les miserables ― ああ無情 メキシコの物語

メキシコでの最大の出来事、それは身柄拘束だ。海外旅行にはもう飽きるほど行っているけど、逮捕されたのは初めて。理由は「パスポート不携帯」。他に楽しいことは色々あったけど、この強烈な経験で他の全てが吹っ飛んでしまった。
１月５日、ちょーちゃんが帰るのを見送った後、一つくらい遺跡でも見ようかと午後テオティワカンに行き、その帰りに地下鉄に乗ろうとしていた時に悪夢は始まった。
The most impressive memory in Mexico was this; I was caught by the police and sent to the detention center. I have traveled abroad many times, but this was my very first experience. Having been in custody, all my good memories in Mexico disappeared!
On Janurary 5th, after I saw Shoko off, I became alone and went to Teotihuacan in the afternoon. On my way back, when I was going to take metro, this story began.

PM５：００
「Hola, senorita! Habla Espanol?」となれなれしく声をかけてくる笑顔の男。見ると彼は警官ではありませんか。「Poco.」と答えると、どこから来た？パスポートは？と。メキシコは強盗やスリが多いので、パスポートは宿に置いてあったけど、迂闊なことに私はコピーを所持していなかった。ここにはないが宿にある、と答えると「ここでは全ての外国人は身分証明書の携帯が義務付けられているから、身分を証明できない者は来てもらう」と始まった。最初は渋ったものの、逆らうのもマズイと思って彼について行くと、イタリア人４人、グアテマラ人の男性１人が私と同様に捕まっていた。イタリア人一家は明らかに観光客。グアテマラ人は不法就労らしき雰囲気。イタリア人達も私と同じバスでテオティワカン遺跡に行った帰りで、盗難防止に宿にパスポートを置いてきていた。
やましい事は何もないし、すぐ帰してもらえるだろうとは思ったけど、帰りが遅くなるのが心配だった。メキシコの夜は物騒ですからね。イタリア人達は全く心配はしておらず、陽気に警官と世間話をしては笑ったりしていて、ただ１人グアテマラ人は暗い表情で肩を落としていた。
"Hola senorita! Habla Espanol?" cheerful guy talked to me. He was a policeman. When I answered,"Poco", he asked me where I was from and told me to show him my passport. As you know, there are many robbers in Mexico city, so I had kept my passport in the hostel and didn't have it with me. Of course it was my fault that I didn't even have a copy of it. He explained that every foreigner was always expected to have a passport, and told that I had to go to be examined unless I could identify myself. Well, I followed him though I didn't want to. There I found other people being caught like me. One guy from Guatemala, who seemed apparently illegal worker there, and an Italian family ( there were 4 members) who were tourists and had left their passport at the hotel not to be robbed. The Italian family was also on their way back from Teotihuacan like me. I was confident we were innocent ( except that guy from Guatemala ) and thought we would be free soon.

PM６：００
いつまで続くの？と思うような無意味な雑談の後、私達はパトカーに乗せられた。前の座席は二人の警官、後部座席にグアテマラ人とイタリア人の大人計４人がぎゅうぎゅう詰めに乗り、イタリア人の娘（１２歳くらい）は前の座席の中央の箱みたいな物の上に後ろ向きに腰掛けた。体の小さい私はイタリア人の膝の上に座らされて、過積載のパトカーでのドライブが始まった。どこまで行くのかと聞くと、イミグレーションオフィスだと言う。私を捕まえた軟派な感じの警官が運転をし、もう１人の感じの良い誠実そうな警官が助手席からずっと後を向いて話をしてくれた。彼はベラクルス出身で、どのカフェが有名だとか、この料理が美味しいとか、カーニバルの時期はすごいぞとか、そんなお国自慢をしきりに話した。私はベラクルスに行ったから、そこは行ったとかそれは食べてないとか、イタリア人一家はまだ行ったことがないから是非行きたいとか、皆がガイドブックを広げて車内はなかなかの盛り上がり。途中パトカーは私の宿のすぐ側を通ったので、止めてくれればパスポートを見せると言ったが、聞いてもらえなかった。車内で簡単な調書を取られ、名前、出身地、旅行期間や仕事などを聞かれたが、グアテマラ人は名前以外の質問には一言も答えずに警官も手を焼いていた。その警官は、途中車を止めて路上のお菓子を買って「これはメキシコ人が皆食べるスナックだよ」なんて言って私達にふるまってくれたり、とても親切だった。道は夕方の大渋滞で、私達が郊外の入国管理局に着いたのは８時をまわった頃だった。
After talking for a while there― most of the conversation was between that Italian family and the policemen about trivial matters―, we started for the immigration office in a jam-packed patrol car. You will never imagine how we were sitting in that small space. 6 people were stuffed in the backseat. I had to sit on the Italian man's knee! One policeman drove and the other was talking to us all the way. He was from Veracruz, and gave us a lot of tourist's information on Veracruz. About a famous cafe, good meals there, carnival, etc. The Italians got excited and we opened our guidebooks to check those informations. It was not like in a police car at all. The atmosphere was like we were going on a vacation. Only the Guatemalan guy kept quiet and he looked depressed. The policeman even bought us some Mexican snacks from a vender in the streets. None of us thought we were in the serious situation. When the car passed by the streets where my hostel was located, I asked them to stop so that I could show them my passport, but they didn't listen to me. Were they really nice? I couldn't understand them. Two hours' drive took us to the immigration office- which was a detention center in the suburbs.

