The Answer To Terror

That afternoon Arnoldo tended to the family-run shop with no hurry, with the relaxed attitude that is granted to one’s own business. Suddenly, a young person arrived and called him by name, nothing to be alarmed about after so many years working there. The youngster with a “Spanglish” accent began to demand the amount of $15,000 to be ready for the next day, or else Arnoldo and his family would be murdered. If he gave this away, others would complete this mission anyway.

Julissa, who heard the subject’s raised voice, came closer to where the threat was taking place. Inside of her burnt pride and courage, words coming out that she would have never dreamed of saying at such a crucial time for herself and her husband.

It was the answer to terror. The individual shook, full of rage and impotence, touching his waist and putting his hands in his pockets.

He left, with threats and insults, swearing that he would return the next day.

This is the shop where neighbors go for their small and forgotten weekly shopping.

The small shop is situated in a sprawling urban area north of the city, where families and children live, away from danger. At night, homes still keep their doors open.

Over a long period of time, Arnoldo and Julissa formed a home which has survived natural disasters and a civil war. Here a home full of honorable people with pride in their jobs and traditional values has been formed, “starting from zero”.

Brothers and cousins emigrated to the United States years ago, when a new society was born in the middle of a coup d’etat or urban insurrections similar to the TET offensive in Vietnam, which placed bullets in the middle of the street in the nation’s capital. The memory remains of a large number of murdered youths and the disastrous loss of life like the death of the Jesuits.

Later, the silence of peace which still awakens hope because despite the criticisms, the co-existence of old rivals is a reality.

Arnoldo worked for many years in a state institution, he retired early due to the institution carrying out a “downsizing”, which in the next few months would be so frequent that it would surprise no-one. These changes have as an objective the recuperation of business utilities, so that they can later adapt in a less “traumatic” environment to the recession, which knocks at our door.

Arnoldo now classified as unemployed took things calmly, the small shop embedded in the residential area and cultivated for such a long time, is the place to go for hundreds of neighbors. His wife Julissa’s priority is to keep the profitable business afloat come rain or shine.

But that grave incident, never imagined in a place so free of threats, provoked the emergency call to the relevant authorities, who came to the scene.

In the small hours of the morning the capture of the subject who was armed took place, as he returned to the small shop to carry out his threats.

Nobody was injured.

But Arnoldo and Julissa soon left their city, destination United States on a one way trip…this is their answer to terror…or the new wave of Salvadoran immigrants.