I
start and end my shift at 7PM and 4AM, respectively. Once I reach home,
I immediately drop myself to bed and sleep at around 6AM, probably
sleep for 8-hours then wake up. Almost a routine from Tuesday to
Saturday.
March 7, 9AM. Elmer woke me up to start a conversation. Subject was brought about by a conversation we had the previous day and it seemed to be troubling him and I thought it was non-sense. Really non-sense!
Conversation heated up and brought up other things (not really related to what we're arguing about, and caused emotions to heighten).
I got pissed off. He got pissed off. So far, I only had, what, roughly 3 hours of sleep. I didn't feel sleepy anymore. How would I get back to sleep if I was not sleepy anymore? I was trying to get some more sleep but he kept on talking things I didn't really want to hear that time of the day. He continued; my day started to get fucked up.
I was trying to end a good day; he was about to start a good one and take a major exam. And so he continued talking when I was not talking anymore. That was not normal! I? Not talking? Something must have been coming and really there was. Haha..
I got so pissed off. When I get so pissed off:
1st level, I cry.
2nd level, I start to talk back, still crying.
3rd level, I shout while talking back, still crying.
4th level, I hit, shout while talking back, still crying.
5th level, I can't imagine! (Haha..)
With the heated argument, I would guess I was at 3rd level.
And so he left. He left me there, not sleepy anymore. I remembered, I had to go to the market, buy some veggies for the following day. It would be my kid's 4th birthday.
And so I took the cab, went to the market.
The following is actually what this blog is all about. I just can't help to describe what happened that morning.
In the market, I bought veggies. Baguio is known for its fresh veggies. Name it, it's here! I guess. Or is it La Trinidad? Anyways, my baggage was heavy. (That sounds Bible-ish.) Here in Baguio City Market, there are these little boys and girls who come up to market-goers and ask market-goers who have heavy loads to let them carry their loads for them, of course, for a price. Just a small one, though.
There was this one boy who came up to me. Actually, there were 3 or 4 of them I think who came up to me. I said, "Hindi na. Kaya ko buhatin 'tong mga 'to. Malakas ako 'no!" The others went away but this young boy stayed and begged, "Sige na po. Buhatin ko na po 'yang dala niyo para may pangkain po ako." It was around 11:10AM then, about lunch time.
[Switching to Taglish: Nauubusan na 'ko ng English. Tsaka logout naman na 'ko. Pwede na mag-Tagalog. Haha..]
Syempre naawa naman ako sa batang 'yun. It's my nature na maawain at mapagbigay kung meron naman ako ibibigay. That's another reason kaya gusto ko maging mayaman. Hindi lang mayaman, kundi sobrang yaman, kasi I want to be part of the solution to the problem. I want to help people who need help. (Wow! Parang Miss World Q&A huh! World peace! Haha..)
Going back, ayun! I let him carry my baggage. He asked me, "May bibilhin pa po kayo?"
Sabi ko, "Oo."
Pero sa isip ko, gusto ko sabihin, "Malamang! E kung wala na e malamang hindi ko na papabuhat sa 'yo yang mga 'yan. Kukuha na 'ko ng taxi at uuwi na ko 'no?" Pero syempre, hindi ko sinabi yun. Naisip ko na lang, baka he was just trying to start a conversation.
Nakonsensiya ako. Mukhang hirap na hirap siya sa pagbuhat nun bayong kasi alam kong mabigat na talaga 'yun. Sabi ko, hintayin na lang niya ako sa isang tabi. Bibilhin ko 'yung mga iba ko pang bibilhin tapos babalikan ko siya. Pero sabi ko na huwag niya ako takbuhan! Marami-rami ng laman 'yung bayong ko ha! 'Pag binenta niya yung mga yun e tiba-tiba na siya dun. Umalis ako, bumalik sa pinag-iwanan ko sa kanya. Andun pa din ang pobreng bata.
