They Took Her Uterus and Paid Her Six Thousand Dollars
A woman’s tale of loss and injustice
Right before her, the parade goes on as she remains unperturbed by the cacophony of noises from the marching bands. The elaborately decorated floats also fail to catch her attention — men and women wearing the most beautiful traditional costumes march by. With big smiles, they wave and bow to the crowd.
Unfazed by the festivities, she raises the ceramic mug she’s clutching and puts it close to her mouth. She spits into it, then puts it back on her lap again, holding it tight like a prized possession.
Her frail, almost skeletal frame is draped with a white, oversized sack dress. Her skin isn’t tanned anymore but gray like the ashes from the stone stove in her mother’s kitchen.
Gone is her thick, shiny, black hair. Her head is now sparsely covered with what looks like sprouts of black and white coils. Gone is her trademark winning smile that brightened up the gloomiest day.
The last time I saw her smiling was when I boarded the plane, which took me out of that place for good.
Ten years ago, we shared emotional goodbyes at the airport. Although we both had tears, her heartwarming, radiant smile never waned. We hugged and wished each other the best of luck.
