Point of view of the man selling packets of tissues on a street corner in La Paz: How to sell

I have a box of things to sell to people as they walk by my corner everyday. I like this corner. There are many different people passing by in many directions. I enjoy watching them. I imagine where they are going and what they will do when they get there.

They are all in a hurry. Most do not notice me on the corner, crouched, looking up at them. They are too occupied with their own concerns. To sell something to a person on the street, you have to take them out of their thoughts. I grab their attention with my voice and I convince them with my words and with my eyes. Always, I must tell them to buy, or they will get distracted and disappear back into their day dreams, with the other people on the swollen street.

I must sell as many things as possible so I can pay for food. If I cannot get enough people to notice me in the day, I will eat nothing in the evening. When the sun goes down, I call to people - loudly. I say: “Tissues! Tissues! Tissues! Look at my tissues! Buy my tissues!” I search the eyes that pass and I hold the packets out to them so they can see the quality. I plead with their starched, blank faces to come out of their thoughts and to notice me; speak to me and buy from me. When I have sold all the packets of tissues in my box, I can go home.

1 comment: