Life Lesson - the Grocery Store

The Grocery Store

One of the greatest lessons that I learned in my life was to "never judge a book by its cover" better yet don't judge things for how they look, yet how they are. I always used to hear that expression when I was younger but I never knew the true meaning. I learned the true meaning of this saying in the summer of 2007.

I used to work in a grocery store in the Bronx. It wasn't the best neighborhood in the world but you cannot expect much from the projects. I didn't really realize how bad it was after a couple of weeks into work. It was an area with a high count of drugs, gangs, and guns. Everyone in that area knew each other but they would always treat an outsider differently at first. They would try to help you out if they knew you, well that's what I thought.

When I worked at night I had an assistant named Cuba. He would always help me when I had trouble or I when I couldn't figure out a problem. He was in his mid 40's and always tried to teach me a life lesson at work. He seemed like the nicest man, and in my eyes he would not hurt a fly. He looked kind and they way he carried himself and treated you so well, it would warm you up inside like a fireplace in the winter.

One day he stopped coming to work. This was unlikely of him because he would always show up on time and never missed a day. I figured he was probably helping one of his friends or family members with an emergency. The next day a man came up to me with a gun asking me where Cuba was. I was shocked; I didn't know what to say the letters barely came out of my mouth as if I were participating in a spelling bee about to win the championship. I told him that Cuba didn't come into work the day before.

I asked him why was he looking for Cuba with a gun. He told me that Cuba went and helped his mom bring the groceries up to her apartment. When he got into the apartment he tied her to a chair and beat her until she was barely conscious. He stole anything that had value and fled. When I found this out I was in disbelief. I couldn't believe the man that seemed so nice on the outside was so evil on the inside.

This life lesson thought me many valuable things that will better prepare me for college and the so-called "real world". This taught me to never judge a person or assume things because you never know what people are capable of. In college this is a useful tool because it will help be more cautious with my social life and my education. I want to major in business which requires to have the ability to read people and predict things this experience that I had will help me accomplish that.