When she checked her card balance and realized she’d gone over 900 pesos from one month to the next, Alba couldn’t believe it. This was an unusual occurrence. Her salary had never stretched so far, not even in the first few months of that raise, which she’d forgotten.
She checked it several times, until Transfermóvil politely refused to let her continue. She wanted to make sure she really had them. And yes, it was true. Immediately, proud of her achievement, she called family and friends to boast about her thriftiness.
They listened to her in amazement and with a certain amount of envy. As their salaries hadn’t been as consistent. The beginning of the month was always tough for this single Holguin native and mother of two. Also as there was always a downtime between the end of the month and payday.
But this October started differently. The payday was just outside, and with the remaining money she could buy something that would allow them to eat for another day. When she opened the refrigerator, she realized: I have three hot dogs left, she told herself, so I’ll find a bottle of oil.
Before leaving, she scrubbed the pan, so she’d just have to arrive and fry them. And headed toward the MSMEs in search of the precious product. The first one she entered had some, but, according to the clerk, the owner wasn’t there to accept transfers.
She wasn’t discouraged. This was a memorable day, and she wouldn’t ruin it by being pessimistic. At the second one, only through EnZona. At the third, only through EnZona. Disappointed, she closed her Transfermóvil and continued on her way. The errors of banking wouldn’t get the better of her.
She kept walking, walking a lot under the harsh city sun. Finally, she found one, and there was her bottle of oil and the long-awaited QR code for online payment. She felt happy again and confirmed that it was a good morning. Despite her fatigue, she had achieved her goal.
However, when she asked the clerk, everything fell apart:
“Ma’am, that QR code is for transfers, but we don’t accept it on Mondays. Besides, the power is out, and messages don’t arrive,” the girl said to a bewildered Alba, who didn’t understand days, blackouts, or denied transactions: she just wanted a bottle of oil.
With her head down, she gave up and headed home. Just when she realized she wouldn’t have the chance to use those 900 pesos on today’s meal. Then she passed a place that didn’t have any oil, but there was the correct QR code for stores, and a very kind man confirmed the option of paying online.
No one had ever felt so happy buying a can of tomato puree. She even had some money left over! Anyone would think this was a minor issue. but for this Holguin native, it was a personal victory in a time of consumer rights violations.
So, smiling, she walked into her kitchen, lit the stove, put the pan on, turned to her children, and exclaimed: “Kids, today we’re eating hot dogs in salsa!”
By: Jorge Alejandro Fernández Pérez
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