How The Streets Changed Me

Master Mixer

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Transcript

00:00Hi, I'm Estella, which means star.

00:02Isn't that cool?

00:03Also, I'm the oldest MSA girl here,

00:06because my story happened in the 70s.

00:08But trust me, it's interesting enough,

00:10and you'll learn a thing or two about hope.

00:12So please like and subscribe.

00:14My life was not exactly good.

00:16We could only eat once a day,

00:17and our house was falling apart, just like my family.

00:21Our dad was always angry, and we were very poor.

00:24But there was a time where everything was fine.

00:26Back when my brother Lucio and I were little,

00:28Dad was a good dad, and Mom was there.

00:31They were the most loving parents in the whole world.

00:33They always played with us in the park and bought us toys.

00:36We weren't rich, but our family was happy.

00:38Until one day...

00:40I got fired.

00:41They scammed me.

00:42What?

00:43They scammed me.

00:44We lost everything.

00:45He never told us who scammed him.

00:47We tried to ask him how we could help,

00:49but he just ignored us and sold our toys and Mom's jewelry.

00:52However, things to sell ran out,

00:54and Dad didn't know what to do anymore.

00:56Maybe we can work.

00:57Like, selling things, or...

00:59I don't know.

00:59Something.

01:00Yeah, Dad.

01:01We can sell matches, or...

01:03No.

01:04What?

01:04Why?

01:05You can't leave school to go to work.

01:07But...

01:07I said no!

01:08We will put you in a public school,

01:10and your mom and I will see what we can do.

01:12So go study or something.

01:14We fought with Dad many times,

01:16but he wouldn't let us work,

01:17so we gave up.

01:18At least Mom was still there, right?

01:20Mom, what are you doing?

01:22Lucio and I had woken up in the middle of the night

01:24and found Mom cleaning the house like crazy.

01:27Oh, I'm just cleaning the house, darling.

01:30At 3 a.m.?

01:32Mom, I know you like cleaning, but...

01:34Suddenly, she ran to us and hugged us.

01:37Promise me you'll help your dad.

01:38Promise me you'll shine brighter than any star in the sky.

01:42What?

01:43Are you okay, Mom?

01:44Yeah, what's going on?

01:46Just promise me that, can you?

01:48We promise.

01:49Next morning, Mom left.

01:51The house was completely clean,

01:53and all her clothes were gone.

01:54We looked for her everywhere,

01:56even asked the neighbors,

01:57but no one had seen her.

01:58It was the worst day of our lives.

02:00We cried a lot,

02:01and Dad wasn't the same after that.

02:03He got angry.

02:04He was angry every day,

02:06so we tried not to bother him.

02:07We started to work after school,

02:09and Dad tried to stop us,

02:11but after a while,

02:12he just made us promise

02:13that we wouldn't drop out of school,

02:14and we didn't talk about Mom,

02:16but we always hoped that someday she'd come back.

02:19Dad worked cleaning shoes,

02:20and Lucio and I sold matches.

02:22We walked through the neighborhoods after school,

02:24and at the end of the day,

02:25we met at the grocery store

02:26to see if we could buy any food.

02:28We didn't earn much,

02:29but we managed to save for one

02:30or sometimes two meals a day,

02:33and that was a win for us.

02:35Our lives weren't the best,

02:36but we tried to be positive.

02:37You won't believe how much I...

02:39Hey, what happened?

02:41Are you okay?

02:42I didn't sell any matches today.

02:44I went to hug him

02:45and tell him that everything is gonna be okay,

02:47and without him noticing,

02:49I dropped a one-dollar bill behind him.

02:51Don't worry, Lucio.

02:52I'm sure tomorrow you'll sell a lot of matches.

02:55I hope so.

02:56Wait, what's that?

02:57Look, Estella, one dollar.

02:59Today must be our lucky day or something,

03:02because I have three dollars right here.

03:04You know what that means?

03:05Hot dogs.

03:06We bought two hot dogs,

03:08and then we sat on a street corner to eat them.

03:10We haven't had a hot dog in almost a year,

03:12and it was delicious.

