A New Life

NOTE: Please read the posting marked 6,737 miles or 10,799 kilometers before you read this. It was posted December 12th

Saturday December 11th marked one year since I quit my career and my life at CHFI. The year has flown by! I can not believe how much has happened and changed in the past 12 months. My “Dream a little dream” bracelet, that was my departing gift, has still not left my wrist. I think of my friends at work almost daily. Thoughts of them run through my mind about a joke we may have shared between us, or an idea, an opinion, or I may just think about people that I truly miss.

Ironically, I spent my one year anniversary, Saturday, December 11th, at a place called La Canada. (Get it?? We moved here from Canada.) This is a local business that holds our storage unit but also is a huge fabulous furniture store. I have dreamt of owning many things under Pedro and Barbara’s roof…they are the owners there. December 11th they had their annual rummage sale. They open up their huge parking lot to anyone who wants to sell anything. There were vendors selling sausages, jellies, pottery, hummus, tortillas, salsas, donuts, clothing….well you can imagine. There were also people like me and Maurice. Too much stuff!! (BTW that is a great Delbert McClinton song…Thanks Maxine!) Since we had “too much stuff” we spent a couple of days going through our storage units and pulling things out for the sale that we knew for sure we could get rid of.

Saturday was a really really busy day. There were hundreds of people who came out for the event. Probably 60% were Mexican locals, and the rest gringos. My friend Sharon came to help me as Maurice was at our house working. We sold so much stuff that we made $12,000 pesos! THAT IS A THOUSAND DOLLARS!!!! In Toronto we had rummage sales that we planned and worked on for weeks and made only $200!!!! I WAS SO EXCITED!! $1,000!!!! COOL!!

Also, I had this rule. If any Mexican came and asked about the price on something that was under 200 pesos I would give it to them. Some of them could not believe it! They would ask again, “Cuanto es?? “And I would say, “Nada...por ustedes, por favor” (Nothing...for you, please) I got so many hugs! The one price exception was a clock that we had 300 pesos on. A guy with one arm kept talking to his sister about it and rubbing his hand on it. He wanted it so bad, I could tell. I figure that some people work a whole day for 300 pesos and I am guessing he did not have that opportunity. I told him “Feliz Navidad!!” He was so happy!!! It was the best day ever.

As a side bar here...I tell you these things not to make myself look like a good person. Trust me, giving away something that I could pocket under $20 does not make me a good person. I tell you these things to give you a better idea of the Mexican people. They have so little and appreciate everything! It may not have even been the gift...it is the unexpected act of kindness that turned out to be the best gift of all.

...Back to the sale....

The highlight of the day though, was the selling of the pink couch. (I am sure you knew that was coming, right??) We kept it wrapped in the plastic it was moved in, but took off the brown paper. So many people wanted it. It was such a gem to everyone. It was also $2,500 pesos which is a lot of money to most here. There was this woman; I am guessing a 65 year old that appeared to be closer to 75. She wanted it so bad and wanted to know the cheapest I would sell it for. I told her $2,000 pesos. She asked if it included both pieces, since it was a sectional. I told her yes, but she still kept asking, like she could not believe it. She left and came back a few times in a matter of 10 minutes and she finally handed me $2,000 pesos and asked if she could come back later to get it. Of course, I said. I now know it was so she could get large men to carry it for her.

During the next 2 hours she brought a parade of people by to show them her new sofa. They were of all ages. The kids jumped on it and the adults smiled at her. She hugged me.

When the time came for her to take it away I hugged her...All I can think of is that now, our pink sofa that traveled over 6,700 miles in its life is starting another journey. It will start to support new people, and new families. It will be loved and taken care of and cherished. It is being given a new life, here in Mexico. Kind of like Maurice and me.