Part 1, New York City Summary

Constancia Agüero Cruz works a cosmetic counter at an upscale Manhattan department store. Constancia is a petite, well-dressed, fifty-one year old woman with dark hair and soft white skin. Her precise manners and foreign accent intimidate clients into buying whatever she suggests. Constancia's sales break all company records. Recently, she won a powder-pink Cadillac convertible for being the top sales person in North America. She does not care about commissions. Her only motivation is the gratification of slowing down the aging process for women.

Soon, Constancia will leave her life in New York. Her husband Herberto is determined to retire to Key Biscayne, Florida. She does not know whether she wants to leave New York, but Herberto is determined to retire. Constancia does not know if she can remain idle. She enjoys working too much.

At...