Trouble with a Securidad in La Serena Bus Stop

Hopped off the bus at 5am in the morning from Valparaiso to La Serena and I was contemplating if I should just stay here or move on to Pisco Elqui as suggested by fellow travellers. Hanging around waiting for sunrise I was undecided with both options keep playing around my mind. My urge to smoke while thinking finally kicked in when day break and I walk outside to roll a cigarette.

Pisco Elqui

A piece of rolling paper, some tobacco and a filter …. While twirling the tobacco around two security guards for the bus station walked up to me, their backs label Securidad in Spanish. One pointed to the cigarette I was rolling and rumble off in Spanish while I just shrug and gave him by dumbest look.
Ma ri ju a na ? The security guard asked pointing to my half rolled cigarette?

Apparently rolling a cigarette is not common in Chile and I was going to be in trouble for a misunderstanding. I said NO … cigarraggio, cigarette, cigarros ….. trying to get him to understand.

Ma ri ju a na ? The security guard said again with a big grin on his face with full confident that I was guilty

I said no and push the pack of tobacco to his hand and gestured the sign for smell for yourself. The tobacco was mint flavoured so it had a minty smell which was even rarer and confused the shit out of the guard. Roll one I said offering him paper and filter. He seem to understand and slowly rolled one pondering if this was a cigarette or a joint. “Fumar?” I offered my lighter.

First puff and his had a deep appreciation on his face of the cigarette that he just rolled but all doubts of it being marijuana has vanish. 

“Equisito” he said …

Huh ???? after a few round of repeating the words again and again I understood … exquisite …. The cigarette was exquisite for it was not common. But then I bought it in Chile, Santiago for way too cheap.

We became friends after that I think with him providing me his personal protection while trying to communicate such as where I was from where I am going, whats my name, what the fuck am I doing in Chile …. He even went to as far to act out an action with another guy just to show me how a greeting is done in Spanish.

He ended up helping me find the bus to Pisco Elqui which was the first bus at 830 am and send me off with a big grin …. Dumb Malaysian who can’t speak Spanish rolling an exquisite cigarette

To Pisco Elqui on a microbus for 3500 peso