I remember the day Olga told me she was leaving Venezuela, I was surprised by her sudden decision, later when we talked calmly about that decision, I realized that she had been thinking about it for a long time and that she had not communicated it to me.

She told me that she was tired of the political and economic situation of the country, and in fact she asked me to go with her. I flatly told her that I was not leaving the country, that I had a company, a small one, but that generated employment for six families and that there was also my family, my parents and my brother and that I was not thinking of abandoning them to their fate, to go and try my luck in another country.

Olga complained to me that we could be better off economically if I fired two people and kept the minimum of personnel and she claimed that it was my fault that we were not better off, because I paid more than the common salary to the people who worked for me and that even Mrs. Marina, who helped us with the cleaning and the coffee, earned as if she were a professional.

I replied that I have always been convinced that a happy worker, well paid and with a good working environment works more and does it with pleasure and in fact, my small company, was a sample of this, because while other companies in the area had gone bankrupt, we had not only maintained in the midst of crisis, but we had grown and innovated in our area.

However, there was no valid argument for Olga, she finally gave me an ultimatum, either I left everything and went with her or the relationship was over. I looked at her, I saw Marina's daughter playing on the floor of my office, since she did not have school that day and Marina took her to work and I thought about my responsibility with my people and my workers and I said to myself, it is impossible to abandon them to their fate, they have been with you in the best of times and even in these hard times they stay with you with the same drive as always, it is not possible to leave them.

Then I looked at Olga, whom I considered the love of my life and with whom I had a three year relationship and I told her, "Impossible, I will not leave" and before she started to scream, since I knew her very well and I knew how she got when she did not get what she wanted, and that is partly my fault for having her so spoiled, I told her, there is the door, you have two options or we finish and you go away upset to fulfill your plans or we finish as friends and you leave through that door in peace, without rancor, without yelling and understanding that I support your decision, and that although I do not share it I support you and back you up.

Olga's tears came to her eyes, she gave me a kiss, told me, I love you fat man, and left. That same night she called me at home, told me all her plans, and told me the day she was leaving the country. I told her I would accompany her to the airport and even though my heart crumpled, I continued to support her decision.

I knew Olga was leaving and that I shouldn't stop her, so I decided to buy her something, something she would use, something that would be useful and that she could use every day so she wouldn't forget me. So after talking it over with a couple of friends, Olga's mother and my mother, I decided to buy her an everyday purse and a dress purse.

The purse was brown leather, handmade, and the wallet was chosen by a mutual friend, unlike the purse, it was black leather. I gave her her gift at the airport while we were waiting for the plane to leave, that day Olga left for Chile and from there she went to Australia, where she lives now.

She left a few years ago, a few years before the pandemic, and we have always kept in touch, in fact recently she sent me a picture of her wedding, she was wearing a beautiful apple green suit and on her waist she was carrying the purse I gave her the day she left for Australia.

Recuerdo el día que Olga me dijo que se iría de Venezuela, me sorprendió su decisión de manera repentina, después cuando hablamos con calma sobre esa decisión, me di cuenta de que tenía tiempo pensando en eso y que no me lo había comunicado.

Ella me dijo que estaba cansada de la situación política y económica del país, y de hecho me pidió que me fuese con ella. Yo de plano le dije que no me iba del país, que tenía una empresa, pequeña, pero que le generaba empleo a seis familias y además estaba mi familia, mis viejos y mi hermano y que no pensaba abandonarles a su suerte, por irme a probar suerte a otro país.

Olga me reclamó, que podríamos estar mejor a nivel económico, si despedía a dos personas y me quedaba con el mínimo de personal y me reclamó, que era mi culpa, que no estuviésemos mejor, debido a que le pagaba más del sueldo común a las personas que trabajaban para mí y que hasta la señora Marina, la que nos ayudaba con la limpieza y con el café, ganaba como si fuese una profesional.

Le contesté que yo siempre he tenido la convicción de que un trabajador contento, bien pagado y con un buen ambiente laboral trabaja más y lo hace a gusto y de hecho, mi pequeña empresa, era una muestra de ello, ya que mientras otras empresas del área habían quebrado, nosotros no solamente nos habíamos mantenido en plena crisis, sino que habíamos crecido e innovado en nuestra área.

Sin embargo, no hubo argumento valedero para Olga, finalmente me puso un ultimátum, o dejaba todo y me iba con ella o se terminaba la relación. Yo la miré, vi a la hija de la señora Marina, jugando en el piso de mi oficina, dado que ese día no tuvo colegio y Marina la llevo al trabajo y pensé en mi responsabilidad con mi gente y con mis trabajadores y me dije a mí mismo, es imposible que los abandones a su suerte, han estado contigo en los mejores momentos y aun en estos momentos tan duros se mantienen contigo con el mismo empuje de siempre, no es posible dejarles.

Luego miré a Olga, a la que consideraba el amor de mi vida y con quien tenía tres años de relación de pareja y le dije, “Imposible, no me iré” y antes de que empezará a gritar, ya que la conocía muy bien y sabía como se ponía cuando no obtenía lo que quería, y en parte eso es culpa mía por tenerla tan consentida, le dije, hay está la puerta, tienes dos opciones o terminamos y te vas molesta a cumplir tus planes o terminamos como amigos y sales por esa puerta en paz, sin rencor, sin gritos y entendiendo que apoyo tu decisión, y que aunque no la comparta te apoyo y te respaldo.
A Olga se le salieron las lágrimas, me dio un beso, me dijo, te quiero gordo, y se fue. Esa misma noche me llamó a la casa, me dijo todos sus planes, y me dijo el día que se iba del país. Le dije que la acompañaría al aeropuerto y aunque se me arrugo el corazón, seguí apoyando su decisión.

Sabía que Olga se iba y que no debía detenerla, así que decidí comprarle algo, algo que usara, que le fuese útil y que pudiese usar a diario para que no me olvidara. Así que después de hablarlo con un par de amigas, la madre de Olga y mi madre, decidí comprarle un monedero de uso diario y una cartera de vestir.

El monedero era de cuero marrón, hecho a mano, y la cartera la escogió una amiga común, a diferencia del monedero, era de cuero negro. Le di su obsequio en el aeropuerto mientras esperábamos la salida del avión, ese día Olga partió a Chile y de ahí se fue a Australia, donde vive en la actualidad.

Ella se fue hace unos años ya, un para años ante de la pandemia, y siempre nos hemos mantenido en contacto, de hecho hace poco me envío una foto de su boda, ella estaba con un hermoso traje verde manzana y sobre su cintura llevaba la cartera que le regalé el día que se fue a Australia.