contents - Gallatin School of Individualized Study - New York ...

carmelita rocha pena Gaining Perspective118carmelita rocha PenaThe Shoesmy name is Maylo. I live in a nice apartment with my owners, Edmundo andCarmelita. They are a nice young couple. They love me very much, and Ilove them, too.Recently, I heard a conversation between Carmelita and Edmundo.Carmelita was saying to Edmundo, “Look, your dog chewed on my new shoes. Ican’t wear them anymore.”Edmundo said, “My dog? I don’t believe it. Maybe your shoes asked Maylo,‘Please, Maylo, come and chew us.’” Edmundo likes to joke a lot.Then Carmelita said, “You have to buy me a new pair of shoes.”Edmundo asked, “Why me? I didn’t chew your shoes; Maylo did. Ask Mayloto get you a new pair of shoes.” Then they started laughing.I felt very sad. I knew that I had done something wrong, but I didn’t knowwhat to do. A day ago, when I had seen those soft and appetizing shoes, I couldn’thelp myself from chewing on them. Now I realize that I did a terrible thing. Butwhat can I do? I am only a little dog who doesn’t have a job and cannot buy shoes forCarmelita. Do other dogs work?With these thoughts, I went to a corner of the apartment where nobodycould see me and fell asleep.It was evening when I heard Edmundo opening the door. He called,“Carmelita, come here, please. There’s a box here, waiting for you.” Then Edmundocalled me, and I came out from my corner. He said, “Here, Carmelita, this is fromMaylo and me.” Carmelita opened the box and saw a pair of very nice shoes.She got happy and said, “Oh, thanks to you and Maylo for the wonderfulshoes. But Maylo, please don’t chew them, okay?”I was very happy. I was happy for Carmelita, and I was happy for thewonderful people I was living with.Carmelita Rocha Pena, age 48, immigrated from Brazil five years ago. She nowstudies English at HANAC in Queens, where Alvard Berberyan is her teacher.She says, “I like to support my family. I like to be a ‘best friend.’ I like to forgivepeople. That makes me feel healthier.” Also a lover of animals, she says, “I treatanimals like my children.”