headphones back over her ears and pointed at Julio’s computer screen.
Julio looked back at his screen and noticed the prompt— Would you like to complete the segment on budgeting now? He sighed and slipped back on the headphones. The presentation droned on about spending habits and managing limited resources; he glanced over at Graciela and saw that she was playing some sort of game. At last the segment ended and the woman’s voice said, “Now that you have completed the segment on budgeting, your chip is now authorized for purchases. Remember to spend wisely.” Julio backed up the segment and played the ending again to be certain before he took off his headphones.
He grabbed his backpack and headed for the door, eager to spend some of his money, but when he saw Graciela still sitting there, he went back. “Thanks for helping me,” he said loud enough for her to hear over the sound of her game.
She nodded and continued to play. He turned to leave, but something about Graciela nagged at him. He went back and sat down beside her. She glanced over at him and slid back one earpiece while she continued the game. “I noticed that you finished your lesson a long time ago. Did you stay because of me?” he asked.
She stopped the game and slid her headphones down around her neck. “Well, kind of. I am usually the last one to leave anyway. Nothing else to do.” She shrugged. “At least here I can play video games for free. It keeps me from being bored.”
Julio grinned. “I figured a girl like you would have a boyfriend, especially since you wear a ring.”
Graciela looked at the floor and mumbled, “I did have.”
“He must have gone blind to have left you.”
She stared at the floor. “He didn’t leave me. He got killed.”
“I’m sorry,” mumbled Julio, embarrassed at sticking his foot in his mouth. She stared at the floor, but Julio understood the pain she felt and decided to change the subject. “What should I buy first?”
“Buy some small things first to learn how to use the chip,” said Graciela. She looked him up and down and added, “Then buy some new clothes. You really need a new wardrobe.”
Julio looked down at his dirty and worn outfit. “Good suggestion.”
“Be careful. Money can change you.”
Her advice made him remember a saying from Mamá. He smiled and asked, “Do you know what you call a dog with money?”
Graciela shook her head.
“ Mister Dog.” Julio gave Graciela a big grin and headed for the door. He stopped at the door and looked back over his shoulder. She was smiling. He leaned back his head and barked like a dog, “Woof! Woof!” She laughed. He pulled out his skateboard and hurried into the street.
C HAPTER N INE
El Supermercado
(The Supermarket)
J ulio stopped in front of the big supermarket at the corner of Plaza Manco Cápac with one foot still on his skateboard. Just like a few nights before, he watched the shoppers coming and going from the building, except this time he wasn’t looking for a mark. The anesthesia in his hand had worn off completely during the skateboard ride from Caritas to the plaza, and he could feel the chip pushing against his skin and the wound throbbing with his heartbeat. He peeled off the bandage and tossed it on the sidewalk.
Since a money chip was required for entry, Julio had never been into this supermarket. Several store employees stood in the narrow entrance passing out flyers to shoppers as they entered. He couldn’t see the armed guards, but he knew they were there. He knew they were ready. He hesitated a few feet from the entrance.
He remembered when the supermarket first opened. It was a big celebration, and the mayor even came to cut the ribbon. Julio, with his stomach growling, had stood on a park bench in the plaza dressed in ragged clothes as the crowd pushed its way into the building stuffed with food and new clothes. Since he didn’t have a chip, he couldn’t even get in the door.
A few days after the
Julio looked back at his screen and noticed the prompt— Would you like to complete the segment on budgeting now? He sighed and slipped back on the headphones. The presentation droned on about spending habits and managing limited resources; he glanced over at Graciela and saw that she was playing some sort of game. At last the segment ended and the woman’s voice said, “Now that you have completed the segment on budgeting, your chip is now authorized for purchases. Remember to spend wisely.” Julio backed up the segment and played the ending again to be certain before he took off his headphones.
He grabbed his backpack and headed for the door, eager to spend some of his money, but when he saw Graciela still sitting there, he went back. “Thanks for helping me,” he said loud enough for her to hear over the sound of her game.
She nodded and continued to play. He turned to leave, but something about Graciela nagged at him. He went back and sat down beside her. She glanced over at him and slid back one earpiece while she continued the game. “I noticed that you finished your lesson a long time ago. Did you stay because of me?” he asked.
She stopped the game and slid her headphones down around her neck. “Well, kind of. I am usually the last one to leave anyway. Nothing else to do.” She shrugged. “At least here I can play video games for free. It keeps me from being bored.”
Julio grinned. “I figured a girl like you would have a boyfriend, especially since you wear a ring.”
Graciela looked at the floor and mumbled, “I did have.”
“He must have gone blind to have left you.”
She stared at the floor. “He didn’t leave me. He got killed.”
“I’m sorry,” mumbled Julio, embarrassed at sticking his foot in his mouth. She stared at the floor, but Julio understood the pain she felt and decided to change the subject. “What should I buy first?”
“Buy some small things first to learn how to use the chip,” said Graciela. She looked him up and down and added, “Then buy some new clothes. You really need a new wardrobe.”
Julio looked down at his dirty and worn outfit. “Good suggestion.”
“Be careful. Money can change you.”
Her advice made him remember a saying from Mamá. He smiled and asked, “Do you know what you call a dog with money?”
Graciela shook her head.
“ Mister Dog.” Julio gave Graciela a big grin and headed for the door. He stopped at the door and looked back over his shoulder. She was smiling. He leaned back his head and barked like a dog, “Woof! Woof!” She laughed. He pulled out his skateboard and hurried into the street.
C HAPTER N INE
El Supermercado
(The Supermarket)
J ulio stopped in front of the big supermarket at the corner of Plaza Manco Cápac with one foot still on his skateboard. Just like a few nights before, he watched the shoppers coming and going from the building, except this time he wasn’t looking for a mark. The anesthesia in his hand had worn off completely during the skateboard ride from Caritas to the plaza, and he could feel the chip pushing against his skin and the wound throbbing with his heartbeat. He peeled off the bandage and tossed it on the sidewalk.
Since a money chip was required for entry, Julio had never been into this supermarket. Several store employees stood in the narrow entrance passing out flyers to shoppers as they entered. He couldn’t see the armed guards, but he knew they were there. He knew they were ready. He hesitated a few feet from the entrance.
He remembered when the supermarket first opened. It was a big celebration, and the mayor even came to cut the ribbon. Julio, with his stomach growling, had stood on a park bench in the plaza dressed in ragged clothes as the crowd pushed its way into the building stuffed with food and new clothes. Since he didn’t have a chip, he couldn’t even get in the door.
A few days after the
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