何事も大雑把で行きあたりばったりのジョランダが珍しくテキパキと車の手配をして、我が家に古い冷蔵庫を引き取りに来るという。彼女の住む地域は不安定な電力供給のせいで停電と通電が頻繁に繰り返されていて、そのせいで冷蔵庫が壊れてしまったのだ。
決して裕福ではない普通の暮らしをしているジョランダが、どんなトラックをいくらぐらい払って手配したのかちょっと心配していたけれど．．．そんな心配は無用だった。
ジョランダは我が家にさっそうと到着した。手作り感満載のオート三輪で。トラックじゃないの？？ こ、これに冷蔵庫を載せて帰るの？？
唖然とする私の前で、運転手は慣れた手つきで冷蔵庫を荷台に乗せ、あっという間に頑丈そうな紐で箱ごとグルグル巻きにして荷台の枠に固定した。いや、もうすでに荷台も揺れてるし、無理無理、20分以上もかかる距離を走るのに．．．途中で車ごとひっくり返るってば！
でも驚きあわてているのは私だけ、ジョランダは荷台に乗り込み「私が支えてるから大丈夫！ ありがとね、ユカ、本当に助かったわ！」と余裕しゃくしゃく。
心配と驚きで立ち尽くす私を残して、冷蔵庫とジョランダを載せた手作りオート三輪はいざ！ よろよろと出発した。 私を残して行ってくれてよかったと心から思ったけど、その後彼女から到着の連絡がくるまではやっぱりドキドキした。
「車、家に着く直前に故障しちゃったわー、それで近所の若い子たちに家まで担いで運び込んでもらったのよ、あっはっは！」
1994年のどん底の経済危機を乗り越え、当時以上に厳しい状況と言われる今も、次から次に訪れる日々の困りごとを笑いながら蹴散らすようにして前に進んでいるジョランダ．．．さすがにたくましいわ、私も見習わないと！
Jolanda, who is a bit apart from what we call organized, arranged to have a car come over to our house and pick up an old refrigerator. Which is very unusual and efficient manner for her. The refrigerator broke due to the unstable electricity supply causing frequent blackouts and power outages in the the area where she lives in.
I was a little worried about the cost and the type of truck that Jolanda could afford, since she lives a normal life not being very wealthy… but my worries were unnecessary.
Jolanda arrived at our house quick and confidently, with a handmade-looking auto tricycle. Is this what you call a truck? Are you going to put the refrigerator on this thing and head home?
While I was stunned, the driver put the refrigerator on the back of the truck like a routine. Wrapped the entire thing around with a very strong-looking rope and fixed it to the frame of the truck bed in just a second. Wait! the back of the truck is already shaking. No way! It will be about 20 minutes drive… the whole car would flip over on the way!
But I was the only one who was surprised and panicked. Jolanda hopped on the truck bed and said, “Don’t worry! I will be here to support it! Thank you,Yuka. This really helped!” with so much confidence.
Leaving me standing with worry and shock, the handmade tricycle with the refrigerator and Jolanda was ready to go… very unstably. I was glad that they left without me, but couldn’t relax until I heard from her that she had arrived safely.
“The car broke down just before we reached home, so some young kinds in the neighborhood helped us to carry it! Ha ha ha!”
Even now, when day say we are in more difficult situation than after overcoming the rock bottom of economic crisis in 1994, Jolanda always manage to move forward, laughing and kicking off the daily troubles that come at us one after another… I have to admit that she is extremely strong, and I must learn from her!