I was seventeen when I plunged into the vast and sometimes inhospitable world of work. Before leaving school, I decided to contribute to the family economy. So, driven by necessity and curiosity, I ventured downtown searching for a job that would capture my interest. It was then that a friend suggested a company that was just getting off the ground and selling products door-to-door.
"Marketing," "sales," "advertising," "coaching," "leadership," "entrepreneurship"—these"were words that resonated with a promise of the future, and on the first day, the air vibrated with a contagious energy that completely seduced me. I decided to stay and sell products that seemed like the foretaste of a new era in homes: LED bulbs, many LED bulbs of different prices and sizes.
The payment system was explained to me as a complex web of commissions that I barely understood but whose promise seemed to me to be enough. The first two days were training days; I received a brochure with key phrases to "make the buyer fall in love." On the third day, I went out into the field, my suitcase loaded with thirty small boxes of LED bulbs, and my heart filled with hope and fear.
As I left the building, I was overcome with a wave of insecurity. What would happen if a schoolmate saw me? Or if I ran into the father of the girl I liked? What would people think if they saw me selling? But before the doubt devoured me, Rigoberto and Eymi, a couple of experienced salesmen, offered me to accompany them to a nearby town. I accepted them without hesitation, seeing in them an opportunity to escape my fears.
We took a bus, and after half an hour's ride, we arrived at a small town, a rustic place with dirt roads, scattered houses, ups and downs, cliffs, and many, many dogs,...
- Here is a parenthesis since I don't hate dogs, but they hate me-...
We got to the other end of the village and split up. Rigoberto, optimistic, assured me: "Here, people will marvel at our products. We will meet at noon at the entrance for lunch together." I nodded and began my work.
The first door was opened by a stern-faced old woman. "Who are you, and what do you want?" she asked harshly."Embarrassed, I replied, "Excuse me, I am from such-and-such' company, and I come to offer you this LED spotlight...". He didn't let me finish. "No, I don't want anything; don't bother." The door closed with a thud. "This is not going well," I said in my thoughts.
That first refusal hit me hard, but I remembered the teachings: one yes for every seven doors. However, luck was not with me. I knocked on five more doors, all with negative answers. In addition, every corner of the town seemed to be guarded by dogs that watched me jealously, increasing my anxiety.
Lunchtime came, and I met up with Rigoberto and Eymi. Their lighter suitcases were evidence of their success. We had lunch and resumed work. On the verge of giving up, I decided to explore the upper town. I climbed the hill, my suitcase still full, and from there I appreciated a dreamlike landscape, with lush vegetation and a river meandering in the distance.
I headed for the first house. It was not a construction of noble material, but it had its rustic charm. As I approached, a strong wind blew and, with it, the barking of two angry dogs. I knew I was in trouble. Before I could knock on the door, two huge dogs were approaching me from the back of the house; I sensed imminent danger as I saw the dogs approaching. "I'm going, I'm going," I said and backed away slowly, not knowing where I was stepping.
I backed away, looking for an escape route, but it was too late. Cornered on the edge of a cliff, I shouted "HELP!" in a trembling voice. The dogs were getting closer and closer, and in my mind, the worst was happening. I couldn't believe what I saw in the news about people attacked by dogs being disfigured, deformed, or even dead; would it happen to me, a schoolboy, a common boy who was just looking to earn his money most commonly and honestly... What was I doing there, I asked myself in my mind, 'What the fuck am I doing here'. Desperate, I shouted again, "HELP!", but the fear of provoking an immediate attack paralyzed me. I saw and still remember, those eyes full of evil and menacing fangs, that snout with pure evil that chilled the soul. In a matter of microseconds, I fell. I didn't know how, but suddenly I was on the ground, face-up, unable to move.
The world vanished in a haze of pain and despair. When I opened my eyes, I was on the floor, face up, unable to move. "I can't move, my arm is unresponsive, and my legs are numb. With the suitcase and spotlights shattered, the suitcase cushioned the fall. Tears welled up, I felt no pain but cried from helplessness. During the short trip to the hospital, I thought about my family, work, school, and my limbs.