Nabili ko na lahat ng bibilhin ko from the market. From there, I need to go to Tea House Session Road. Kukuhanin ko ang order kong isang bilaong lumpiang shanghai. (Masarap lumpiang shanghai nila. May kamahalan nga lang.) Medyo malayo from Baguio City Market to Tea House Session Road, lalo na't may dala akong mabigat na bayong.
Naisip ko, magpapahatid ako sa batang 'to. That was already around 12NN. Nagugutom na din ako. Sabi ko sa kanya, "Kumain ka na ba?" Ngumiti 'yun bata sabay iling. Mukhang nagka-hint na siya na papakainin ko siya ah. Sabi ko, "Sunod ka sa akin."
Tumuloy kami sa McDonald's Center Mall. While on our way to the mall, I asked him, "Baka kasama ka dun sa mga nandudukot dito sa palengke ha?"
"Hindi po."
"Pang-ilan na ko na customer mo ngayon?"
"Pangalawa po. Binigyan ako ng peanut brittle nung una."
I barely talk to him. I thought I was trying not to be too much
curious about him.
We reached McDonald's Center Mall. Pinaupo ko siya sa table kasama ng bayong. I ordered 1-pc chicken with spaghetti for him and 1 large French fries for myself. Habang kumakain, in-interview ko siya.
Name: Roy Atienza
Age: 13 years old
-3rd among 4
-parents were originally from Olongapo.
-parents sell veggies in La Trinidad Public Market
-born and raised here in La Trinidad
-still in Grade 3 but did not finish Grade 3 yet.
-stopped going to school since 3rd Grading Period
-plans to go back to school this coming school year
-eldest brother sells pet fish in Session Road
-youngest brother still goes to school.
I asked, "Bakit pangalawa pa lang ako sa mga customer mo? Wala ba masyado tao sa palengke ngayon?"
"Dun lang po kasi ako sa may labas ng palengke nag-aabang ng customer kasi po 'yun mga malalaki (referring to bigger palengke buhat boys), binubogbog ako sa loob. Kinukua po 'yun pera ko."
Juice ko! Nabalot (nabalot talaga huh? Hehe..) na talaga ako ng awa para sa batang 'yun ng mga sandaling 'yun. Hindi ko na naisip na baka gimik lang ng batang 'yun na sabihin sa akin 'yun para maawa ako sa kanya. Ramdam ko naman ang sincerity niya, na hindi siya gumagawa ng story para kaawaan ko siya. Mukha talaga siyang mabait na bata. Kaya naman sa sobrang awa ko sa kanya, right there and then, sa harap ng batang 'yun e naiyak iyak naman ako! (The fight I had earlier that morning contributed to the tear ducts' humility kaya naman I had to describe in the first part what happened that morning.)
Ngayon ko na lang naiisip, siguro, may kaba 'yun batang 'yun nung kaharap niya ako at umiiyak ako habang kumakain siya kasi baka akala niya e may kasama siya psychotic ng mga panahong 'yun. Baka akala niya e baliw ako! Haha.. E kung lahat ng baliw tulad ko ang payapa ng mundo. Bwahahaha..
Gusto ko sana tumakbo sa CR nun para hindi niya makita pero pag naglakad ako papuntang CR, mas madaming tao makakakita sa akin kaya dun na lang ako.
Naalala ko tuloy ang bunso kong kapatid na si Jayvee. 11 years old si Jayvee. Halos kasinlaki niya 'yun batang 'yun. Naisip ko, ang swerte ng kapatid ko kasi (may ate siyang tulad ko? Haha..) na-eenjoy niya ang childhood niya. Nakakapaglaro siya, hindi niya kelangan mag-work para makakain at makapag-aral. Hindi tulad ng batang 'yun, kelangan niya gawin lahat 'yun para matulungan niya ang mga magulang niya at ang sarili niya. Bilib ako sa kanya. Saludo ako sa 'yo, kid!
