Real-life Frogger – Travel Short
That flatbed pushcart? That’s what we used to haul the goods for five long blocks from the shop to the hotel. No easy feat. And really, why wouldn’t we use a taxi to make the delivery? I mean shiiitt… who doesn’t want to play frogger in a city with crazyass drivers, where cars speed up to hit pedestrians? Well… that would be just too easy. It just wouldn’t be a RAD AND HUNGRY sourcing trip if it didn’t involve a bit of crazy and a whole lotta adventure.
Only regret? That I didn’t snap a photo of Rosario and Juan – the two awesome employees from the shop where we picked up the goods – pushing that cart stacked high of boxes through the streets, magically avoiding being run over on multiple occasions. I’m still having flashbacks of that long haul!
I decided to make the return journey back to the shop with Rosario and Juan so I could treat us to some Starbucks (I prefer going local, they prefer going American). I mean, the least that I could do is offer up some coffee given that they risked their lives for us! We’re chillin’, laughing and trading stories when Juan gets a call. A wave of panic on his face when he realizes it’s their manager from the shop. Juan asks Rosario for advice – should he answer the call? What should he say? Rosario waves her hand and calmly explains that he should tell the manager that they’re hanging at Starbucks ‘cause I offered to treat them to some coffee.
Phone call finished, Juan relieved, and we continue chillin’. We discuss the merits of pencil vs. pen (not sure how successful we were at actually understanding each other given their elementary English skills and my lack of Spanish skills), dot-grid sheets, blank or ruled… we all agree that La Mar serves the best ceviche.
I went back to the shop the next day lookin’ for more goods to buy, but what I really wanted was to give Rosario a gift for all her help. And lucky for me Rosario was working. I gave her a RAH tote bag and, like the awesome person she is, she pulled out a gift for me – a tape dispenser in the shape of a black stiletto. The tape dispenser stands tall on my desk and every time I tear a piece of tape, I always think of Rosario, Juan and me hauling ass in the streets of Lima with a cart full of goods. Who knew that I’d be playin’ real-life Frogger in Peru?
