39. No Cellphone Service Here?

Slow at first, the pace of the line soon picked up. The questions were said in a monotonous pattern resembling a rosary at a Mexican wake. They were asked almost at the same time the person being questioned got out an answer.

"Name? Origin? Destination? Why were you traveling? The vehicle yours?" the interrogators droned.

The cadence varied only at the end when the respondent tried to explain why he did not have on his person any proof of ownership or written permission by the owner to be driving the vehicle.

"I keep it at home so I won't lose it...."

"It's in the glove compartment...."

"It's my brother's truck. You can call him on my cell...."


The interrogators responded to all the different explanations the same way, always to bring the conversation to a close and always with the same admonition.

"That's not what the law requires," was always the comeback, "move on. Next."

For those who offered to verify via cellphone, which every other respondent did, the interrogators brushed it off as pointless.

"There's no cell phone service out here," they said curtly, sometimes chuckling between themselves, "or haven't you noticed?"

Ervey clutched the cellphone he had forgotten was in his pocket when he first heard somebody mention a cellphone.

The line seemed to speed up after each respondent. After the first few cases, Ervey moved into a spot in the line that put out of his line of sight the point where the questioning was taking place. He could only see the person in front of him and the men on the opposite side of the cattle pen. He would have to go several cases passed the interrogation bench before it got back into his line of sight. At the pace the line was moving, this would be in 15-20 minutes.

"Cirilo Carrasco. El Mulato," a familiar voice said.

"Whoa! Where's that?" asked on of the interrogators.

"In Ojinaga," was the answer. It was Lilo.

"Destination Aldama," said Lilo, even before he was asked, "I was going to help unload the truck and catch the bus back to Ojinaga. I'm only a hired hand obligated for one day. Don't know who the owner of the truck is. I don't even know the last name of the guy who was in charge of it."

"Está bien. Move on," was the reply.

Ervey stiffened up when he heard Lilo take his turn. He looked over to see if he could spot his companion, but it was in vain. Lilo's place in line was out of Ervey's line of sight. There could be no communication of any kind between them until they were allowed out of the current formation. Ervey frowned deeply and looked straight ahead, his eyes moving furtively from side to side.