My mother recently sent me this story via email. Maybe you’ve read it, maybe you haven’t. I’ve seen a lot of pescadores south of the border, and now every time I see one I think of this story, which I’d lost for most of my adult life…sometimes I can be very absent minded. It’s now posted on PunchDragon so I won’t lose it again. Que la disfrutes también.
– Love, Eric

El Pescador (The Mexican Fisherman)

Author Unknown, March 2003

An American businessman was at the pier of a small coastal Mexican village when a small boat with just one fisherman docked. Inside the small boat were several large yellow fin tuna. The American complimented the Mexican on the quality of his fish and asked how long it took to catch them.

The Mexican replied, "Only a little while."

The American then asked why didn't he stay out longer and catch more fish?

The Mexican said he had enough to support the family's immediate needs.

The American then asked, "But what do you do with the rest of your time?"

The Mexican fisherman said, "I sleep late, fish a little, play with my children, take a siesta with my wife, Maria, stroll into the village each evening where I sip wine and play my guitar with my amigos. I have a full and busy life, Señor."

The American scoffed, "I am a Harvard MBA and could help you. You should spend more time fishing and with the proceeds, buy a bigger boat and with the proceeds from the bigger boat you could buy several boats, eventually you would have a fleet of fishing boats. Instead of selling your catch to a middleman you would sell directly to the processor, eventually opening your own cannery. You would control the product, processing and distribution. You would need to leave this small fishing village and move to Mexico City, then Los Angeles and eventually New York City where you will run your expanding enterprise."

The Mexican fisherman asked, "But Señor, how long will this take?"

To which the American replied, "15 - 20 years."

"But what then, Señor?"

The American laughed and said, "That's the best part. When the time is right, you would announce an IPO and sell your company stock to the public and become very rich, you would make millions."

"Millions, Señor? Then what?"

The American said, "Then you would retire. Move to a small coastal fishing village where you could sleep late, fish a little, play with your kids, take a siesta with your wife, and stroll to the village in the evenings, where you could sip wine and play guitar with your amigos."

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