Since my grandparents did not have a huge terrace and a sunk-in living room my mother had to go back to work. She could not possibly teach aerobics in the building lobby, although I suggested the rooftop which had a billboard for Salem cigarettes. She ultimately went back to banking. It was good money and she could wear gold jewelry and high heels, as she did jumping up and down on the terrace with the aerobics group.
During that summer my mother had to work long days so I had to go to work with my nana, since nobody could babysit me. Going to my grandma's office was actually somewhat of a treat. I could socialize with adults all day and take a nap once they annoyed the shit out me. On those days that I would go to the office withe her I had to get up at six in the morning, and she had to drag me out the door. We would walk three blocks to the subway station. I loved the subway! The sweat smell, the poor ventilation, and people packed so tight that you are bound to rub against some one's genitals, kind of like prom without the satin dress.
After 45 minutes on the subway we would get off at Morelos station, come out for air and catch a bus. If you have never been on a bus in Mexico City I highly recommend it. It will make you appreciate air conditioning and deodorant to a whole new level. A long bus ride, and another short walk we would arrive at Hacienda. Hacienda is the equivalent of the IRS in Mexico and my nana was an accountant there for the better part of her life. The whole setting of the office reminds me of the movie "Brazil", grey, machine like, and people are generally happy only during lunch hour or while taking a shit.
There were open floors with rows and rows of desks with people typing or looking at numbers on ledgers. My favorite part was "making the rounds" with my nana. Ever the businesswoman she would bring in merchandise in her knitting bag and sell it installments to fellow co-workers, sort of like Kmart layaway but "granny in the offices of the IRS" style. Small radios, flashlights, pen/pencil sets, nana was the general store of Hacienda and we would go floor to floor taking people's money and possibly new orders. "What is that, you need a cordless phone?, yes, I can get it to you next week". Nana would never say no, if she saw dollar signs or in this case, peso signs, she would find a ceramic piggy bank with a pink ribbon on it for Rosa in auditing.
Following in her steps, I later started selling pencils, pens, erasers, and other school supplies to kids at my grade school. "What is that, you want a sharpener/eraser set in pink? I can make that happen next Monday". Nana would take me to the street market to buy my "merchandise" over the week end and I would deliver right on time to my customers by Monday. When inventory was low, I would also sell candy that I got in goody bags at other kids birthday parties.
