Martha

A story was told about an Andalusian girl who works at an antique shop somewhere in the dry region of Southern Spain. Her name is Martha, a girl who loves antique vases.

Everyday she goes about her routine, carefully wiping every piece of priceless artifact made more valuable through time. This she does with extreme cautiousness. She needs to be very careful since the artifacts around her are centuries older than her.

A simple yet elegant vase on the last shelf in one corner of the room is her favorite. A day won’t pass without her sweet strokes and mild caresses touching its fragile exterior from its mouth to the base. This vase never loses its spark and elegance because of the love and attention that Martha gives to it.

Many times, the vase nearly fell from its place on the shelf. Good thing Martha was always around to save the vase from its potential demise. Martha loves the vase. And the mere thought of losing it pains her. She nearly cries every time she thinks of it.

Suddenly, Martha received an unwelcome news. Caderousse, the store owner, approached Martha. and fired her for no apparent reason. His news was shocking. Martha was stunned. She cried. Martha just lost the job that she dearly loves.

“Please Señor Caderousse… I can’t afford to lose this job. All my life I’ve been doing this job. This is my life. I’m begging you Señor Caderousse… Please let me stay,” Martha was on her knees. But Caderousse didn’t budge. His heart was as hard as stone. “Leave now and never come back,” he said adamantly, coldly. Martha had no choice.

Before finally leaving the antique shop that she considered her home for a very long time, she stopped by to have a final glimpse of the vase at the corner of the shop. She cried her last beside the vase that she loves so deeply. Her embrace was so tight and suffocating. Her tears fell on the surface of the vase.

“Can I take this vase with me, Señor Caderousse?”

“Silly. You have to earn a fortune for you to afford that!” was Caderousse’s cold reply.

She left without a word. But tears flooded her eyes.

Weeks after being sacked from the shop, Martha made it a point to drop by at the antique shop and see her favorite vase. Everyday she would visit the vase at the corner of the room. But Caderousse would always drive her out of his antique shop.

Months passed and Martha was hired at an antique shop in the neighboring town. Inevitable it might have been, because Martha soon became preoccupied with her new job. And she soon got used to not seeing her favorite vase. She also grew tired of Caderousse’s rejection. She then found another lovely antique vase in the shop that she is working in: a gold-plated jar with silver linings. Elegant. As elegant as the vase that she used to love.

Meanwhile, the vase at Caderousse’s shop lost its elegance. The once elegant vase at the corner of the shop is now covered with dust and dirt. No more Martha to show love and affection. The vase lost its beauty.

Martha’s attention was diverted to the new vase that now occupies her time. It became beautiful with every touch and caress. Martha completely forgot about her once-favorite vase at Caderousse’s shop.

Then something dreadful happened at Caderousse’s shop.

A Chinese merchant went to the antique shop. While clumsily examining every piece of artifact on the shelves, the Chinese merchant accidentally elbowed out the pathetic vase from its place…

Did it fall to pieces? Did it break?

Who cares? Martha doesn’t care.