There is a man in Queretaro named Pedro who goes all around town throughout the day screaming at the top of his lungs "ANIMOOOO" He's some crazy guy (although people who don't know him think he is), he just decided many years ago that there was enough sadness in the world so he would encourage others. People who don't know "El Animo" as Pedro is usually called, may get scared by hearing him scream ANIMO almost in their ear while walking down the street. He also has a habit of not letting people continue on their way until they have scream ANIMO in unison with him! He's a funny guy!
Not everyone thinks El Animo is funny, he's been arrested on several occasions for driving down the street with flags hanging out of his car that "obstruct the view of other drivers," (the current governor of Queretaro paid his bail for that one), and for yelling Animo at President Fox several years ago. The president's body guards don't take kindly to some random guy screaming at the president. haha!
El Animo was JP's neighbor for a few years before we got married. So we know him fairly well. One night, JP had parked a borrowed car in front of his house and someone came and pounded on his door saying the car was on fire. JP stepped outside, and saw that it was actually the Animo's car that was on fire, but that was parked right next to the car that JP had borrowed from a friend. Photographers from the newspaper soon showed up and took pictures of the Animo standing in front of his fully engulfed car smiling and holding up peace signs (his typical picture pose). Someone who didn't like his cheerful attitude came in the night and set his car (that was painted bright yellow with the word "ANIMO" painted all over it) on fire.
Anyone who's lived in Queretaro for a couple of years or more has certainly had a run-in with the Animo. He's like Queretaro's answer to Portland's Uni-Piper. Lisandro, a friend from Costa Rica met him a couple years ago when the Animo picked him up and yelled animo at him when he wasn't expecting it. (I couldn't find that picture!) And my parents met him a few months ago, he didn't try to pick my dad up though, haha! He's quite a character!
Pedro the Animo is standing on top of his truck behind a cardboard cut-out of his preferred candidate for governor. Me, Marcia, JP, Luis, and Cynthia are in the truck bed
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