the old man has to wake up. he tried and he did. when he got up, he stretched out his hand a little to somehow relieve the pressure on his back, which he always feel every morning because of the hard and old bed with just a bed mat on it. he yawned and was suddenly drawned to look at the four figures lying on the far side of the bed. they were so young and thin, all bodies clutched by a small cloth. just yesterday they were able to give him 100 pesos, a half more than what they earn from selling plastic bottles, which they would gather from trash cans or from waiting on someone to finish his drink in a street. the man was happy for his children's hardwork, but as he was watching all of them that morning, he felt pity. but no, he tried to get rid of that feeling for he only suffers- for many years, he had suffered until recently that he convinced himself not to feel that way anymore, though he knew very well, it is inevitable.
he got up, ate only twopieces of pandesal for he has to spare the rest for his children. he had some sips of the pale coffee and prepared himself the way he routinely does it everyday. he then left the house with a wooden box in his right hand and a stool in his left. he walked and walked and walked until he reached the busy street of the metro, and positioned the stool beside a street and he sat there with the opened wooden box. he knew so well that it was seven o'clock because of the students and employees passing along the street where he was sitting. one of them halted beside him, grasped something from the wooden box and dropped two pesos in it. he smiled.
the day rushed by. the old man got up and went home with the wooden box and the stool. he checked out his pocket. he felt the hard coins and the crisp of papers. he took it out as he was walking slowly. he stopped by a store and planned to buy something which his children would be happy about when he gets home. he looked at his hands. one hundred eighty-five pesos and 25 centavos. he smiled. he was happy and contented.
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walking along katipunan road near aurora avenue, you'll see an old man in the street sitted beside a small wooden box with compartments for candies and cigarettes. i happen to walk pass through him one very hot mid-day last year. it was so so hot that i could not even stand under the sunlight for a second that i have to use my umbrella and really walk so briskly until i find some shade. he was just there under that very very hot sun, beside the wooden box, sweating but composed. i had for myself six candies and gave him four pesos. he smiled.
(written 12:15AM 8 January 2005 QC)