At the hospital, the doctor cast my legs and arms. "You'll have to stay like this for two and a half months," he said in a professional tone. "Fortunately, it's nothing serious." The company contacted my father that same day, but I received no message.
During those two months of immobility, I reflected a lot about life. I read and philosophized about human frailty and rest. I rested a lot. After removing the casts, I found out from my friend that the company had left town a couple of days after my accident; they went to another city.
I don't hold a grudge, but the fear of wild dogs persists. Whenever I see one, I identify it from a distance and avoid any conflict. This experience marked me deeply, teaching me self-improvement and human frailty.
In the end, although I cannot say that I have completely conquered my fear of dogs, I have overcome my fear of facing challenges at work. After my experience, I decided not to stand still but to move forward. I have worked in various occupations, from delivery to cooking, carpentry, photography, and even selling potatoes.
I want to thank everyone who has been with me until the end. Sharing this chapter of my life with the community has been a relief, and I wish you all the best in your work adventures. All the best and blessings to you all.
- -- All images are my property and the text is my own, translated in Deepl and correct in Grammarly -
Spanish version
Tenía diecisiete años cuando me sumergí en el vasto y a veces inhóspito mundo laboral. Antes de salir del colegio, decidí contribuir a la economía familiar. Así que, impulsado por la necesidad y la curiosidad, me aventuré al centro de la ciudad en busca de un empleo que captara mi interés. Fué entonces que un amigo me sugirió una empresa que apenas despegaba y que vendía productos de puerta en puerta.
"Marketing", "ventas", "publicidad", "coaching", "liderazgo", "emprender"... eran palabras que resonaban con una promesa de futuro.El primer día, el aire vibraba con una energía contagiosa que me sedujo por completo. Decidí quedarme y que vendería aquellos productos que parecían el anticipo de una nueva era en las casas: focos LED, muchos focos leds de diferentes precios y tamaños.
Me explicaron el sistema de pago, un complejo entramado de comisiones que apenas comprendí, pero cuya promesa me parecía suficiente. Los dos primeros días fueron de entrenamiento; recibí un folleto con frases claves para "enamorar al comprador". Al tercer día, salí al campo, mi maleta cargada con treinta cajas chicas de focos LED, y mi corazón lleno de esperanza y temor.
Al salir del edificio, me invadió una oleada de inseguridad. ¿Qué pasaría si un compañero de escuela me viera? ¿O si me encontraba con el padre de la chica que me gustaba? ¿Qué pensaría la gente al verme vendiendo?... Pero antes de que la duda me devorara, Rigoberto y Eymi, una pareja de vendedores experimentados, me ofrecieron acompañarlos a una localidad cercana. Acepté sin vacilar, viendo en ellos una oportunidad de escapar de mis temores.
Tomamos un bus y tras media hora de viaje llegamos a un pequeño pueblo, un lugar rústico con caminos de tierra, casas dispersas y había subidas y bajadas , riscos y muchos pero muchos perros,…
-aquí un paréntesis ya que no odio a los perros , sino ellos me odian a mí-
…llegamos hasta el otro extremo del pueblo y nos dividimos. Rigoberto, optimista, me aseguró: "Aquí, la gente se maravillará con nuestros productos. Nos vemos al mediodía en la entrada para almorzar juntos". Asentí y comencé mi labor.
La primera puerta la abrió una anciana de rostro severo. "¿Quién eres y qué quieres?", preguntó con voz áspera. Acongojado, respondí: "Disculpe, soy de la empresa 'tal' y vengo a ofrecerle este foco LED...". No me dejó terminar. "No, no quiero nada, no molestes". La puerta se cerró con un golpe seco. “Esto no va bien” dije en mis pensamientos.
Aquella primera negativa me golpeó duro, pero recordé las enseñanzas: un sí por cada siete puertas. Sin embargo, la suerte no me acompañaba. Toqué cinco puertas más, todas con respuestas negativas. Además, cada esquina del pueblo parecía custodiada por perros que me miraban celosamente, aumentando mi ansiedad.
