Aug 11, 2009

Granada, Nicaragua

We are sitting in Parque Central having an ice cream as it is unbearably hot and there is still a little bit of time before our shuttle leaves for Lago de Apoyo. A boy selling bags of cashews comes by and sits down next to us on the bench. Would we like some nuts? No thanks. He stays and kinda hangs out. He takes our ice cream wrappers and runs them to th trash can. He wears his baseball cap on a slant to indicate that he's got a bit of street in him, that he is cool. He at first mimics us and kinda makes fun of us, then he chats with us while keeping an eye on all the girls that walks by. He is 10 years old. He has been selling nuts on the street for 5 years now. He doesn't go to school because he can't afford to. He asks us for some of our water and we hand him the bottle. He takes a drink and tries to hand it back. We indicate that he can keep the bottle. He down the half liter that is left in one gulp and chucks the bottle aside (not in the trash but he walked our ice cream wrappers to the trash can). We wish him well and walk away. What can we do? Buying a bag a over priced nuts will not ensure a better life for him, maybe sharing our water and a bit of our time is all we can ever do.

*picture to come

Charlie Grosso

www.charliegrosso.com

310-592-0895

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