The Coffee Trader

Miguel sits in his cellar room drinking coffee and writing letters to agents on the foreign exchange. He marvels at coffee’s ability to make him alert and productive throughout the night.

The next day Parido tells Miguel he lost money on the whale oil deals and asks who gave him the tip. Miguel tells him it was Alferonda. Parido does not seem angry, but he advises Miguel not to have anything more to do with Alferonda because he “is a danger to anyone he touches” (134).

Miguel asks Ricardo for the money he owes for the whale oil shares, but Ricardo merely says that Miguel will get his money “in due time” (135). Ricardo says his client who bought the whale oil is refusing to pay.

On the street, Miguel meets Joachim. Miguel tells him that it won’t be possible to enter into a business deal together. He offers Joachim a few coins, which Joachim considers an insult, and he shoves Miguel. This angers Miguel, who now refuses to give Joachim anything at all. Miguel later regrets his proud behavior, as he knows Joachim is capable of making trouble for him with the Ma’amad. Miguel is worried that Joachim will somehow interfere with his new coffee venture, but he vows that he “would see Joachim at the bottom of a canal first” (140).