Many years ago, my dad\u2019s great aunt Virginia lived with her mom, dad, and two siblings in a small village of Cyprus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The youngest of the children had skipped a grade, while the oldest had been held back. The middle one stayed where she was, which made it so that all three children were in the same grade level at school.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Their family was poor, so the kids were forced to share the same textbooks to cut back on expenses\u2013which at times led to conflict.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
One day, Virginia\u2019s sister, Hariglia needed to use the math textbook, but Virginia, who wasn\u2019t done with it, refused to surrender it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt\u2019s my turn now!\u201d Hariglia insisted. \u201cHand it over.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Virginia did not. And so began a chase around the house.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Virginia rushed into the adjacent room, where her grandma and aunt were chatting over cups of coffee. She scanned the room for hiding spots but didn\u2019t see any.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
She did, however, notice the great length and flowiness of the skirt her grandma was wearing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Plenty of space to move around in, she thought.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And so, with few other options and her sister quick on her heels, Virginia dove to the ground and disappeared under her grandmother\u2019s voluminous skirt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Seconds later, Hariglia burst in. She looked first under the table, only to find nothing; then behind the curtains, only to find nothing there either.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhere is Virginia?\u201d she barked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The two women looked at each other. Their grandma, unable to contain her amusement, burst into laughter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
She laughed so hard that pee rained down onto the head of poor Virginia, who lept out from under the skirt midway through the deluge and threw the book against her startled sister\u2019s chest \u2013 disgusted, defeated, and dripping with pee.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYou can have it!\u201d She spat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Years later, as Virginia\u2019s descendants continue to tell her story, my hope is that readers will reflect on the value of negotiation skills.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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