexico City’s home for Mariachi music, and at any time of the day or night, mariachi bands could be seen playing or soliciting gigs from the visitors at the plaza. While mariachi music is varied, the most traditional of the mariachi songs are about the loss of a woman – making them the perfect drinking songs. So, you would often see group of people with bottles of tequila drinking and singing along with the bands.
In my senior year in high-school, a group of friends and I headed down to the Plaza Garibaldi to see what it was all about. It was around 10:00 PM and the plaza was packed with bands, as well as with visitors. The sounds of the different bands and songs competed for your attention. There were also several peddlers offering cigarettes, gum and alcohol, as well as other more nefarious vices. There was definitely a lot to take in. But the one person that caught my attention over all others was a small man walking around with a car battery around his waist and two terminals in his hand. The man was surrounded by a small crowd who were yelling and laughing. Intrigued, I moved closer for a better look.
What I saw was the group of people first pay the man, and then they all stood around in a circle holding hands, with one person on either end of the circle holding on to one end of the terminal. The man holding the battery would then crank a dial that was connected to the battery, and all would jump and squeal as the electricity passed from one to another. If the circle remained unbroken when the dial was raised to 10, then the man would return the money. Otherwise, it was his to keep.
Of course, the dial never made it to 10 – someone always let go. But as the night progressed, and tequila consumed, they would try over and over again, in ever decreasing sizes of groups. You would even see one or two brave (stupid?) souls who built up enough courage to grab both ends of the terminals themselves and have a go at it alone. But the result was always the same – there was no way to hang on with all of that electricity going through your body.
Only those that have experienced the terminals can describe the way you feel the next morning – every joint, every tendon, every muscle and every fiber in your body aches. Even your teeth and your brain aches. And you would swear that you could feel every hair on your head aching, as well. I refuse to let on how I know…