PM８：００
高い塀と警備員に囲まれた管理局は物々しい感じ。大変なことになってきたぞ、という感じはした。建物に入る前に最初の顔写真の撮影があった。この時点では私は精神的に余裕もあったので、その様子をカメラで隠し撮りしたり、イタリア人達もピースをしたり脳天気なものだった。ようやく車が中に入り、寒々とした建物に通された。広い倉庫みたいな場所にいくつか机が並んでおり、私達はそこでつっ立ったまま長い間待たされた。先ほどの警官達はどこかに行ってしまい、いつまで経っても何も始まらない。陽気だったイタリア人達もタバコを吸いながらイライラし始めた。奥には、小さな覗き窓のついた鉄の扉があり、そこから私に向かって「チーナ！！チーナ！！」と罵声が飛ぶ。収容されている人たちは新参者に興味津々らしかった。
The immigration office had a high wall and many guards were there. Before entering the gate, we had our first picture taken in front of the police car. I was still enjoying that situation, so I took a picture of the italians being taken photos. The Italians didn't seem serious at all. Entering the gate, they took us into the building. The policemen disappeared and we had to wait for the officers for a while. I couldn't understand why we had to wait so long. IT IS ALWAYS LIKE THAT THERE. You never know what is happening, but you have to wait. All we could do was to wait―so you have to be very patient. The Italians seemed irritated and started smoking. There were thick iron doors with a small window, and some men peeped out and yelled at me, "China! China! ",which means Chinese woman. Later I found that was the entrance of the men's dormitory. Maybe they were bored and wanted to see who had come to join them.

