Last night for dinner, Dave, Johnny and I went to Acapulco’s, a local Mexican restaurant here in Framingham. As one would expect we entered the restaurant and were promptly seated.

Moments later we noticed a mariachi band in the corner of the dining room. AND THEY BEGAN PLAYING LOUDLY. THEY PLAYED VERY LOUDLY. AND THEY MOVED FROM TABLE TO TABLE, PLAYING ONE ENTIRE SONG FOR EACH TABLE. AND IT KEPT GOING AND GOING AND WE COULD NOT HEAR OURSELVES THINK.

While we were waiting for our food it looked like the band might go the other way and entertain other patrons, but no. They turned the corner, surrounded our table, AND THEN THEY BEGAN PLAYING AGAIN. RIGHT IN MY EAR. MY LEFT EAR HAD AN ACCORDIAN IN IT AND THE RIGHT HAD A TRUMPET. THEY WERE PLAYING SO LOUDLY THAT I FELT LIKE MEXICO WAS INSIDE MY HEAD. IT WAS LIKE HAVING A CHEAP MEXICAN IPOD TURNED UP TO 11 THAT YOU COULD NOT GET OFF YOUR HEAD. It was literally impossible for me to have been any closer to the band; in fact, had I BEEN a member of the band, I would have had to move slightly further away. When the band asked us what we wanted to hear, Johnny said, “something fast.” Unfortunately the band leader mistook that as a request regarding tempo, and the four or five musicians played an up-beat song in my ear for what seemed like an eternity.

The margaritas were good, the food was great, and eventually the ringing in my ears waned. About an hour into the meal we hear the band starting up from across the restaurant. We quickly paid our bill and made our way to the exit before being attacked again by blaring mariachi classics.