After eating at McDonald's, sinama ko pa siya sa Session Road kasi nga may kukuhanin pa ako dun. From Tea House Session Road, sumakay na ako ng taxi. Binuhat ni Roy 'yun bayong ko sa taxi. Tsaka siyempre bago ako umalis, binayaran ko siya. Hmm, siyempre secret kung magkano binigay ko sa kanya.Ü Medyo, umandar na 'yun taxi, kumakaway 'yun bata sa akin. Narinig ko pa, kasi half-closed lang naman 'yun window ng taxi, sabi niya, "Thank you po ma'am." Tumango na lang ako.
Sana 'pag nagkita ulit kami ng batang 'yun ('yun ay kung magkikita pa kami), sana hindi na siya nagtatrabaho sa palengke. Sana nag-aaral na ulit siya. Sana hindi na siya bugbugin ng mga malalaking bata dun sa palengke at kunin ang pera niya. Sana i-bless siya ni Lord kasi alam kong mabait siyang bata. Sana 'pag nagkita ulit kami ng batang 'yun, mayaman na mayaman na ako. Gusto ko siyang tulungan at iba pang bata. Para sa kaalaman po ng lahat, advocate po ako ng education. Kung tatakbo man ako ng public office (at 'yun ay napakalayong mangyari, next to impossible), 'yun ang magiging plataporma ko. On a more serious note (true kaya na serious 'to?), sana 'yun mga super yayaman ng tao diyan e i-share naman ninyo yaman niyo sa mga batang tulad nun noh! Yun lang!
Going back to Roy, (stare at nowhere)....na-blangko ako dun. Actually, that's about it. Wala na ako masabi.
Ay eto pala! Naisip ko, I am far too fortunate than other people in this world. The problems I have right now, wala pala 'yun sa mga problema ng ibang tao. Kahit gaano ako nahihirapan sa buhay ngayon (pero hindi pa naman po ako umabot sa tag-gutom stage, thank God!Ü), iniisip ko na lang na may ibang tao na walang makain, walang work, walang family, walang bahay, walang nagmamahal, etc. So, maswerte pa din ako. Kaya naman, I thank God for all the blessings. Kaya ngayon, lahat na ng bagay, no matter how small it is, na-aapreciate ko na.
All of us are fortunate. It just so happened that some are more fortunate than others.
Ciao! ♥
March 7, 9AM. Elmer woke me up to start a conversation. Subject was brought about by a conversation we had the previous day and it seemed to be troubling him and I thought it was non-sense. Really non-sense!
Conversation heated up and brought up other things (not really related to what we're arguing about, and caused emotions to heighten).
I got pissed off. He got pissed off. So far, I only had, what, roughly 3 hours of sleep. I didn't feel sleepy anymore. How would I get back to sleep if I was not sleepy anymore? I was trying to get some more sleep but he kept on talking things I didn't really want to hear that time of the day. He continued; my day started to get fucked up.
I was trying to end a good day; he was about to start a good one and take a major exam. And so he continued talking when I was not talking anymore. That was not normal! I? Not talking? Something must have been coming and really there was. Haha..
I got so pissed off. When I get so pissed off:
1st level, I cry.
2nd level, I start to talk back, still crying.
3rd level, I shout while talking back, still crying.
4th level, I hit, shout while talking back, still crying.
5th level, I can't imagine! (Haha..)
With the heated argument, I would guess I was at 3rd level.
And so he left. He left me there, not sleepy anymore. I remembered, I had to go to the market, buy some veggies for the following day. It would be my kid's 4th birthday.
And so I took the cab, went to the market.
The following is actually what this blog is all about. I just can't help to describe what happened that morning.
In the market, I bought veggies. Baguio is known for its fresh veggies. Name it, it's here! I guess. Or is it La Trinidad? Anyways, my baggage was heavy. (That sounds Bible-ish.) Here in Baguio City Market, there are these little boys and girls who come up to market-goers and ask market-goers who have heavy loads to let them carry their loads for them, of course, for a price. Just a small one, though.
There was this one boy who came up to me. Actually, there were 3 or 4 of them I think who came up to me. I said, "Hindi na. Kaya ko buhatin 'tong mga 'to. Malakas ako 'no!" The others went away but this young boy stayed and begged, "Sige na po. Buhatin ko na po 'yang dala niyo para may pangkain po ako." It was around 11:10AM then, about lunch time.
