Donuts for Nature

“Make extra,” I said to Meidy, who was making donuts for our breakfast tomorrow morning. “I will sell them to Sera Cottages. It is full now.”

“Seriously?” she did not believe I would do it. I am very bad at business, people say too shy and honest. And, moreover, selling cakes person to person on a small tray is only done by poor people, almost all of them have limited education. As we are poor, I am qualified for the job; education are not supposed to prevent me taking this job.

An hour later, I walked up the west cliff and then down the next bay. There were two tourists on the hammocks in front of the first cottage. I hesitated to approach them, afraid of disturbing them. But finally I managed to overcome the inner block.

“Do you like to buy donuts?”

They looked astounded, “Donuts?”

“Yes, they are still warm.” They stare at me. “You can have a look,” I continued, walked up the porch, and opened the tray on the their coffee table. I brought ten pieces; the male tourist picked up one donut and smelt it.

“Smell good,” he said.

“My wife has just made it.” He talked to his girlfriend (?) in French.

“I buy one.” Then he entered the cottage. “Here is the money.” He handed 50K rupiah banknote and I gave him the change 40K. One donut is 10,000 rupiah, equals $75c now.

I visited other cottages and offered the tourists sun bathing on the beach. That day six donuts were sold, almost $5; the profit was around $3. Not bad.

I sell donuts irregularly, depending the number of tourists staying at Sera Cottages. If lucky, I sold all ten and received ‘Keep the change’, which was not often; otherwise, sold one even none. It is OK, life is a struggle by choice for us.