This is Victor, farmer and salesman at Zapote Farmers Market. He knew me. Before I was able to know him. For as long as I can remember he has been a recurring face at the Zapote Farmer’s Market. Who knows how many Sundays I’ve seen him! I remember that when I was a child, Víctor was a man I completely trusted, the familiarity with which he greeted my mother and my aunt made me think that he was another family member.
A face that I expected to see every weekend. In fact he was one of the vendors that I expected to see every Sunday. Because I knew that he was not going to leave his stall without some fruit to eat. And the years have passed and I continue visiting the Zapote Fair and I continue looking for him. Finding him and greeting him with the same familiarity. I did when he was still learning to walk.
The best of all is that I still leave his stall with some fruit that I don’t pay for…
For me, he hasn’t aged a day since I met him, but I certainly have… Anyway, he says that I haven’t changed at all since he knew me, so maybe the feeling is mutual.
I consider Víctor my friend. Years ago, when my aunt, for whom Víctor felt special affection, died and I had to give him the news, Victor closed his stall early and was present at the wake. With clothes to sell, after a morning of hard work and for the first time in my house, the family received him as one would receive a friend or even another family member.
His gesture is something I will not forget.