Already are 29 years complete Rodrigo Montenegro lustrando shoes in Neiva. He feels proud to exercise this Office, which maintains his family.
THE NATION, NEIVA
Rodrigo Montenegro has spent much of his life sitting on a wooden bench lustrando the shoes of thousands of people seeking to refine the appearance of the shoes. His dedication and quality when working have represented you the recognition of customers, often anonymous beings.
Since the age of ten Rodrigo he moved by the profession of polishing boots. The influence of his older brother made that man chose for choosing this profession. “I was very small and saw that my older brother was working with his box of embolar in the Centre and came to the House with their coins.” “I then commanded to do mine and there started in this work,” says Rodrigo.
With the box began to visit the city in the company of his brother. That then Neiva was a smaller city, in cafes and offices however, Rodrigo started to give the first lustradas and also, to win their first coins. Neiva was a small, quiet town, I was wandering everywhere, entering the pool, cafes, offices, because people always liked that they embolen the shoes.” “There started I do my first coins”, points out.
Park
But after walking the city lustrando shoes, Rodrigo decided to settle in the Santander park, there placed his job site. Since then, it lustra footwear in a passage in front of the Cathedral of Neiva. “Here I’ve been 17 years in this park, the people comes and it is looking for one, this is a good place to work, here have polishing you footwear to people I do not know but also to major characters”, says Rodrigo.
According to the man, as well as the shoes of anonymous people who ensures ever more to meet again have passed through your box of embolar, has also passed shoes of mayors, Governors and even presidential candidates.
“I here have embolado to mayors, Governors, deputies.” “And you’ve also polishing footwear to other important people such as Gustavo Petro and Germán Vargas, and they have been happy with my work,” says Rodrigo.
Shoeshine
According to Rodrigo, the stroke has its steps to follow to be successful and the client is unhappy with the service. “When I embolus let me make the work well done.” “The first thing you do is clean the dust that may have the shoe, then gives her a little SOAP, and hence if applies the bitumen, is left a moment and then if it shines”, notes Rodrigo.
Coupled with the lustrada of shoes, the man also anti-acne and painted shoes. A stroke costs 2,000 pesos, with which the client has the right to take a look at the newspaper, while the shoe shine performs its task, the man that makes part of the good care that captivates customers. “The client comes and while you work, he gets to read the newspaper that I maintain, that likes to my clients, they are sometimes is to talk to one, and as I keep informed, then one talk awhile”, concerned the man.
Ex officio
Rodrigo left school when he was in third year of primary, since he devoted himself to shine shoes and turned this craft in the mode of camping life. Not in vain the man was able to keep his wife and his three daughters, working from his stool.
“I left the studies being young, took the craft of shoe shine and today after so long I do not regret, I am proud of my job;” “with this have been able to succeed and keep my family”, ends Rodrigo.
