marlboro

I was once a saleslady/cashier in a grocery store, a wholesaler in our nearby town, in my teenage years.  We had many customers from neighboring barrios and towns.  They patronized our store because of its very low prices.

One of our patrons approached and whispered, telling me he had a nephew, a good looking guy and matched me in look, interested to meet me.  I never minded his utterance.  While, I was watching to the other side of the road in front of the store, I noticed three young men gazing at us.   For a while, one of them went inside the store and asked for a case of Marlboro.   I gave him the cigarette.  He opened it and got one stick without paying me yet.  I apprehended him and asked for his payment.  He said, he had no money to pay for the whole cigarette, he would pay it upon his return.  How could I collect the payment, you are a stranger,  I asked?   He, then gave his name which I wrote to the cigarette’s case and set it aside.

The following day, there he was, paid his due.   That was the beginning of our acquaintanceship which led to continuous exchanging of letters.

elflora