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Back in 1965 Diane and I took a vacation trip to Mexico. Of course, we made Mexico City our main stop, with side trips to Taxco, Cuernavaca and Acapulco.

When we ventured out into the hinterland I enjoyed trying to impress the locals with my Puerto Rico Spanish. While out on a volcano-hunting trip our tour guide-driven car radiator overheated which required a stop and wait on the outskirts of Puebla.

Having about an hour or so to wait, we hit the side walk. While browsing through a small open-front general merchandise store, Diane asked me to ask the clerk if they had any tissues.

I wracked my brain and all I could think of was paper handkerchief. So I asked the young clerk, "Tiene usted un paquete de pannelas de papel?"  (Do you have any paper handkerchiefs?)  She repeated my words as though she was trying to decipher my query, then repeated it again to her nearby co-worker who was equally puzzled. Finally the co-worker exclaimed, "KLEENEX?"    La vida es Buena.