by Joseph Toone

The pairing “death and taxes” as the only certainties of life also applies to San Miguel cemeteries, because there taxes continue on after death. If someone does not continue to pay the tax on your grave, then your bones will be moved. Recently, however, I saw how death and children bring folks on other sides of the world together.

It started when I had a Norwegian woman want to “friend” me on Facebook. I thought it odd. I mean, why would Oslo Sally care what happened in San Miguel? So I declined. Then, my curiosity peaked, I investigated her a bit and learned that for days she’d been stalking me, as in following on-line, not in a bad way or in person. So I did friend her thinking she has a deep interest in San Miguel.

Immediately I got a message from her asking for a local real estate referral saying she had recently inherited a house in Cieneguita, just outside of town. I congratulated her on owning another home, which I assumed she received upon the death of her parents. We chatted more and I learned she inherited the home not from her parents, but from her 38-year-old son’s home, who drown last year. He performed in Gravity Works, the Cirque du Soleil-type troop here in town that does aerial routines with fabric and hoops and... My daughter adored being part of Gravity Works while in high school. I’m waiting to hear if she remembers him. Oslo Sally and I had lovely conversations on children, death and such.

The next day I went to the cemetery and placed flowers at her son’s grave for her. I photographed for her two other flowering plants that were already graveside. This indication that he is greatly missed pleased her, especially as she often feels at a loss being so far away from the city in which her son adored living for six years.

Yes, despite the occasional internet oddball, social media has been really lovely for me, even in death.

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Joseph Toone is Amazon's bestselling author of the San Miguel de Allende Secrets series of books and TripAdvisor's best rated historical walking tour guide. For more information contact toone.joseph@yahoo.com or visit History and Culture Walking Tours or JosephTooneTours.com, also on FaceBook.

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