03:14But our happiness didn't last long.

03:17Hey, kids, can't you give a bite of that?

03:19What?

03:19No.

03:20Go away.

03:20There's nothing yours here.

03:22Didn't your parents teach you not to be selfish?

03:24It's none of your business.

03:26Suddenly, the guy ripped the hot dog out of my hands

03:28and ran away while laughing.

03:30I tried to follow him,

03:31but he was running too fast,

03:32and it started to rain.

03:34So I went back to Lucio.

03:36At least you still have your...

03:37Oh, Lucio's hot dog was on the floor.

03:39Well, our lucky day ended.

03:42Fudge!

03:43Sorry, Estella.

03:44I always ruin everything.

03:46That's not true.

03:47The one who ruined everything

03:48was that freak who stole my hot dog

03:50and threw yours on the floor.

03:51But...

03:52No, no, don't even worry.

03:54We'll buy hundreds of hot dogs one day, okay?

03:56Let's go home for now.

03:57Our dad came back from work that night,

03:59and he was angry.

04:01It sure didn't go well.

04:02And when he found out we wasted the money,

04:04he got super annoyed

04:06and locked himself in the bedroom.

04:07Everything seemed to go from bad to worse.

04:10Until one day, things began to change.

04:12I was walking around the upper-class neighborhood

04:14selling my matches.

04:15But that day, the cold was horrible.

04:18So I came up with the best idea of all.

04:21Walked into the huge garage of a house.

04:22There were hundreds of cars,

04:25and it was so warm.

04:27But, oh no, there were people coming.

04:29Yeah, all my parents' cars are the latest model.

04:32My favorite one is...

04:34What the fudge?

04:35A girl caught me hiding among the cars,

04:37and her expression was really scary.

04:40What happened?

04:41Is the car okay?

04:42Yeah.

04:43Uh, I thought I saw a rat.

04:46Come on, we better go to the pool.

04:48I was saved.

04:49After a while,

04:50I made sure there was no one there

04:51and went out quietly.

04:52But the girl from before

04:53was looking at me from the garage entrance.

04:55Who are you?

04:56What were you doing?

04:57Were you trying to steal one of our cars?

04:59No, no, I can explain.

05:01It was really cold out there,

05:03and your garage looked like a very warm place.

05:05So I went there.

05:06That's all, I swear.

05:08Suddenly, her expression changed.

05:10She looked less intimidating.

05:12Oh, I see.

05:13Well, you can warm yourself

05:15in the fireplace at my house.

05:17It's better.

05:18Trust me.

05:18Come on.

05:19Really?

05:19Thank you so much.

05:21Yeah, but don't steal anything.

05:23By the way, what's your name?

05:26Estella.

05:27Nice to meet you, Estella.

05:28I'm Cielo.

05:29Her name meant sky in Spanish,

05:31and something about that made me smile.

05:34She gave me a tour of her house,

05:35and it was like a mansion,

05:37and so warm.

05:39But I knew I couldn't stay that long.

05:40I should get going.

05:41I...

05:42You know, mom always said we need a cleaner.

05:45Do you happen to know anyone who needs a job?

05:48What?

05:48Are you serious?

05:49Do you know someone?

05:51Well, me.

05:52Cielo smiled and gave me her hand.

05:54You're hired.

05:55Come in every day after two, okay?

05:58Cielo's mom didn't like me,

05:59but she gave me a chance,

06:00and the pay was amazing.

06:03Though the best part of it all

06:04was that I got a friend.

06:05Every day after I cleaned up,

06:07Cielo and I would watch movies

06:08or gossip about my classmates

06:10or her weird neighbors.

06:12It was really fun.

06:13However, one day,

06:14when I was going to her house,

06:15I saw her fighting with her mom.

06:17You should be inside studying,

06:18not wasting time here.

06:20The cleaning girl is distracting you

06:21from your duties, Cielo.

06:23She's not doing anything, mom.

06:26I got perfect grades in everything.

06:28I was just trying to rest a little on weekends.

