Durante los días

Aroma

How is it that you can look forward to something so much , and work so hard for something , and the next thing you know , a decision is made that you have no control over...and everything you've worked for seems unable to accomplish?

I was walking home from school with my heavy bookbag slumped onto one shoulder , and my phone in my hand. As I walked into the house I saw my grandma kneading dough , I didn't know what she was making today , its always something different. "¿Qué es de vaina?" I said , motioning my eyes towards what she was making. "Cachitos , want to help?" She looked tired most of the time , but she always seemed happy when she cooked , and seemed even happier when I was I was at her side. I set my bookbag down on a chair and rolled up my sleeves to wash my hands. "¿Que tal tu día?" She said , not looking up from the dough. "Bien." I walked over and began slicing up ham for the Cachitos. "Buzz , buzz" my phone began vibrating , I was getting a call from Javier. He's been my best friend for as long as I can remember. I answered. "Ana Victoria!" he said. I have two first names , Ana , and Victoria , he'll usually just called me Vic , but he'll use both of my names if something important is going on. "Yeah!? What happened?!" I sounded too exited to hear what he was saying. "Can you come to Miga's like right now?" My grandma looked up , "go ahead" she said with a smile. I kissed her cheek and walked out onto the sidewalk. As I opened the doors of Miga's , the best American restaurant in Caracas, I saw Javier sitting at a circle table in the back. He motioned for me to sit down. As I sat , he immediately looked down at his hands , and back up at me. "What is it?" I said , impatiently. He took a paper out of his pocket and slid it over to me. It read "2014 Protests~With what President Maduro is doing to our country , Protests may start soon." When I finished reading , I looked up at Javier. Before I could speak he handed me another paper , it said "Crisis in Bolivarian Venezuela, refers to the socioeconomic crisis that Venezuela has undergone since Chavez's tenure and which, extended over the years into the current presidency of Maduro. During the year 2016, for example, consumer prices rose 800%, the economy contracted by 18.6%,and hunger escalated to the point that the "Venezuela's Living Conditions Survey" found nearly 75 percent of the population had lost an average of at least 8.7 kg (19.4 lb) in weight due to a lack of proper nutrition." I wasn't paying much attention to what it said. I read most , but my attention focused on the ending , where it said "Marches and protests are making their way into eastern parts of Caracas." I looked up at Javier to see him smiling. "Vic! Something is finally going on in our state! A change! It's not so boring around this place now." I couldn't bring myself to smile. I gave him the papers and returned home. As I walked into the house I could smell the Aromas of the freshly baked Cachitos. My mood was everywhere at the time. Nobody truly realizes what is happening to Caracas. Even worse , what is happening to our country.