[Switching to Taglish: Nauubusan na 'ko ng English. Tsaka logout naman na 'ko. Pwede na mag-Tagalog. Haha..]
Syempre naawa naman ako sa batang 'yun. It's my nature na maawain at mapagbigay kung meron naman ako ibibigay. That's another reason kaya gusto ko maging mayaman. Hindi lang mayaman, kundi sobrang yaman, kasi I want to be part of the solution to the problem. I want to help people who need help. (Wow! Parang Miss World Q&A huh! World peace! Haha..)
Going back, ayun! I let him carry my baggage. He asked me, "May bibilhin pa po kayo?"
Sabi ko, "Oo."
Pero sa isip ko, gusto ko sabihin, "Malamang! E kung wala na e malamang hindi ko na papabuhat sa 'yo yang mga 'yan. Kukuha na 'ko ng taxi at uuwi na ko 'no?" Pero syempre, hindi ko sinabi yun. Naisip ko na lang, baka he was just trying to start a conversation.
Nakonsensiya ako. Mukhang hirap na hirap siya sa pagbuhat nun bayong kasi alam kong mabigat na talaga 'yun. Sabi ko, hintayin na lang niya ako sa isang tabi. Bibilhin ko 'yung mga iba ko pang bibilhin tapos babalikan ko siya. Pero sabi ko na huwag niya ako takbuhan! Marami-rami ng laman 'yung bayong ko ha! 'Pag binenta niya yung mga yun e tiba-tiba na siya dun. Umalis ako, bumalik sa pinag-iwanan ko sa kanya. Andun pa din ang pobreng bata.
Nabili ko na lahat ng bibilhin ko from the market. From there, I need to go to Tea House Session Road. Kukuhanin ko ang order kong isang bilaong lumpiang shanghai. (Masarap lumpiang shanghai nila. May kamahalan nga lang.) Medyo malayo from Baguio City Market to Tea House Session Road, lalo na't may dala akong mabigat na bayong.
Naisip ko, magpapahatid ako sa batang 'to. That was already around 12NN. Nagugutom na din ako. Sabi ko sa kanya, "Kumain ka na ba?" Ngumiti 'yun bata sabay iling. Mukhang nagka-hint na siya na papakainin ko siya ah. Sabi ko, "Sunod ka sa akin."
Tumuloy kami sa McDonald's Center Mall. While on our way to the mall, I asked him, "Baka kasama ka dun sa mga nandudukot dito sa palengke ha?"
"Hindi po."
"Pang-ilan na ko na customer mo ngayon?"
"Pangalawa po. Binigyan ako ng peanut brittle nung una."
I barely talk to him. I thought I was trying not to be too much
curious about him.
We reached McDonald's Center Mall. Pinaupo ko siya sa table kasama ng bayong. I ordered 1-pc chicken with spaghetti for him and 1 large French fries for myself. Habang kumakain, in-interview ko siya.
Name: Roy Atienza
Age: 13 years old
-3rd among 4
-parents were originally from Olongapo.
-parents sell veggies in La Trinidad Public Market
-born and raised here in La Trinidad
-still in Grade 3 but did not finish Grade 3 yet.
-stopped going to school since 3rd Grading Period
-plans to go back to school this coming school year
-eldest brother sells pet fish in Session Road
-youngest brother still goes to school.
I asked, "Bakit pangalawa pa lang ako sa mga customer mo? Wala ba masyado tao sa palengke ngayon?"
"Dun lang po kasi ako sa may labas ng palengke nag-aabang ng customer kasi po 'yun mga malalaki (referring to bigger palengke buhat boys), binubogbog ako sa loob. Kinukua po 'yun pera ko."
