Matanzas/At the doors of the Ideal Market of Versailles, in Matanzasthe first impression is that of a hastily assembled set. A sign welcomes customers with a list of 18 products: salt, sugar, rice, pork loin, oil… An inventory that, more than an offer, seems like an invocation. “Here they are waiting for a visit from some boss,” says Aurora, an elderly woman, who is curiously reviewing the tablet.
Inside, the store shows its reality without makeup: half-empty shelves, a few knobs of oil, a few cans of tomato sauce, sachets with seasoning and jars of soy yogurt lined up with more decorative than commercial interest. From the counter, the employee – with a tired look – utters the phrase that destroys any illusion: “Madam, if you want something, ask me and I will tell you if there is or not.” Because in the market, the existence of certain products is only real in the ink on the poster.
Aurora charges in: “Do you have minced meat, mortadella or chicken?” The response is a slow and definitive lateral movement of the head. “Maybe they’ll let us in tomorrow,” the saleswoman murmurs. “It’s not safe. But come over here and see what happens.”
The premises depend on the Matanzas Municipal Commerce Company, which has problems with a lack of fuel to transport goods.
The store depends on the Matanzas Municipal Commerce Company, which has problems with a lack of fuel to transport goods. The word “ideal” in its name a while ago became sarcasm for the neighbors. Marcelo, a father who watches the scene from the entrance, summarizes his experience: “The other day I bought four pounds of minced meat here and they were spoiled because they don’t have refrigeration, the refrigerator is broken.”
On the wall, two posters show the “Mission” and “Vision” of the business, hollow phrases in a place where even good days are rarely given. Aurora finally buys a package of cumin and tries to pay with a transfer. The saleswoman responds with a smile that is more warning than cordial: “It has to be in cash.” Near the counter, a QR code promises to be a quick route to electronic payment. The umpteenth sign far from reality in the Ideal Market of Versailles.
