Friday, October 17, 2008

Dallas and work

Tuesday, we spent the day visiting clients of our distributor, carrying 10 samples. Everywhere, we were well received and got either immediate orders or to be confirmed. Restaurants are often ran by newcomers to the USA, 1st generation Americans ready to invest and work, without counting hours and difficulties. For instance, a couple of Mexicans we met just opened a restaurant 4 months ago; the boss is full of courage, only sleeping 4 to 5 hours per night, except days the restaurant is closed when then, he can sleep 7 hours! Per month, they have to pay 7000 Dollars, electricity/gas 1500, 9 employees, nor him or her receiving any salaries. It reminds me my beginning in Saint Emilion where Murielle’s salary helped us pay for the rent in the HLM de la Plante in Libourne (HLM is an inexpensive project/council house complex) and food. Her salary of nurse helped us to survive for more than 3 years!

In 1984, the second hand car I bought, very old second hand, a Renault 10, cost me 150 Euros, less than the watch I’m wearing which I bought when I was a bank employee. When I see what’s happening with banks and the stock exchange today, I say to myself that the world is upside down, countries, prisoners of speculators, having to pay for their mistakes, while our “little” Mexicans have to work like slaves to pay for their debts. Bizarre no? Don’t we take the risk of making democratic and moral rules incomprehensible? Hope for a new world?

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