A vendor's motivation

By Tommy N and Nicole Q

It’s a Monday afternoon. You’re getting ready to go home, you walk out of the school, and while you’re walking, you come across a person who is selling food on a cart. 

You might be hungry or craving something sweet and run into a vendor outside our school. Everyone sees him but no one really knows a lot about him. Meet Gustavo Cruz. You might see him outside of the back parking lot in YB or after practice, even at Bridges when you were younger and around San Jose. This is his story about the life of a vendor.

Gustavo Cruz came into the U.S. as an immigrant to work for money and eventually made his way to San Jose. He decided to start by becoming a vendor, which he worked for 13 years. 

He first got his job when a friend invited him to help him sell snacks on the streets. 7 years later, Gustavo would go independent and have the courage to start his own business. 

Gustavo: “I was brought here with that intention. I was brought over here to the U.S. I needed to help someone and that's the person that brought me and I needed to help him for a while, I think 7 years, and since then, I became independent to do this” (translation).

He’s not only doing this for himself, he has a family to take care of in Mexico. Gustavo sends money to the family so he can support them while trying to sustain himself. He expressed how he'd love for them to be here in the U.S. but financially wouldn't be able to support them. 

Gustavo: “I do like the job. I earn well enough to get by and earn a little for my family so I can't really complain” (translation).

He hopes that one day, he will have enough money to go back to his family and continue his work as a vendor while in Mexico.

The only place that he sells is in San Jose and other parts of the city. He doesn’t plan on traveling outside of the city to sell items.

However, being a vendor isn’t that easy as you think. Gustavo had gone to multiple places and there’s a chance he could get kicked out. This doesn’t stop him from giving up though as he always tries to find a way to continue working. He also told us the city plans to give work permits to vendors. 

Gustavo: “Well, apparently the city is gonna help us by giving us permits and places to sell” (translation).

Gustavo has a kind heart. He sometimes gives free food to kids, but not all of them; usually a soda or raspado (shaved ice).

Gustavo: “Sí, some kids have asked me to give them some chips or something. I give it to them, not all of them, but some more than others like a soda or a raspado, you know” (translation).

Although he spends his day alone, he does enjoy giving out food for the kids and listening to their conversations, especially with the ones who speak or don’t speak Spanish. Hearing them say funny stuff gives him a laugh, even if he’s not involved in the conversation. He gets joy from it and helps his day go by faster. 

Gustavo: “Well yeah, I do like this type of job and I get distracted with all the kids. With what they say, I enjoy it. I don't understand them, but the ones that talk Spanish, all they tell me, I'm entertained just listening to them. Although I don't get into the conversation, listening to them say funny stuff and they make me laugh even if I'm not in the convo” (translation).

People might think being a vendor is an easy job. Gustavo says he wakes up very early to get everything ready and then go buy his supply. His days are very long and tiring but he does it to support his family and provide for them. He stays in places for long periods of time to wait for customers so his usual days go from 6 in the morning to about 8 at night. 

For the Warrior Times, this is Tommy and Nicole.