The news in PR these days contain many instances of what we call the ATM tour or Tour de las ATH(for the spanish letter for at all hours). The idea is that when you are going to your car after a day of shopping or a Big Mac, two men coming out of nowhere and armed with guns force you to let them into your car, make you seat on the back seat and drive you to an ATM machine to make you withdraw the maximum amount allowed ($500 in most PR banks). By then they would have taken the money in your wallet. If you are one of the unlucky ones who gets robbed not at midnight, they will attempt to make you drive them to your house for more money or beat you up rarely do they steal your car. If you get robbed close to midnight they wait until 12:01a.m. to take you to another ATM since at that time the limit is reset.
THE GOOD NEWS: They don't kill the victims
THE BAD NEWS: You are down $500 and scared sh*tless. Since the righteous owner of the bank account is the person who makes the withdrawal the whole FDIC protection thing fails.
Yesterday, scared because of the news and leaving behind a very paranoid pair of parents (see the above paragraph), we went to the biggest mall to see Batman. The biggest mall has good parking and there is security all over the place, but has acquired a bad reputation over the years so I guess they were justified. In any case, Batman was great!! I kind of missed not having funny looking villains but it was still exciting enough. I don't like how they made Bruce seem like a lost soul at times and how they made out his character weak with fear of bats. But a movie being what it is I will forgive the writers.
VERDICT: Predictable but entertaining/absorbing the future looks bright for a new installment of Batman movies.
If only Batman were Puerto Rican, maybe he would fight the ATM Tour mafia!!
Tuesday, June 28, 2005
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What makes this story interesting is that just a day or two before going to see Batman Begins, a famous portorrican figure (Mrs. Cordelia Gonzalez - yes, that is her name!!) was taken on that very same multilevel parking to go on the ATM Tour and she was one of the unlucky ones who was taken back to her house and robbed (they even took her car). So we were facing not just the terrible fear of being taken on this famous tour, but a hysterical mother who was convinced it was our turn to go on the tour. Being such a drama queen as she is (I mean this in the best possible way, mom), she made us call her just before exiting the mall and talk to her all the way to the car. During this period of time she demonstrated her multitasking skills praying at the very same time she kept repeating me "keep looking around". When we finally got to the car, I handed over the phone to Patricia so I could back up and leave and as Patricia kept reassuring her that everything was fine I had to fight this incredible desire to start screaming (which was my idea of a joke at that precise moment). So, with everything under control and my mom and Patricia no longer soiling their pants we were able to leave without any extra passengers.
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