Canelo Álvarez and the old candy seller: a story of kindness that touched everyone
On a hot afternoon in Mexico City, Saul “Canelo” Alvarez, the famous boxer, was walking through the historic center enjoying a moment of anonymity. As the bustle of the city surrounded him, his attention was drawn to an old man selling traditional sweets from a small wooden table.
The man, about 75 years old, was wearing a worn shirt and an old hat. His wrinkled hands carefully arranged coconuts, alegrías, palanquetas and borrachitos. The image of the old man and his persevering attitude touched Canelo’s heart, who decided to approach him.
“Good afternoon, sir. How are sales today?” the boxer asked with genuine interest. The old man, surprised, replied with a warm smile: “Well, you see, young man. The days are not like they used to be, but here we are still working hard.”
The conversation continued and the old man revealed that his name was Rafael, although everyone called him Don Rafa. He proudly told Canelo that he had been selling candy all his life, a tradition he inherited from his father. Without hesitation, the boxer took his wallet and said firmly: “I’ll take them all.”
Don Rafa was stunned. “All of them? But young man, that’s a lot of candy for one person,” he replied incredulously. Canelo smiled and assured him that he did it with pleasure. As they packed, he asked the old man to tell him more about his life.
With a voice full of nostalgia, Don Rafa shared his story. He said he had worked on the streets for more than 50 years, that he got married and had children, but that his wife’s illness left him without any savings.
Now, at his age, he sold candy to survive. “But I’m not complaining, young Canelo. Every day I can get up and come here is a blessing,” he added with a brave smile.
As they talked, people began to gather around them, attracted by the boxer’s presence and by Don Rafa’s anecdotes. Some complained that there were no more sweets to buy. Seeing the public’s interest, Canelo had an idea.
“Don Rafa, have you ever thought about expanding your business?” he asked. The old man looked at him in surprise. “No, young Canelo. At my age, I have enough to do to keep this job.” But the boxer smiled enthusiastically: “What if I told you that we could bring your sweets and your stories to more people? We could open a traditional sweets shop.”
The crowd held its breath as Don Rafa pondered the proposal. Finally, with his eyes filled with emotion, he replied: “I don’t know what to say, young Canelo. It’s a dream I never thought could come true.”
Canelo put a hand on his shoulder and said firmly, “So what do you say? Would you like to give it a try?” The crowd began to applaud, cheering the old man on. Don Rafa looked around, saw the hope on people’s faces, and finally nodded with a smile full of gratitude.
That day, on a corner in Mexico City, two lives changed forever. And perhaps, soon, Don Rafa’s sweets would find a home in a store that would preserve a Mexican tradition for generations.
