to read - Jaltemba Bay Life

SAYING GOOD-BYE AND LIFE’S LOSTLOVESThursday, 17 March: My father was returningto Montreal, so we decided to spend our last daytogether at San Pancho. From there we plannedto visit Puerto Vallarta for a cold beer and a nicedinner along the malicon, to watch the sunsetover the Pacific. We would then drive to theairport where my father would check in for hislate-evening flight home.The day at San Pancho was wonderful—clearsky, bright sun, pleasant temperature, andsparkling seas. We arrived early and walked thelovely beach admiring the view and agreeing thatwe were lucky to be there. We then had a latebreakfast at a quaint bistro. Life was felt verygood at that moment.Afterward we did some souvenir shopping:Dad bought several Mexican shawls featuring theimage of Frieda Kalo. I bought one too, and aGuatemalan shirt. I don’t know why I bought theshirt—I already had three. And I had a dozenshirts that I didn’t wear. But I loved the colors andunique style! I guess that’s called “impulsebuying.”We often buy things because we want them,not because we need them. It’s amazing to thinkhow many of us buy frivolously, when in someparts of the world people are walking around inrags and starving. Overall, my countrymenshould consider themselves fortunate for theopportunities that America has provided. But myobservation from my time in the workforce andfrom watching the TV news is that today’sthemes are: the government owes us something,