Juice ko! Nabalot (nabalot talaga huh? Hehe..) na talaga ako ng awa para sa batang 'yun ng mga sandaling 'yun. Hindi ko na naisip na baka gimik lang ng batang 'yun na sabihin sa akin 'yun para maawa ako sa kanya. Ramdam ko naman ang sincerity niya, na hindi siya gumagawa ng story para kaawaan ko siya. Mukha talaga siyang mabait na bata. Kaya naman sa sobrang awa ko sa kanya, right there and then, sa harap ng batang 'yun e naiyak iyak naman ako! (The fight I had earlier that morning contributed to the tear ducts' humility kaya naman I had to describe in the first part what happened that morning.)
Ngayon ko na lang naiisip, siguro, may kaba 'yun batang 'yun nung kaharap niya ako at umiiyak ako habang kumakain siya kasi baka akala niya e may kasama siya psychotic ng mga panahong 'yun. Baka akala niya e baliw ako! Haha.. E kung lahat ng baliw tulad ko ang payapa ng mundo. Bwahahaha..
Gusto ko sana tumakbo sa CR nun para hindi niya makita pero pag naglakad ako papuntang CR, mas madaming tao makakakita sa akin kaya dun na lang ako.
Naalala ko tuloy ang bunso kong kapatid na si Jayvee. 11 years old si Jayvee. Halos kasinlaki niya 'yun batang 'yun. Naisip ko, ang swerte ng kapatid ko kasi (may ate siyang tulad ko? Haha..) na-eenjoy niya ang childhood niya. Nakakapaglaro siya, hindi niya kelangan mag-work para makakain at makapag-aral. Hindi tulad ng batang 'yun, kelangan niya gawin lahat 'yun para matulungan niya ang mga magulang niya at ang sarili niya. Bilib ako sa kanya. Saludo ako sa 'yo, kid!
After eating at McDonald's, sinama ko pa siya sa Session Road kasi nga may kukuhanin pa ako dun. From Tea House Session Road, sumakay na ako ng taxi. Binuhat ni Roy 'yun bayong ko sa taxi. Tsaka siyempre bago ako umalis, binayaran ko siya. Hmm, siyempre secret kung magkano binigay ko sa kanya.Ü Medyo, umandar na 'yun taxi, kumakaway 'yun bata sa akin. Narinig ko pa, kasi half-closed lang naman 'yun window ng taxi, sabi niya, "Thank you po ma'am." Tumango na lang ako.
Sana 'pag nagkita ulit kami ng batang 'yun ('yun ay kung magkikita pa kami), sana hindi na siya nagtatrabaho sa palengke. Sana nag-aaral na ulit siya. Sana hindi na siya bugbugin ng mga malalaking bata dun sa palengke at kunin ang pera niya. Sana i-bless siya ni Lord kasi alam kong mabait siyang bata. Sana 'pag nagkita ulit kami ng batang 'yun, mayaman na mayaman na ako. Gusto ko siyang tulungan at iba pang bata. Para sa kaalaman po ng lahat, advocate po ako ng education. Kung tatakbo man ako ng public office (at 'yun ay napakalayong mangyari, next to impossible), 'yun ang magiging plataporma ko. On a more serious note (true kaya na serious 'to?), sana 'yun mga super yayaman ng tao diyan e i-share naman ninyo yaman niyo sa mga batang tulad nun noh! Yun lang!
Going back to Roy, (stare at nowhere)....na-blangko ako dun. Actually, that's about it. Wala na ako masabi.
Ay eto pala! Naisip ko, I am far too fortunate than other people in this world. The problems I have right now, wala pala 'yun sa mga problema ng ibang tao. Kahit gaano ako nahihirapan sa buhay ngayon (pero hindi pa naman po ako umabot sa tag-gutom stage, thank God!Ü), iniisip ko na lang na may ibang tao na walang makain, walang work, walang family, walang bahay, walang nagmamahal, etc. So, maswerte pa din ako. Kaya naman, I thank God for all the blessings. Kaya ngayon, lahat na ng bagay, no matter how small it is, na-aapreciate ko na.
All of us are fortunate. It just so happened that some are more fortunate than others.
Ciao! ♥
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