Hispaliterario 8 / Ayuda a Petronila

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La dulce anciana siempre tejía para mantenerse activa y pagar todo lo que necesitaba. Nadie le prestaba atención. Nunca se casó ni tuvo hijos. No tenía familia cerca. Todos vivían en el extranjero…Siempre se comunicaban con ella. A veces la podían ayudar mandándole algún dinero pero, otras veces eso era impensable….

Doña Petronila, así se llama, siempre fue una mujer decidida. En sus tiempos mozos le gustaba viajar y cocinar. Ahora, a veces, cuando se lo piden, hace una torta. No le gusta mucho hacer eso ahora porque le recuerda las reuniones familiares… cuando todos estaban vivos.

Siempre cena temprano y se coloca en su mecedora en el porche de la casa. Allí siempre ve pasar a los vecinos. Siempre la saludan apurados. Todos vienen cansados de trabajar…

-Nadie tiene tiempo para conversar conmigo. ¡Ay¡ que tiempos aquellos cuando todos éramos felices y jóvenes, sobre todo jóvenes. Piensa para sus adentros Petronila.

Petronila seguía en sus quehaceres habituales. Su creatividad no tenía límites. Podía hacer tanto un vestido tejido, eso sí, siempre por encargo, hasta pequeñas cositas que casi todos compraban por su bajo costo. Dentro de ellas estaban los agarra ollas y todo lo que tuviese que ver con el ramo de la cocina.

Un día estaba de visita una de sus antiguas vecinas. Fue a conversar con ella. Petronila es muy optimista, aun hoy a sus 92 años, y la recibe con cariño. Es Irene vecina y conocida desde hace más de 30 años. Aunque estaba deprimida…. siempre que visita a Petronila le lleva unas verduritas, recién cosechadas, de su huerto. Cosa que sabe le fascina a Petronila.
Entablan la conversación. Petronila le sugiere que se mantenga activa para combatir la depresión y le muestra sus últimos trabajos. Inmediatamente Irene le compró unos mantelitos individuales de bello colorido e impecable acabado. Piensa…

-Son fabulosos para mi nuera Matilde. Se los daré el domingo como regalo de cumpleaños….

Llega el domingo e Irene celebra el cumpleaños de su nuera en familia. Cuando le da el regalo Matilde se sorprende....pensaba que era una broma. El regalo estaba envuelto en un papel iridiscente con un enorme lazo rosa, color preferido por Matilde.

Matilde e Irene se tratan diplomáticamente, a modo superficial. Pero... ese gesto de su suegra hizo cambiar la opinión de Matilde y decidió abrir allí mismo el regalo...

Para su sorpresa los finos mantelitos le encantaron. Con lágrimas en los ojos le da las gracias e indaga sobre quien los hizo.

Irene le contesta:

-Es mi vecina. No tiene familia y con eso se mantiene.

-Tengo que visitar a Petronila. Tiene unas manos de oro. Tenemos que apoyar y ayudar a esa vecina suya. Entre todos podemos. Se necesita ser solidario con nuestros ancianos. Ellos dieron todo por nosotros. ¿Me acompaña Señora Irene?

Irene ante ese bello gesto comprendió que su nuera tiene bellos sentimientos y eso no tiene precio...

Fue así que Irene y Matilde hicieron las paces y ambas decidieron ayudar a Petronila de ahora en adelante...

ENGLISH VERSION

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The sweet old lady was always knitting to keep active and pay for everything she needed. No one paid attention to her. She never married or had children. She had no family nearby. They all lived abroad...They were always communicating with her. Sometimes they could help her by sending her some money, but other times it was unthinkable. ....

Doña Petronila, that's her name, was always a determined woman. In her younger days she liked to travel and cook. Now, sometimes, when asked, she bakes a cake. She doesn't really like to do that now because it reminds her of family gatherings... when everyone was alive.

She always eats dinner early and sits in her rocking chair on the front porch of the house. There she always watches the neighbors pass by. They always greet her in a hurry. They all come home tired from work...

-No one has time to talk to me. Oh, what a time when we were all happy and young, especially young! Petronila thinks to herself.

Petronila went on with her usual chores. Her creativity had no limits. She could make both a woven dress, always made to order, and small things that almost everyone bought because of their low cost. Among them were the pot holders and everything that had to do with the kitchen.

One day one of her old neighbors was visiting. She went to talk to her. Petronila is very optimistic, even today at 92 years old, and receives her with affection. She is Irene, a neighbor and acquaintance for more than 30 years. Although she was depressed ...., whenever she visits Petronila she always brings her some freshly harvested vegetables from her garden. She knows that Petronila is fascinated by this.
They strike up a conversation. Petronila suggests that she should stay active to combat depression and shows her her latest work. Irene immediately buys her some beautifully colored and impeccably finished placemats. She thinks...

They are fabulous for my daughter-in-law Matilde. I'll give them to her on Sunday as a birthday present....

Sunday arrives and Irene celebrates her daughter-in-law's birthday with her family. When she gives her the gift Matilde is surprised.... she thought it was a joke. The gift was wrapped in iridescent paper with a huge pink bow, Matilde's favorite color.

Matilde and Irene treat each other diplomatically, in a superficial way. But... this gesture of her mother-in-law changed Matilde's mind and she decided to open the gift right there...

To her surprise, she loved the fine tablecloths. With tears in her eyes she thanked her and asked who had made them.

Irene replies:

-It's my neighbor. She has no family and that's how she supports herself.

-I have to visit Petronila. She has golden hands. We have to support and help this neighbor of hers. We can do it together. We need to show solidarity with our elders. They gave everything for us. Will you come with me, Mrs. Irene?

Irene understood that her daughter-in-law had beautiful feelings and that was priceless...

So Irene and Matilde made peace and both of them decided to help Petronila from now on....