Who are the people in your neighborhood? Part 2

I am trying to navigate the aforementioned formality vs. informality of Lima.

I want to fit in and to fit in one needs a guide.

I am routinely told not to go anywhere alone, but since the majority of those telling me to be careful (the formal sector) are relatively too busy to do the accompanying themselves, I am forced to When in Rome.
I have outsourced this job to the informal sector.

So far my cohorts in Lima consist of a cadre of doormen, taxi drivers and some Saturday afternoon footballers (most of whom wash cars in my neighborhood for a living). I have met them in a variety of ways, but all are eager to explain, show, and muse about Lima and Peru.

To them I am gringo or colorado (I have tried to explain to them that while in Spanish this refers to my colored hair(red), in the US it is a state, not unlike Peru, with mountains and carwashes too). Soccer is often my gateway into this world. The people who came to install my phone the other day saw the banner I picked up at a local soccer match. They happened to be supporters of the rival team and joked about installing my phone incorrectly. I assured them that the banner was simply a souvenir, and that secretly I really liked their team.
The fact that I know any team here in Lima often gives me some street cred.
In the vain of ¨Charlie Don´t Surf,¨ down here, ¨Gringos don’t play football.¨
When asked by one of my sponsors here what I did last weekend, I couldn’t lie, I explained I had played football down at the beach, something I was instructed specifically not to do.
Cuidado, I was told.
But after a few weeks, I have to say, unless my team of cachorros are planning an elaborate kidnapping/heist, I am most convinced they, if anything, have my back. Scoring goals buys self preservation, analyze that international market truth Mr. Greenspan.