Ndamva za ndalama zokwana 6,000 zapanama ku San Juan, ku Puerto Rico - nsalu za manja, ndithudi (ine ndikuyembekeza choncho). Izi, ndinafunika kuwona, ngakhale kugula imodzi inali chabe yowuluka.
Olé Curiosidades pa Calle Fortaleza (St. Fortaleza St.) ku Old San Juan ndi shopu laling'ono, lokhala ndi khomo lopapatiza pamsewu wopapatiza. Koma kulowa modzichepetsa kumabweretsa chuma mkatimo. Pogwiritsa ntchito zida zamtundu umodzi (monga moniker curiosidades) mungagulepo izi, malo ogwirana manja, opangidwa ndi manja a Panama.
Ngakhale kuti ndi dzina lake, zipewa za Panama ndizochokera ku Ecuador. Atayamba kutumizidwa m'zaka za zana la khumi ndi zisanu ndi zitatu, adatumizidwa ku Panama asanayambe ulendo wawo womaliza kuzungulira dziko lapansi. Kotero dziko lonse linayamba kuwaitanira zipewa za Panama.
Panama akuphimba ku Olé mwachizoloŵezi amapanga manja ku Ecuador. Mu 2012, lusoli lakuphika linaphatikizidwira ku bungwe la UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage, lomwe linalengedwa kuti lizindikire ndi kuteteza kufunikira kwa "zosaoneka" kapena zosapangidwa. Ngakhale chipewa cha Panama chiri chinthu, njira yomwe analenga, mwambo wophika (umene unayambira zaka za m'ma 1700) si.
Chipewa cha Panama ndi chivundikiro cha chilimwe: chowala, chopepuka, komanso chopangidwa ndi udzu wopuma. Koma mosiyana ndi zipewa za m'chilimwe zimanena kuti Amwenye amadziwa bwino kwambiri, zipewa za Panama ndizoyambira, zovala bwino, komanso zokongola. Iwo ali ngati fedoras otentha.
N'zomvetsa chisoni kuti Ole adagulitsa zipewa za $ 6,000, komanso ndalama zokwana $ 4,000 ndi $ 5,000. Komabe, otsala-osatseka ndi makiyi, mkati mwa galasi-analipo $ 3,000 zipewa za Panama.
"Chifukwa chiyani wina angalipire madola 3,000 pa chipewa?" Ndinamunong'oneza bwenzi langa. "Mudzapeza pamene mukukhudza," adatero.
Wogulitsa sitolo anatulutsa mosamala imodzi ya zipewa kuti tigwire.
Izo zinali zabwino za iye, chifukwa mwina zidawoneka kuti sitidzatigula. Palibe wina wa chipani chathu anayesera, koma ife tonse tinakhudza. Zinali zodabwitsa: zosalala ndi zokoma pansi pa zala. Chipewacho chinali ndi mzere wabwino kwambiri, woyezedwa wopanda kanthu, koma chinali cholimba ndi chokhazikika.
Ngati ndikanapanda $ 3,000, ndingathe kugula chipewa chimenecho.
M'malo mwake, ndinagula ndalama zokwana madola 60, zomwe zimakhala zolemera poyerekezera ndizo, koma zimandipweteka kwambiri. Iyo inayamba ngati nthabwala zopanda pake. Atatu mwa iwo omwe ali m'bungwe lathu adanena kuti ali ndi mitu yayikuru. Ife tinakhala ndi chiwonetsero.
Wogulitsa malonda uja anandiyang'ana ine, ndinatenga chipewa powonetsera, ndikuchiyika pamutu panga. Analikhomerera pamtunda: pamtunda wa 59 centimita (chipewa cha American American size 7½), chinali chokwanira bwino. Iyo inakhala pamutu panga molimba bwino, ndipo inali yangwiro kwa tsiku la dzuwa, la digirii 80. Ndinadzikonda ndekha pagalasi; Ndinayang'ana chakuthwa. Ndinagulitsidwa.
Kenaka ndinapeza kuti ndingasinthe pamasewerowa powasankha kuchokera kwa abambo oposa khumi ndi awiri ndi osankhidwa omwe amasankha. Ndinasankha mgwirizano wapamwamba, mtundu wakuda ndi woyera womwe umakhala wolimba komanso wosakaniza.
Panthawi imene tinatuluka m'sitolo, mphepo inali itatenga pafupifupi masekondi 60 yogula izi, zonyansa, zipewa, zinkangoyambira pamutu panga ndi m'misewu ya Old San Juan.
Ndinachita mantha kwambiri ndipo ndinathamangitsa. Chipewacho chinathamanga pansi pamsewu, ndikuchokerako, mpaka icho chinakokedwa pansi pa galimoto yomwe inali itangoyima pamsewu.
Ndakonzekera choipitsitsa, ndinakwera mozungulira galimoto kupita komwe, zikondwerero, chipewa changa chokongola chinali chitayambiranso kumsewu. Ikaima pang'onopang'ono kuti ndipumire mumtsinje, ndipo ndinagwira.
Ndinateteza chipewa changa ndi moyo wanga tsiku lotsala. Ndipo sindinalole kuti ndizipita kunyumba.
Ndikuyembekezera nthawi yachilimwe , ndikadzavala chipewa changa ndi kunyada, nsanje ya anansi anga, ndikuwongolera nkhani ya momwe ndinatsala pang'ono kutaya $ 60 Panama chipewa, ndikuthokoza kuti sindinagwiritse ntchito $ 3,000 pa chipewa yomwe inagwera mumtsinje.
(Kwa inu omwe mukudikirira ndi mpweya wokhala ndi mpweya chifukwa cha zotsatira za mutu waukulu: manyazi, mutu wanga unali wochepa kwambiri; Charlotte anali ndi zaka 60 pamene Sara adagwedeza 62.)