PM９：００
待ちくたびれた頃、やっと先ほどの警官が戻ってきて、私達の身柄が管理局の役人達に引き渡された。警官はイタリア人達と電話番号の交換をし、カーニバルの時は是非ベラクルスへ！と言って笑顔で帰っていった。この友好的な雰囲気ではイタリア人一家も、自分達がそこに収容されるなんて夢にも思っていなかっただろう。私はその時すでにかなり嫌な予感がしていた。やっと始まった事情聴取で、私は今日のいきさつと自分のパスポートが宿にあることを話すと、役人が言った。「なんでそれを警官に言わなかったんだ？ここに来る必要なんかなかったじゃないか？」ほーらね、やっぱり。私は、言ったけれども聞いてもらえずそこに連行されたこと、他のイタリア人達もみな同じだという事を一生懸命説明した。待っていろ、と言われて彼らはまた席をはずし、しばらくして１人の役人が私を呼びにきた。彼曰く、問題はない、明日パスポートをポランコ（街の中心部の地名）の事務所に持っていけば君は解放される、誰かそれをやってくれる人はいるかい？と。明日？！つまり私は今日帰れないの？！と焦って聞くと、こんな遅い時間に手続きが取れるわけないじゃないか、と言う。こんな遅い時間にしたのは誰？もう捕まってから４時間経ってるんだよ、こんな遠くまで誰が連れてきたんだー、と腹が立つ。色々話した後、宿に電話をかけさせてくれたので、私は宿の経営者のアドリアナさんに事情を説明して私のパスポートを荷物から出してもらい、明日それを届けてもらう約束をして電話を切った。彼女の「朝イチでカナラズ持って行きますカラネ」という言葉がどれほど心強かったことか。日本語が通じる小さな日本人宿に泊まっていて本当によかった、と痛感しましたね、この時は。大きなホテルだったらとても頼めないし、メキシコ人も信用できないし、だいたいスペイン語でこの状況を１から説明なんて無理だもの。
We had waited so long, and finally those policemen appeared again. They handed us over to the immigration officers, and went home. Before going home, he exchanged his phone number with one of the Italian guy and invited him to come to Veracruz during the carnival. The Italians looked happy. Did they know they had to stay overnight there? Maybe no. But I began to take my situation more seriously.
The officer started to interview me. Knowing that my passport was in my hostel, he got surprised and said, "Why didn't you tell the policemen about it? You didn't have to come here!" Yeah, I KNEW IT. But they didn't listen to me and took me there. After a while, another officer told me, "No problem, you'll be out soon. Do you have any friends who can bring your passport to the immigration office in the downtown tomorrow?" Tomorrow? Do I stay here till tomorrow?? I was so mad. He said it was too late ( it was 9 o'clock ) to go through a regular procedure to release us. I couldn't believe it. Why it's 9 ? Was it my fault? We were caught at 5, but the fucking policemen took a long time to bring us here, and we had to wait more than 1 hour doing nothing! Anyway, I had to listen to them to be free. He let me use the phone, so I called Adriana, who is the owner of the hostel and seemed a trust-worthy woman. She speaks good Japanese. I explained to her what had happened and asked her to bring my passport the next day. She felt very sorry for me and promised to do it. I was very relieved. The hostel I was staying was a small hostel for only Japanese people. If I had stayed at a regular hotel, maybe I couldn't make it. I couldn't trust any Mexicans and woudn't have asked any hotel staffs to do that. Also, it must have been difficult for me to explain my situation in Spanish on the phone. I was glad I had been staying there.

PM１０：００
入所の手続きが始まった。まずカメラ没収。貴重品ということで書類を書いて預けるのだが、おいおいそんな引き出しに入れておいて本当に大丈夫？って心配になる。書類にサインをしながら、私はここがどこなのか、明日はどうやって帰ればいいのか、警察は送ってくれるのか、とその役人に聞いた。だって車で２時間もかけて連れてこられて自分の居場所もわからないし、自力で帰れるのか気になっていたから。すると突然彼は怒り出した。「君をここまで連れてきたのは警察だ、俺じゃない。せっかく親切にしてやってるのに、なぜ俺を責めるんだ？さっきは電話までかけさせてやったじゃないか。普通は電話なんて使わせてやらないんだぞ（後でそれは本当だとわかった）」と。私は必死で謝ったが彼はなかなか機嫌を直してくれなかった。その後、女子房の看守らしき人に私は引き渡された。女子房へ行く途中、先ほどのイタリア人一家が役人達と激しく口論しているのが見えた。ここに泊まるなんて絶対嫌だ！私達はただの旅行者だ！パスポートならホテルにある！今日はメキシコ最後の夜なんだ、最後の夜をこんな刑務所で過ごせというのか！！というような今にもつかみ合いが始まりそうな勢いだった。彼らは財布からお金を出し、それを掴ませて解放を交渉していた。そんな方法もあったんだなぁ、と横目で見たけど、私にはもうそんな元気は残っていない。
女子房の入り口で身体検査を受け、他人に危害を加えるのに使えるものは全て没収された。缶ジュース（金属厳禁）ベルト、靴紐、あらゆる紐類（首締めが心配らしい）―ジャンパーの裾を絞る紐も、ジャンバーのフードの紐も、切って抜かれてしまった。許せん、弁償しなさい！
Then started the preparation to enter the dormitory. First, I had my camera confiscated. They put my camera in the drawer of the desk, but I was worried it would be stolen. Signing the documents, I asked the officer where I was and how to go back to downtown. Then he suddenly got very mad. "You see, THE POLICE brought you here! Not me! It's not my fault, but why do you blame me? I am trying to help you and have already let you use our phone. No other officer will do it. But you still blame me? I don't help you if you complain! " Well, I had just wanted to know where I had been brought to because I had no idea. I should go back to my hostel by myself when I get free. Could the police drive me back to where I'd got caught? They wouldn't. Why did my question make the officer so angry? Nonsence!! I pretended to apologize though I didn't feel sorry at all. After some fucking conversation with him, he handed me over to the guard of the women's dormitory. Walking to the entrance of the women's dormitory with her, I saw that Italian family arguing with the officers. They were almost shouting, "We are just tourists, not illegal workers! We have our passports in the hotel! This is the last night in Mexico, but do you dare to put us in jails?? We never agree! The last night of our vacation in JAIL?? " Now they tried to give them some money to negotiate. Yeah, that was one of the way to be free, I remembered, but too tired to think about it. I just wanted to take a rest.
Before entering the dormitory, they took any possible weapon from me. Canned juice― metal is prohibited, my belt―not to squeeze others' neck, the laces of my sneaker, the string in the hood of my windbreaker and they even cut the string in the hem of my windbreaker. No!!Pay me back for it!

PM１１：００
やっと今夜寝る部屋に案内される。捕まってから6時間、疲れはピークだ。中国人と同室がいいか？と聞かれて、どこでもいいと答えた。すると日本人と中国人は仲が悪いのか？と言うので、そうではなくどの部屋でもかまわないと答えた。房に入ると私は注目の的で、大勢の中国人が集まってきて私を取り囲んだ。芸能人というのはこんな気分だろうか。皆中国語で話し掛けてくる。出身を聞かれ、日本と言ったら房の中は大騒ぎになった。日本人が収容所に来るのは初めてらしく、何人もが興奮してそこら中へ知らせに走り、私は一躍有名人だ。女子房は大きなドミで、色んなサイズの部屋があったが私は4人部屋に落ち着いた。くたくたに疲れていたし早く寝たかったけれど、いろんな人が次々に私のところにやってきては質問攻めなので、それどころではない。お腹が空いていると話したら、皆がパンや果物やお菓子を次々に持ってきてくれた。看守は感じが悪いが収容されている人たちは親切そうだ。金仁淑という日本語ぺらぺらの中国人と、陳河瑛という英語が堪能な韓国人と仲良くなり、彼女達にはその後も大変世話になることになる。
陳河瑛がその収容所での暮らしについて、入所している人たちについて、自分の境遇について、英語で熱く語りだしたのはもう11時半を過ぎた頃だった。まず、パスポート等がきちんと確認できる人でも出所するには2，3日かかること。彼女はもう1ヶ月もそこで暮らしていること。それぞれ状況は違うが長い人は何ヶ月もそこから出られずにいること、などなど。私はにわかに不安になった。私はいつ解放されるのだろうか、入所したのが5日の深夜じゃ8日の早朝のフライトに間に合わないかも、と考え始めたら、熟睡できなかかった。昔マンガで読んだシーンで、マリーアントワネットが投獄されて一晩で白髪になってしまった、というのを何故か思い出して、白髪の心配などしたりしながら眠った。
Six hours had passed since I had got caught. I wanted to go to sleep as soon as possible. The women officer asked me if I'd like to stay in the same room with the Chinese. I told her any room was fine, then she asked if there's any trouble with the Japanese and the Chinese. I answered I didn't mean that but I didn't mind staying with anybody. When she opened the door to the hallway, many Chinese girls ran up to me. They talked to me in Chinese first but knowing I was Japanese, everybody got so excited and ran away to inform every room that the first Japanese had arrived there. Felt like I was a movie star or some rare animals in a zoo. My room was with four beds, but many visitors came in and went out to talk to me or just to see me. When they knew I was very hungry, a lot of foods were brought from somewhere; bread, fruits, cookies and so on. Gradually I realized they were really nice and only the officers and guards were not kind. There I became friends with Kim―a Chinese girl who speaks good Japanese, and Hayoung―a Korean girl who’s English was really fluent. Those two girls helped me a lot during my stay in this center.
It was half past eleven when Hayoung started to talk in English about the life there, about general information, rules, food, shower, laundry, etc. She had been there for more than 1 month and seemed so frustrated with her life, but was a good adviser for me. Everybody there had different problems about passports or visa, so some had to stay there for several months, some for weeks, but if you had your passport in the hotel and to be identified soon, you’d be out within 2-3 days. WHAT?? 2-3 DAYS? My return flight was on January 8th, early in the morning. To take that flight, I had to be free on 7th at latest. Today is 5th, already midnight. Became very anxious and I couldn’t go to sleep soon. I was thinking about an episode of Marie Antoinette I had read in my comic books before, whose hair turned gray after staying in a jail for only one night. I hoped my hair wouldn’t turn gray.

つづく to be continued