It doesn't matter that this story takes place in Ecuador, or that I have traveled there and my life has changed. That is not important. What is important, is the fundamental truth that I uncovered.
Wow, what a beautiful piece of jewelry!
You couldn't find that outside of
Ecuador. It's perfect.
Sunset. Hours later
And nobody has purchased it.
I should have benn home taking care of
Geraldo. He isn't well.
This necklace would be so important to
Mary. We have been fighting a lot.
We are falling apart. This will show her
I care. I do.
Here comes a blonde girl. She
Looks American
They come here, looking
To fill a hole in themselves by
Helping Others
Selfish.
I still need trinkets to bring home to my
Parents.
They sent me here, to grow, learn, change.
And I have.
Change, it doesn't happen to them.
Why would they change?
They have the world.
Put her in my shoes.
I bet I can get that necklace for one dollar.
Not in America.
It is worth more.
But they will settle for a dollar here
Why pay more?
Twenty dollars. That is what I will say.
If only I had twenty dollars.
It would give us hope.
She doesn't even know that we don't eat
Everyday.
But she wouldn't care.
Twenty dollars! I can talk that down.
She is just a selfish salesperson.
Trying to rip me off.
But I need that necklace.
For Mary and I.
For friendship.
Fine, fifteen.
She doesn't even need this
Necklace.
I spent hours on it
Bead after bead
And she will toss it carelessly in her closet
Back home.
And forget about it.
Just like she will forget about me.
She doesn't even notice me.
I am scum.
5 dollars.
Why would I pay more?
She doesn't need any more.
The beads cost 20 cents and the string 5 cents
I need to save money for my parents
And I need gifts for my Grandparents as well;
The are hard to shop for
They have everything.
But time for me.
Ten dollars. And that is my final offer.
Oh what I would do if I had ten dollars.
Marta's birthday is near.
And for once, I would like to get her a gift.
She says she doesn't want one.
She is beautiful.
Fine. Ten dollars.
What is ten dollars to me?
I could have talked the woman down to eight.
But what difference does a few dollars make.
A cup of coffee? A burger? No big deal.
I'll live.
I'll live.
This week at least.
And we will eat today.
All 6 of us.
Geraldo, my love, dying.
Marta, the oldest.
Pepito and Lucas, my little boys.
And Nina, the baby.
Who is blissfully unaware
Of her life.
She wraps it tenderly in a plastic bag.
It takes forever.
It is just a necklace, for Mary.
She won't care how it is wrapped.
I have no time for this.
This was my first sale in a week.
Though I wish to, it is hard to part with this
Necklace.
It has a piece of me,
Strung on the thread.
And I love it.
Gracias Senora
Not in my native tongue.
But what does it matter?
She is not a person to converse further with.
She is just a saleswoman.
And when I leave, she doesn't exist.
But nice necklace.
Gracias chica.
We will eat tonight.
That is all I say to her.
She is just a customer.
Rich and American and non-existent.
But we can eat.
Everyone has a story. It is inevitable that each person perceives others only in relation to himself: The woman selling beads is nothing but a salesperson, out to get my money. The man who made my lunch is just a waiter at a ramshackle fast-food joint.
But in Ecuador, I realized how self-absorbed my perception of the world was. Every single person has a story - good times and bad time, joyous moments and trying moments, rejoicing and suffering. The woman in Ecuador had a story, you have a story, I have a story. Every individual should be viewed as a whole person, not just how you need them to be for your own selfish reasons.
When you look at a person like this, you find that we are not so different after all.