06:32Well, if you're not in your room

06:33in five minutes studying,

06:35that girl will be fired.

06:37When her mom left,

06:38I walked up to her.

06:39I hugged her tightly,

06:44and she cried a little.

06:48I'll be here whenever you need me.

06:53Since that day,

06:54we became best friends.

06:57But her mom fired me after a month,

06:59and I got back to selling matches.

07:01However,

07:03Cielo was always sneaking off

07:04to talk to me,

07:05so I didn't get that sad.

07:08And even Lucio met her.

07:09He didn't like her that much,

07:10but that was because he was so grumpy.

07:13For the first time,

07:14and because of Cielo,

07:15my life didn't feel so bad.

07:17One day,

07:17I even told her a little about our life.

07:20Oh, you've been through a lot, Estella.

07:22Uh, I feel so guilty

07:24that my mom fired you.

07:26I'm really sorry.

07:28It was my fault, after all.

07:30All I did was gossip with you,

07:31don't you remember?

07:34And don't you ever think of running away?

07:37Yeah, of course,

07:38but we don't have enough money to do it.

07:40And what if I tell you

07:42that I can help you?

07:43No, never.

07:45I won't accept any money.

07:46No, no.

07:47I want to escape from my parents, too,

07:49but I don't want to do it alone.

07:51Hmm, so...

07:52I was thinking of telling you

07:55and Lucio about it.

07:56We can run away together and be free.

07:59What do you think?

08:00Are you really sure, Cielo?

08:02I've never been so sure

08:03of anything in my life.

08:05However, when I told Lucio,

08:07he wasn't as sure as Cielo.

08:09I don't know, Estella.

08:10We could get into trouble.

08:12Lucio, this is our only chance to do it.

08:14If Mom could do it, run away,

08:16then we can.

08:17We also deserve a good life,

08:19away from Dad.

08:22Well, we'd have to be extremely careful.

08:25After that, our plan started.

08:27We raised as much money as we could

08:29with Cielo's help.

08:30And some weeks later,

08:31I went to the train station

08:32and bought train tickets to Sweden

08:34to leave in two days.

08:35Sweden?

08:37That's where?

08:38Yeah, I hope she's still there.

08:40Okay, here I feel like a dog

08:43at a chess game.

08:44What are you talking about?

08:45My mom.

08:46I told you about her, didn't I?

08:48Well, sometimes she sends us postcards

08:50from Sweden and...

08:51You want to go find her?

08:52Yeah, but we don't know

08:54if she wants to be found.

08:55If she sends you those postcards,

08:57it must be for a reason, isn't it?

09:00Lucio and I smiled at Cielo.

09:01She was a really good friend.

09:03The day came,

09:04and Lucio and I told Dad

09:05we were going to work,

09:06while Cielo told her mom

09:08that she was going to the mall.

09:09We only carried a small backpack

09:10with some clothes,

09:11so nobody suspected anything.

09:13We met at the train station,

09:14and Cielo looked at me

09:15and gave me a weak smile.

09:17When the train was arriving,

09:18Lucio grabbed my hand.

09:25Cielo, what do you think you're doing?

09:27A woman ran to us

09:28and grabbed Cielo's arm tightly.

09:30Do you think you could just

09:31run away from home like that?

09:32What's going on with you?

09:34You and Dad are always fighting,

09:35and you only talk to me

09:37to tell me to study.

09:38You guys never really

09:40pay attention to me.

09:42Who put those ideas in your head?

09:44Was it her?

09:44I knew she'd be a problem.

09:46Police!

09:47Police!

09:47Leave them alone!

09:49They didn't do anything!

09:51Run, guys!

09:52A policeman approached Cielo's mom,

09:54and before he could notice us,

09:55Lucio pulled my hand

09:57and we ran out of the train station.

09:59We hid behind a dumpster

10:00and saw the policeman

10:01running in front of it.

10:02After being there for a while,

10:03I started to cry again.

10:05Shh!

10:06Come here.

10:06Listen,

10:07we can fix it.

10:09We still have some savings

10:10from your last job.

10:11We can...

10:12No.

