It Is What it Looks Like

From the window of a somewhat empty bus, on a Friday afternoon, on a highly paved avenue in São Paulo, Brazil: I see two little girls in a rush, running in between the cars stuck in traffic. They are placing small plastic bags onto the side mirrors of cars, a common measure for street vendors in my city. Inside those plastic bags, I see pink and red drops, and, on the outside, a note to the potential buyer stuck to the package, probably telling the vendor's story and asking for money. Although there is no adult accompanying the kids, a grown-up wrote those notes and will be sure to collect the money the sweet kids make for themselves. 
 
The people inside the cars soon identify the content of the bags as those little sweet portions of flavor that, after all, are bad for one's health and leave the plastic bags untouched outside their cars. The little girls rush to put the largest number of bags they can onto the mirrors and dash to take them out of there before the light turns green and the cars speed up and leave.
 
They are barefoot. The asphalt probably does not burn their feet, as it is a cloudy Friday. But asphalt is rough, dirty, and causes blisters. I see them taking off the plastic bags from the first three cars in line, but after that, my eyesight doesn't reach them anymore.
 
On the sidewalk, there's a little boy sitting on the floor, preparing more bags to sell. He talks to himself, gesturing with his hands. He does not seem to care about the lots of trash that surround him on the street.
 
I open the window next to my seat and call one of the girls, asking for a bag. She rushes to the bus and gives it to me while I give her some money. She grabs it and runs again.
 
The light turns green, and the bus speeds up. I don't know if she was able to collect all the bags.
 
I start opening my bag, really excited, to find out that it contains no candy: instead, there are little pink and red paper hearts. And there, where the note asking for help is supposed to be, I find this message: "Here we sell small portions of love. Give to those who need it, or to nourish oneself. Cost: $0.00".
 
 
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Image of Mariam Dimitri
 Mariam Dimitri · ago
Lindo, Noah!
Parabéns e obrigada!

Image of Jacqueline Haar Romeny
 Jacqueline Haar Romeny · ago
Beautiful story with an even better ending. This insight helps make the world more beautiful and loving.
Image of Mabel Casakin
 Mabel Casakin · ago
Great!
Image of Jeusa Motta
 Jeusa Motta · ago
Congrats! Good lucky
Image of monique sandy
 monique sandy · ago
Beautiful.
Image of Eliana Sodre
 Eliana Sodre · ago
Congratulations on your ability to describe so well this situation that is so common in São Paulo, but mainly for having done it with respect and delicacy! And I loved the ending — you were so creative! It seems like you Will have a very beautiful future ahead of you — and you deserve it!
Image of Maria Amelia Barbosa Bezerra
 Maria Amelia Barbosa Bezerra · ago
Tocante, continue em frente, precisamos desse olhar e dessas palavras
Image of Amanda Cabrera
 Amanda Cabrera · ago
So sweet
Image of JENNY JOHNSON
 JENNY JOHNSON · ago
As a published writer myself, I wish you all the best, Noah, in your creative life.
Image of VIRGINIA FRY
 VIRGINIA FRY · ago
Beautiful short story!