The gift

It’s the day before Christmas, and Miguel has decided to spend Christmas away from home for the first time with his friends. He is 22 years old and studying economics. It’s not a major he would have chosen, but it’s what his father ordered him to study. Miguel’s father is a well-known public figure who loves and appreciates his children, teaching them to seek the best for themselves. And yet, he has decided that his children should study the same major as him.

Miguel thinks this is unfair because he is the youngest and the only one of his siblings who was forced to study economics. Miguel has three siblings who are about 5 years older than him, and they studied art history, digital archaeology, and one of them didn’t study at all; he is a professional video game athlete.

This year’s Christmas celebration was a plan by Miguel and his friends, so they wouldn’t spend it at any of their houses. Instead, they would spend it in a cabin they had rented in the town of Mazamitla, Jalisco. The town is located in a wooded area, so the cabin is surrounded by pine trees, and the soil is red.

Before leaving, Miguel’s father handed him a white envelope and told him it was his Christmas gift, to open it on December 25th. The envelope only had Miguel’s name written on it. He put the envelope in his jacket and left.

That day, while shopping with his friends at the town market, he remembered the white envelope and wondered what it could be. But soon after, he forgot about it. The day went as expected. Until just when they were about to return to the rented cabin, an accident occurred. Outside the market, champurrado was being sold in a large pot. When one of his friends passed by, for some unknown reason, the pot spilled, and the hot, viscous liquid fell on his leg.

They took him to the nearest hospital, where they spent the night waiting for his friend to be attended to. Waiting and waiting, Miguel opened his jacket and found the white envelope and, having nothing better to do, read the letter.

Hello, Miguel:

I am very proud of you. You have overcome every challenge you have faced, and you are studying for a career that will prepare you for a prosperous future. You see, in the position I am in, there are many opportunities that I see being wasted, and I believe that with your studies, I can guarantee a good job for you. But it won’t be easy because you have to start from the bottom. And it wouldn’t be with me, but with a colleague. You know what I think of nepotism.

Now, this is my gift to you. In this letter, there is a 16-character code that you can use at the temporary travel agency. It is valid for one change in your past, whichever you choose. Just dial the phone number below the code, a recording will answer, leave the month and year on the recorder and what you want to change in your life.

Well, now you know, in reality, all my children started studying economics, but will you be the one to finish it?

Love, your father.

Miguel had heard of temporary travel agencies, but he didn’t know they allowed you to make changes in your life. He remembered watching a documentary when he was young about these agencies and all the locks in place to prohibit this practice.

And now, with his friend’s problem, what should he do? Should he use this letter to change that? But he could change it; the letter says it’s to change something in my life.

Miguel spent the whole night thinking. And he made a decision.

What would you change about your life?