Thursday, October 24, 2013

The Poor Hispanic Cargill Guy

I worked for Cargill for quite of a time. Working for that company and being me who is known as Troublemaker you bump to people who work there or used to work there once in a while, depending where you are going and when. 
It was just a few minutes after I boarded the plane to Toronto and before sitting, I was putting one of my stuff in the overhead bag that I heard someone talking to me in Spanish! The fuselage was dead quite because everyone was on his or her seat and I guess I with may be a few more people were the only one who were only on their feet. I immediately recognized him by his face: He was one of the Cargill guys. Everyone was now looking at me to probably see my reaction or response and I answered him back in English because I don't speak Spanish! He kept going in Spanish switching back to English and vice verse and I was answering in English until I finished playing with the thing and sat down. I think people thought that I either was Hispanic but didn't want to speak Spanish or any other reason! I can't read their mind but it was clear that they were all surprised a bit. Just a little bit. 
I guess it was during our conversation in the plane or may be after landing in Toronto that I asked him if he was going to see any family or friend in there and he said that he was going back home, to El Salvador. When I approached him and looked at him from a closer distance I realized that he looked much older now. It has been more than 7 years now that I quiet Cargill. When I was shaking his hand I also realized that he could not have a good grip on my hand. Many of the guys who work hard jobs in plants such as Cragill they face permanent problems like that which will never go away. I had a similar issue with my right hand but I guess I am an exemption because after a while I became a master in that job, the job only less than of a handful of the guys were able to do that and that is the problem because you get used to it and it becomes easy and you don't want to leave because you like what you are doing and you know not many people are able to do that and your life goes on. I was in that stage that one day didn't show up and went to another company which led to my resignation from Cargill. Many other people do that and many didn't. I bumped to another guy a few months ago who still is working for Cargill. He said that both of his knees were fucked up and the physician had told him that he had to walk to help the knees get better. I feel bad for these guys, all especially the El Salvador and the African. I hope there are times that at least their pain eases of. 


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