A long time here in Ecuador


Or at least, it has been exactly one week from the day I started the process, and nearly 4 weeks in total since I arrived where I am now.

On Wednesday, October 25th, the Lawyers assistant told me to come back in the morning at 8am, and so I did.

I got up earlier than usual, didn’t sleep enough, and instead of meeting anyone, I found this.



I stood in the morning sunshine on the corner for 15 minutes, just in case, and eventually made my way back towards my hotel to sleep more. I was friggin tired.

On the way back, I saw this Honda XL 185s. There wasn’t anything too special about it.



Out of curiosity, I like to check the odometers on bikes that I see. This little bike had 85,062 kilometers showing! 52,866 miles, NICE!



Back at the hotel, I forced myself to sleep a bit more. Around 11:30am, I was back at the lawyer’s office. The outside door was unlocked, but the door to his office was closed. No one was home. Around here, when a door is closed, and its business ours, you just sit and wait for them to come back. They come back nearly all the time. Luckily, I didn’t have to wait more than 5 minutes until I say the Lawyer walking up the hill. He saw me, waved, got closer, shook my hand (I shake about 20 hands a day when I’m with this guy), opened his office, grabbed my papers, and off we went to get my previously translated title, notarized.


With some sleight of hand action, I snagged the Notary Lawyers photo. Little work happened, but what did “go down” was what needed to happen. When asked the price, I was charged $30, and the first real feel I have paid since I started my “release of motorcycle” campaign. (Not including heinous amounts of photocopying at $0.03/pg)





The result? A very official looking folder with 13 pieces of paper inside that I have had copied for $0.39 a time, at least 5 times. EVERYONE wants a copy. Luckily every corner has a copy shop. Why these guys don’t buy their own copier for, I don’t know. They’d save an hour a day.




The fancy stamps, stickers, and signatures of the Notary Lawyer. (Side note: All lawyers are referred to as Doctor here. As in, “Hola Doctor”, shake a hand, etc. And if you’re my lawyer, you call the pretty lawyer women, “Doctorita”, hahaha. They do have a “doctorate” right?)





From the the Notaries Office, it was off to Biblian, to talk to the prosecutor, and judge that are in charge of my case. My Lawyer seemed to have something up his sleeve, and I didn’t really understand his technical lawyer talk either. I can shoot the shit in Spanish mind you, just not legal terminology.

So off we went. We arrived, and we chatted, and we talked some more, and we chatted a bit more. I shook about 15 hands, I said, “Buenas” at least as many times, and I sat in a chair. Lawyer man shot the shit with the second Prosecutor (who I met and shook hands with just then), and explained my case.

“He’s has an accident. He’s been here for over 3 weeks. His friends are traveling ahead of him. He’s alone. He needs his bike. Can we get his bike? And while we’re at it, how about we move his hearing up to say, tomorrow, or Friday”

Prosecutor Number 2, “Where are you coming from? USA? Holy shit! How long? Seven months? Holy Shit! All on a bike? Yes. Holy shit! Where are you going? Argentina. Holy shit! What kind of bike is it? Suzuki DR650. How much was it? About $5,500 when I left. That’s ALL!? I have a Honda CRF450 that I bought, it was $8000. I ride motocross. How long have you been here in Azogues? Almost 4 weeks? Damn! Are you traveling solo? You are now, but you have friends 2 days ahead of you? SHIT! Let me call the other prosecutor. Let me talk to the Judge. I have free time on Friday morning. You’ll get your bike tomorrow, and be free to go Friday, and catch your friends on Monday. Done.”

HOLY SHIT. WHAT IS HAPPENING!?

Did I mention that this guy rides motocross, is much younger than the other prosecutor, and was wearing a sporty (clean and never ridden in) Shift motorcycle jacket?

And so he called the other prosecutor and got his permission to take my case. Then he walked across the hall with my Lawyer and I in tow. We shook hands, etc. Prosecutor Number 2 states his case to the Judge.
“Senor, this guy is traveling from the USA, he’s been here for almost 4 weeks, and his friends are only days ahead of him. He needs to leave. We have free time on Friday. Can we get him into an audience? 2:30pm? We have 8:30am free. Ok. 8:30am, Friday the 28th. Done.”

HOLY SHIT. WHAT IS HAPPENING!?

Back in the car, and headed to the lawyers office, the Lawyer Man tries to explain what’s up. All I understand is that I’ll be getting my bike the next day, and having a court hearing the day after. I don’t understand the legal parts. So we talk about what I do for a living. I tell him that I drove trailers in Alaska, in the snow and ice 20 degrees below zero. He looks at me like I’m crazy. “Like the Discovery Channel?” he asks. “Yea, like that.” I say.

(Disclaimer: I spent 6 months in Juneau AK, where the lowest temperature I saw there was only 15* F (-7.5*C). Then I spent one week in Fairbanks, lowest temperature I saw while on the job was still only -20*F (-25*C). TOM spent 2 months there in Fairbanks, 25 days of which never went above 0*F (-15*C) and he saw multiple days on the job at -40*F (-40*C).)

Back at the office, Lawyer Man showed me what was up.



The Criminal Warrnts Judge can replace or repeal a precautionary measure ordered before or dictate nonetheless of having previously denied if:





a) Current new facts so warrant;

b) The obtaining of new evidence or substantiating facts give justified rights or not those upon the deprivation of liberty. (Just CAN’T Translate this)


Well. I got the point, and he elaborated. He had been informed that the police investigation of the accident proved my innocence, and that I was not guilty of any wrong doing in the traffic accident case. He would present such evidence, and the case would be closed. I would no longer be required to stay in the country any longer as had been the case earlier. And with that, he told me to come back the next day at 8am, to go get my motorcycle….


--Alex

__________________
NJ, NR, NBTTN