Chickenjoy dreams

Ok, here's the last of my useful musings that got published (and pretty darn proud about it because it doesn't often happen you know hahaha). Enjoy!

Youngblood : Chickenjoy dream

First posted 03:01am (Mla time) Jan 03, 2006
By Teresa Patricia B. Bernal
Inquirer

Editor's Note: Published on page A11 of the January 3, 2006 issue of the Philippine Daily Inquirer


IT WAS already past 4 in the afternoon and I hadn't eaten my lunch yet. I had gone to the gym and proceeded to school to check my grades. I had dropped by my old office to check on my friends but I was told they were attending a meeting, so I decided to go home.

Alighting from the Baclaran station of the LRT, I saw a Jollibee store and decided to eat. I had another 1 1/2-hour ride before I would reach home and I was feeling hungry. I went into the store, gave my order and sat at the nearest table available and stretched my legs. I had been on the road for almost two hours going from Alabang to La Salle, and after half an hour, I caught the train on my way back home. I was pooped, and the last meal I had was nothing more than a bowl of oatmeal.

When my food came, a small grimy boy about four years of age approached my table, begging for alms. I instinctively shooed him away, and started to eat while he went on to the next table, asking for loose change from the other patrons.

Although I was tired and really hungry, I lost some of my appetite soon after taking a few bites. I began to search for the boy inside the store, hoping he was still around. I saw him being shooed by other people, and I wished he would pass by my table again so I could make it up to him.

When he moved within earshot, I called out to him. I asked him if he had already eaten, which was really a stupid question because he looked like he hadn't had a decent meal for days.
I asked him if he wanted the same stuff as what I was eating. He said he wanted a toy. But the "kiddie meal" only included an educational VCD, which I was sure he wouldn't have any use for. I decided to buy him the "chickenjoy and spaghetti meal" instead. I told him to watch my food while I went back to the counter to order his meal.

When I turned around to ask him what drink he would like, he had this wide smile on his face that seemed to say, "I can't believe I have hit a jackpot with this crazy woman who was willing to buy me some chickenjoy." And the thought made me smile, too.

I went back to my seat and asked him to wait for his food. I asked for his name but he just mumbled something. I was shocked to know that he lived in Apelo, a good 10 minutes by car, and a good half-hour on foot. How on earth did he get here and who was he with? It was raining and the streets were muddy.

He again told me he was wishing for a toy, but I explained there was none at Jollibee. "Sana nag-McDo na lang tayo, may laruan dun," he said, obviously disappointed. "Pasaway ka talaga. Namili ka pa! (You are really naughty and very picky too,)" I chided him gently. But I couldn't really blame him; he was probably as surprised as I was that I had bought him a meal.

He asked for P20, saying his mother had instructed him to buy a kilo of rice if he would have enough money. I was starting to feel like he was taking advantage of my kindness. But when I asked him how many siblings he had and he showed me seven fingers, and said they were five in the family. I gave him some coins anyway.

I asked him to read the number written on the plastic marker, and he told me it was 13. When I said it was 2, he snickered. I told him to count the coins in his hand, and he said there were five. But there was more.

I thought how sad it was that this boy could not count and recognize numbers while my 5-year-old niece could already count to 100. I wondered what his future would be, and I thought it was most likely that he would grow up and try to earn a living by thieving and end up in jail. He knew very little more than begging, roaming the streets without slippers, and shouting profanities at his playmates. And his mother had imposed upon him the responsibility of bringing home some rice that he could share with his siblings.

When his food came securely taped, I told him to share it with his mom when he got home. Again, he gave me such a big smile that it showed most of his stained little baby teeth. Then he left, without a word.

I was filled with one of the best feelings I had in a very long time, pleased with what I had done and happier still to see his big, grateful smile. I had lost my appetite completely, but the thought of the long ride home prompted me to finish my meal. As I left the store, I saw him at the foot of the stairs, clutching the plastic bags. When he saw me, he again flashed his big smile and I noticed that spaghetti sauce was all over his face. I waved at him to say goodbye and walked to the jeepney stop. He might not have known how to say thank you, but that smile said everything for me. I was grinning from ear to ear all the way home.

I've been told that Thursday is a lucky day for Pisceans. My horoscope says so, and the day has been holding some little surprises for me for years now. But that particularly Thursday, I had gotten out of bed feeling miserable and convinced that nothing could get me out of that mood. But what do you know? The surprise was of my own doing, and ironically, I ended up surprised, too.

I must admit that I'm a snob. I don't want to have anything to do with strangers, and I hate filthy beggars. I seldom commute and I don't care much for fast food. So who would have thought that I would be doing all those things in one day and come out of it happy lot? The kid had his Chickenjoy dream fulfilled, but that experience could very well be the start of my pursuit for self-realization.