The Unexpected Opportunity Cost - Chapter 1: The Bank of Peace
Chapter 1: The Bank of Peace
Don Elías never missed his 4 PM appointment with "The Bank of Peace," the affectionate name he had given to his favorite bench in the Central Park. It was simply the perfect spot to enjoy a good book and breathe fresh air, all while watching the afternoon drift by, just before sunset. During this time, the worn wooden bench became his refuge, a tranquil vantage point from which he observed the city's frantic comings and goings, allowing him to disconnect from the daily routine of his home.
For Don Elías, reading was a fantastic means for reflection, travel, and personal growth. A book was more than just paper; it represented the opportunity to live many lives, where the aches and pains of old age didn't matter, and where there was always a world of possibilities, even at his advanced age.
Since he began his reading trips to his cherished "Bank of Peace," he knew that the tranquility afforded by solitude often goes hand-in-hand with risks. Absolute peace is, often, the perfect opportunity for those who seek to benefit from others' belongings through anonymity.
In that moment, the calm of the Bank of Peace was nearly perfect; only the distant murmur of traffic and the melancholic song of some bird broke the silence. Don Elías allowed his eyes to close for a moment to sink deeper into the fiction of his novel. It was then that he heard the crunch of dry leaves behind him.
'Give me everything you've got,' demanded the voice, thick and rough, tinged with a haste and nervousness that Don Elías could associate with the inexperience of a young man.
He smiled softly, and delicately slipped the worn bookmark he carried between the pages to mark his spot. And with unnerving calm, he pulled a single, almost equally aged, one-hundred-peso bill from his battered wallet.
'Enjoy it,' he articulated.
The silence that followed was louder than the crunching leaves. The Rogue, paralyzed by the victim's passivity, took an instant to extend his fingers. He did not snatch it, but awkwardly picked up the bill, as if the paper burned. In a mugging, the victim's fear is usually the standard currency of exchange, but Don Elías had denied him that satisfaction.
'What... what did you say?' the Rogue mumbled. His tone was no longer threatening, but one of deep confusion.
'I said enjoy it, son. That's all I have today,' Don Elías replied, as he put his hat on top of his white hair.
The Rogue backed away, clutching the bill. 'No... why are you smiling, old man? Why do you give it to me so easily?' he asked, his voice skimming the edge of desperation, as if the money he had just stolen was undeserved, and the success of his misdeed filled him with sadness instead of joy. He felt the heat on his cheeks, the silent shame that his act of power was being interpreted as a simple plea for charity.
'I am doing what I believe is necessary,' Don Elías responded. There was no fear reflected in his eyes, but the quiet curiosity of a child.
The thief looked at him for another second before disappearing among the trees, the hundred-peso bill shining strangely in his fist, like the uncomfortable proof of ill-gotten success. Don Elías did not bother to look. He simply stood up, his wallet empty but his book in hand, his heart joyful because of the world of possibilities opening up from that moment. With that feeling in mind, he began the walk back home.
The Monday Investment
Walking home, Don Elías did not feel the emptiness of his pocket, but the lightness of a man who had just carried out the first transaction of an ambitious project. One hundred pesos. A negligible price for a first contact.
Thanks to his experience in leadership, he knew that most people tend to react to problems by defending themselves or surrendering, while a true leader identifies the root cause of the problem and invests in a long-term solution. Don Elías had just paid the initial fee to open a line of communication where there had only been despair and resentment toward a world that seemed to have turned its back long ago. This had led the young man to believe there was no alternative but to take by force what he thought he was owed. However, money obtained without effort rarely brings pleasure or lasts, and on the contrary, it is often accompanied by pain and a constant reminder of the inability to secure it legitimately. The one who obtains it tends to spend it immediately on false pleasures, as Dante called them in the Divine Comedy, as if in that way they could quickly wash away the guilt.
It was a totally irrational investment. An accountant would tell him that this investment had a 100% guaranteed loss. But for Don Elías, the hundred pesos were not the capital; there are things more valuable than money, and for him, the true capital was his time, as limited as his health, and his faith, as great as his expectations for the young man. The Rogue had seen only an act, but Don Elías had activated a catalyst, initiating a sequence. The essence of his wisdom was that, when faced with an entrenched problem, the leader must be the constant, the only predictable thing amid the chaos.
He had not lost one hundred pesos; he had invested in the possibility of change. The first leadership lesson he was imparting to the young man was simple: persistence is the first tool of transformation. A single act would change nothing, but repetition would. He was willing to pay the cost once, twice, and up to a hundred times for the opportunity to influence a closed mind.
Don Elías knew it from the moment he handed over his worn 100-peso bill. Tomorrow he would return to his appointment at the Bank of Peace, exactly at 4 PM, with another hundred-peso bill. He knew it. And most importantly, because of the mix of bewilderment and curiosity on the young man's face, The Rogue, somehow, would also be waiting for him.
🚀 Next Steps in Leadership (English CTA)
1. Don't Miss Tomorrow's Investment!
If you enjoyed Don Elías's philosophy on Persistence as Investment, the story is about to intensify.
Be sure not to miss Chapter 2 where Don Elías and the Rogue meet again, and we will delve into the leader's key lesson: How to set Priorities and Focus amid the chaos.
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3. Additional Reading to Go Deeper
While you await the next encounter at the Bank of Peace, you can apply the foundations of Don Elías's philosophy with these related articles:
- The Unexpected Opportunity Cost - Chapter 2: The Trap of the Urgent (On the difference between firefighting VS building a destiny)
Can You Be Stoic in a Chaotic World? (For serenity in crisis).
The Wisdom of the Broom: How Everyday Tasks Can Be a Source of Peace and Reflection (On the practice of Mindfulness in routine).
3 Strategies to Start Your Day Off Right (On setting priorities, key to the next chapter).
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