There’s a word we put in context when talking about
warranty: tutelage. You see, the
people, at least here in Venezuela and as figure of speech, give away their rights, so The State can
manage them in order to balance (or try
to) the society. Perhaps this is what Montesquieu implied; we use it that
way, and I’m telling you such to make myself explained at saying when someone
asks for a service, and the one who is to serve agrees, there comes an
establishment of rights and an obligations (and
the treat can be set just with a handshake. I heard it at law school) which
gets, let’s say, sealed, by signing a paper. What’s my point? We live in a
moment where a cell phone costs more than two hundred dollars, we do, but the average
salary here is maybe over thirty dollars or even less than that, so; as you can
see, a mobile could cost a year, a year few can have.
It wasn’t always like that. Ten years ago we flattered
each other with the cupo: this sort
of bonus in dollars Venezuelans used to have. And of course, everyone had a two
hundred smartphone or higher. It was that way until 2012 perhaps. It doesn’t
matter, the point is that it’s over, and, since people are not able to get a
new phone, a whole world of repairers have emerged. It seems ok in words, but
the problem is that these fixers are not certified, because there’s no such
thing here. Many of them are just guys that disarm the device and replace the
parts. They may not be real technicians, I mean and of course, there are no
warranties…
My cell stopped working. I went to one of these tiny
stores with a kind of technician to see if I can have cell phone again,
otherwise I’ll have to wait several months; fewer than many because I do many
things for it. I went there, they made me sign an agreement paper, they showed
themselves very pro and a week went by…
I called them several times during the week and the
only answer was a selection of delays; some understandable (because we are
here) and some not so much. The week ended yesterday and I decided to show myself
at the store. I must say it was a terrible week, you guys may feel me, because
you do know the importance of the smartphone: the news, the councils, the
translations, the wife, the mother and so on… once they checked my part of the
paper and found my phone, a girl (and I’m keeping to myself the words I have
for her, only because I consider myself a gentleman) looked at me and, wearing
a gesture as she was bored because of me, she said to my face: it cannot be
repaired…
This could be a joke to laugh about in any other time
but, at this moment, it is a tragedy. I told her with the anger in my eyes why,
why they took a week to tell me so if they could have said it days behind, she
just did a pressing movement with her lips. I guess she was trying to say she
didn´t know without using words…
Tutelage became a privilege. The State has removed us
from any action to take. How about where you are? You will probably settle,
which is accurate in this kind of cases. Here if you are violent enough you may
probable hit the guys and spit on the girl’s face but I’m not that kind. I’m
not even angry at them. I’m angry because there’s nothing to do but trying
somewhere else to see if I get lucky this time… and this is pretty much what
happens among people’s interactions…
