Saturday, August 25, 2007

A Hard Lesson Learned

Sometimes bad news can really suck the good mood out of you like a punch in the stomach. As much as you wish you could get the happy mood back...it's gone for the day.

Today started out as a great Saturday. Papa has had a good business week and knowing we made it through another month paying our bills with maybe a little extra feels good. The bad news came sometime around lunch when Papa got a call from Rolando, a client of his who is also a friend. Brother Sprout loves it when he comes over and spends a lot of time hanging out with the boys talking business. I could tell the minute Papa got on the phone that something was not right. When he hung up, I asked what was up. Rolando was robbed at gunpoint outside a small store. Rule number one - don't keep all your money in one place. A lesson learned too late for Rolando.

Rolando came over to talk and him and Papa ran an errand together. Papa is really good at putting perspective on things and I'm sure he needed a little encouragement after that kind of blow. I can't talk to Rolando much due to the language barrier, but he seems like a good guy. Him and his wife just had a baby a few weeks ago. His wife needed a c-section and it got infected and needed a second surgery to treat the infection. He lost a few days of work and I'm sure they have some medical expenses with all that. Now this.

Anyway, I know the good mood will come back, but today I feel sad that this happened to a friend and there is nothing that can be done for him.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Too bad that poverty + desperation = crime. It's hard to see the "silver lining" in this, and maybe because there isn't one. What is for sure is that the desperation and necessity that exists for people to rob others is not going away any time soon. I'm sure this is a huge blow to Rolando and his family - good thing they've got friends like you!!
Miss you already!!!! (We're planning the next trip!)
As a side note - I walked into Target this weekend, and I thought of you, you being queen of Target and all... I was thinking, how must she feel that she can't just walk into Target and buy any little gadget she can think of?? But, I was looking around the aisles and I thought, "yeah, there is everything here that a person could want..I could furnish a house here, buy all my groceries and an entire wardrobe here too..hmmm.. so what's the big deal...?" I couldn't care less that there's 40 different brands of tomato sauce here..or every shape and style of hairbrush. I typically like to see things in a different perspective. (Drove my parents crazy for 18 years..wait, I still drive them crazy) But I looked around and really honestly said "so what?". I'm sure there are comforts that you may miss, but I'll tell you, life is definitely not about being comfortable. Where's the adventure in comfortable? If you feel yourself starting to feel nostalgic for Target, etc.. just gently put it in perspective. Feel glad you left it behind, don't miss it, it's not missing you.
Talk to you soon. Besitos to the little Sprouts!
suzy

Unknown said...

Thank God Rolando wasn't hurt! Robbed at gunpoint, scary. I've been robbed a lot, but usually the thieves' weapon is concealed, or just a knife...still fatal, but not as scary.

Ranty said...

Ohhhhhhhh........ I'm really sorry to hear about this!!!

I would echo Aaron's sentiment that I'm glad the guy is okay!

Also, related to famcerrato's comment: I am going to email you next time I swing through SPS - if you have any Target needs, just let me know!!! I'll totally bring you stuff. Ya gotta love the Target. :-)

Honduras Sprout said...

Hey Suzy- We miss you too!!

Goodness, I miss Target in so many ways, but like you said, I try to just let it go and accept what I have and where I'm at.

I am glad that Rolando trusted Papa enough to come to him and then to even look to him for guidance. It's things like that when I feel so proud of the person he is.

Aaron - Rolando was really shook up. The gun was put in his chest and he was told, "give me all your money or I will kill you". Honestly though, concealed or not - getting robbed would be traumatic and the mere fact that you say you've been robbed "a lot" is striking. Does everyone get robbed at some point in Honduras? And do women get robbed too? Seems like I hear of only men this happening to.

Ranty- You must let me know when you will be in town and not just because I need stuff.

Unknown said...

Unfortunately crime is rampant here. Two weeks ago two guys robbed my niece of her laptop, ipod, and purse before fleeing in a car. Thank God they weren't trying to kidnap her!

She shouldn't have been walking alone though.

Anonymous said...

Oh, my! This is really not something Grandma Sprout wants to read but I know it's reality and can't be avoided. Sigh.

--G.S.

Anonymous said...

New to your blog (fellow Minnesotan Gringo, here) and I appreciate it! I live with my partner here in Tegucigalpa. Got here in May 2007...'bout the same time as you did! I got robbed a month ago, at gunpoint, walking about a block from my house...in a 'good' neighborhood here. I was petrified. I lived in DT Mpls and in Uptown, Mpls AND in Manhattan (for 6 yrs) and never got mugged/robbed/etc. I asked myself the same question after it happened: "Does EVERYONE get robbed here?" Put alot of shock into my yearlong culture shock of moving from MN to HN, I'll tell ya! Hope all is well with your friend. All the best to you, by the way!

Honduras Sprout said...

Hi Todd! It's amazing the number of Minnesotans I come across in Honduras. I never knew how much I loved MN until I moved here.

I'm sorry that you were robbed. That is a horrible thing to have happen. My husband was robbed too shortly after he moved here a few years ago now.

I hope your culture shock is getting better too. Not sure mine is. Ha! I envy you living in Tegus though because my MN German/Norwegian blood can't take the heat here.