Llegó la hora del almuerzo y me reuní con Rigoberto y Eymi. Sus maletas más ligeras evidenciaban su éxito. Almorzamos y retomamos la labor. A punto de rendirme, decidí explorar la parte alta del pueblo. Subí la colina, mi maleta aún llena, y desde allí aprecié un paisaje de ensueño, con vegetación exuberante y un río serpenteando en la distancia.
Me dirigí a la primera casa. No era una construcción de material noble, pero tenía su encanto rústico. Mientras me acercaba, un viento fuerte sopló y, con él, el ladrido de dos perros furiosos. Supe que estaba en problemas. Antes de poder tocar la puerta, dos perros enormes se me acercaban desde la parte de atrás de casa; sentí el peligro inminente cuando vi a los perros acercarse - “me voy, me voy” - dije y retrocedí lentamente de espaldas, sin saber por donde pisaba.
Retrocedí, buscando una vía de escape, pero ya era demasiado tarde. Acorralado al filo de un risco, grité "¡AYUDA!" con voz temblorosa. Los perros se acercaban cada vez más, y en mi mente sucedía lo peor, no podía creer que lo que veía en noticias sobre personas atacadas por perros quedan desfiguradas, con malformaciones o hasta incluso muertas; ¡¿me pasaría a mí?! un chico de escuela, un chico común que simplemente buscaba ganarse el dinero de la manera más común y honesta… ¿qué hacía ahí? me preguntaba en mi mente '¿qué carajos hago yo aquí?. Desesperado, grité nuevamente "¡AYUDA!", pero el miedo a provocar un ataque inmediato me paralizaba. Ví y recuerdo aún, esos ojos llenos de maldad y colmillos amenazantes, ese hocico con una maldad pura que helaba el alma. En cuestión de microsegundos, caí. No sabía cómo, pero de repente estaba en el suelo, boca arriba, sin poder moverme.
El mundo se desvaneció en una bruma de dolor y desesperación. Al abrir los ojos, estaba en el suelo, boca arriba, incapaz de moverme. "No puedo moverme, mi brazo no responde, mis piernas están adormecidas",con la maleta y los focos destrozados, la maleta amortiguó la caída. Las lágrimas brotaron, no sentía dolor, pero lloraba por la impotencia.Durante el corto viaje al hospital, pensé en mi familia, en el trabajo, en la escuela, y en mis extremidades.
En el hospital, el médico enyesó mis piernas y brazos. "Tendrás que estar así por dos meses y medio", dijo con tono profesional. "Afortunadamente, no es nada grave". Ese mismo día la empresa se comunicó con mi padre, pero yo no recibí ningún mensaje.
Durante esos dos meses de inmovilidad, reflexioné mucho sobre la vida. Leí y filosofé sobre la fragilidad humana y descansé, descansé muchísimo. Después de quitarme los yesos, me enteré por mi amigo que la empresa había abandonado la ciudad un par de días después de mi accidente, al parecer se fueron a otra ciudad.
No guardo rencor, pero el miedo a los perros salvajes persiste. Cada vez que veo uno, lo identifico a distancia y evito cualquier conflicto. Esta experiencia me marcó profundamente, enseñándome la superación y la fragilidad humana.
En fin, aunque no puedo decir que he vencido completamente mi miedo a los perros, sí he superado el temor a enfrentar desafíos en el trabajo. Después de mi experiencia, decidí no quedarme parado, sino seguir adelante. He trabajado en diversas ocupaciones, desde delivery hasta cocina, carpintería, fotografía e incluso venta de papas.
Quiero agradecer a todos los que me han acompañado hasta el final. Compartir este capítulo de mi vida con la comunidad ha sido un alivio, y les deseo a todos lo mejor en sus propias aventuras laborales. Que les vaya bien y reciban bendiciones.
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Thank you very much for accepting me in the community 😘
Wow, working at seventeen in a company is really surprising
Love it
Dogs are lovely just that they feed on fear just be composed when you see them even if they cm close to you never run just halt and stand your ground they'll always pass
I do fear dogs like you but I have conquered my fear a long time. I no longer fear them, instead, I made them friends