10:13What?

10:13Why?

10:14We can't do it without Cielo.

10:16We can't leave her behind.

10:18You're right.

10:19The same day

10:19when we arrived home,

10:20we lost all hope of escape.

10:23Dad found all our savings

10:24and was upset

10:25that we hid it from him.

10:26So,

10:26he kept it somewhere else

10:27and said it would only be for food.

10:29But then,

10:30winter came,

10:31and I didn't have

10:31any winter clothes.

10:33You should wear the jacket,

10:34Estella.

10:35I can stand the cold.

10:36I'm like an ice man.

10:37Yeah,

10:38sure.

10:39Oh,

10:39come on,

10:40lighten up.

10:41Today,

10:41we will sell a lot

10:42and eat hot dogs.

10:44What do you say?

10:45I don't know.

10:46It's fine.

10:46I've had enough.

10:48You have to stop this.

10:50Cielo is fine

10:51in her nice little mansion

10:52eating whatever she wants.

10:54Stop worrying about her.

10:55She's not well,

10:56Lucio.

10:57You know it.

10:58She's better off

10:59than we are.

11:00We didn't talk

11:01for the rest of the week.

11:02And then,

11:02I got sick on New Year's Eve,

11:04and Lucio was the one

11:05who always took care of me.

11:06But I knew he was very upset,

11:08so I didn't tell him anything.

11:11I hadn't eaten all day,

11:13and the cold was getting to me.

11:21So I sat on the corner

11:22between two houses

11:24and looked at the matches

11:25in my hands.

11:26I hadn't sold a single one,

11:29and I didn't want to go home

11:30with nothing.

11:35I looked into the window

11:36of a house

11:37and saw a family

11:38eating roast goose.

11:40My stomach roared,

11:41and I remembered Lucio.

11:43I hope he can forgive me.

11:46I rubbed a match

11:47against the wall,

11:48and its fire warmed

11:49my hands a little,

11:50but it was quickly extinguished.

11:52I did it again,

11:53and saw Cielo

11:54through the small flame.

11:57Cielo,

11:57but she disappeared

11:58as soon as the flame went out.

12:00So I did it again,

12:01but this time,

12:02I saw Mom.

12:03Mom, don't go.

12:05Please, I miss you.

12:09She disappeared

12:10as soon as the flame went out,

12:11and I cried.

12:13Then I took all my matches

12:15and let them all at the same time,

12:17and I saw my family.

12:19There was Lucio

12:20and Cielo eating roast goose

12:22while Mom was serving it.

12:24Mom looked at me

12:24and smiled.

12:26Come with us, Estella.

12:28I'm coming, Mom.

12:30Maybe that's how everything ends.

12:33Or maybe not.

12:40I opened my eyes

12:41and looked around.

12:42I was tucked up

12:43in a comfortable bed,

12:44and the room I was in

12:45was very nice.

12:47Lucio was on a chair,

12:48looking at me.

12:49I'm glad you're okay.

12:50I was so worried.

12:52What happened?

12:53You collapsed from the fever

12:55and you almost froze,

12:56but I found you early.

12:58You were in a coma

12:58the whole week.

13:00Are you still mad?

13:01The past is in the past,

13:03and you won't believe it,

13:04but I found a really good job.

13:06Cielo,

13:07she helped secretly.

13:09He grabbed my hand

13:10and I gave him a weak smile.

13:13We'll be fine, Estella.

13:15We'll shine brighter

13:16than any star in the sky.

13:18I got you.

13:31We'll be fine, Estella.

13:32We'll be fine, Estella.

13:33We'll be fine, Estella.

13:34We'll be fine, Estella.

13:35We'll be fine, Estella.

13:36We'll be fine, Estella.

13:37We'll be fine, Estella.

13:38We'll be fine, Estella.

13:39We'll be fine, Estella.

13:40We'll be fine, Estella.

13:41We'll be fine, Estella.

13:42We'll be fine, Estella.

13:43We'll be fine, Estella.

13:44We'll be fine, Estella.

13:45We'll be fine, Estella.

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