Yesterday same time, I received a call from Ian asking me to meet them up in a pizza parlor near the office. I hurriedly went down and saw 4 of my friends chatting inside.
Saving 2 slices of pizza was really sweet of them to do. So we were like having small talks about whatsoever topics then, and I was with my regular complains on how scorching it is to stay inside the resto when a man with his like 4 yr old kid suddenly came in asking for alms. At first we were not minding them at all since it is a little bit frightening to entertain strangers anytime of the day.
The child he was with was eating ice cream, and I thought of handing him over the other slice of pizza instead of giving them money. What will they do with coins that we might give? Or to any bill that isn't enough to make them buy enough food to gobble. They might just end up buying vices like cigars or any drugs. Maybe.
And as they took the pizza, I told the man, "Tay, pagpasensyahan nyo na po ha." Then I told the kid, "Kainin mo yan ha, masarap yan. Pakabusog ka." As soon as they were on the door to go out, Tatay kept on nodding his head, giving a gesture of appreciation. And he was also asking his kid to wave his hand.
Both of them kept on smiling. And I felt very delightful about it.
I felt relieved after doing that act. Masarap sa pakiramdam na may natulungan ka. Kahit di ako nakapag bigay ng pera, kahit paano, something that will not make them hungry naman ang naabot ko. It was not too much for them to receive, pero helpful na yun. Sana. Kahit paano.
I'm always in a pitiful mood upon seeing these people around. If only I am powerful enough to help them out and provide them what they need. Pero hindi e. Di naman ako mayaman. Hirap din ako sa buhay. What I earn is only sufficient for my daily needs.
I seldom think that what if I will also run out of help from the people I know. And that I'm only left with strangers, will someone also help me out? I don't know. But as I write down this entry, I want you to also help anyone with the most simple gesture that you can do for them. Food is the necessity that we can provide for them. As long as its clean of course. Wag naman yung tipong the food is already a messy one. Hindi naman kelangan monetary value ang maibigay e. I guess, the fact na tumutulong ka sakanila, mabubuhayan sila ng loob at hindi sila mambabastos.
Other than Tatay, I have also met few strangers around the office's vicinity. In Jolibee Tycoon, there's this jolly girl who is always in a good mood asking for even a peso coin. Happily, she even tries to ask for your food or drinks.
Across UA&P, there you can see Starbucks wherein a bald girl roams around carrying sort-off a plastic bag. My first encounter with her was when my friends and I were staying up late after work. She approached us and suddenly making kwento about her or one of her family members having diabetes. So she's asking for money for the dialysis thing. As the most affected one, I gave her a hundred bill. After a couple of months, after shift, we headed to Strata area, in Lasapin to be exact just to eat out. Same friends in this scene. Now here comes the second scenario abut this bald girl. She first went to the table beside us and the customers who were seated handed her money. And since we are already familiar about her, we were really ignoring her as she reached our table. She was selling some sampaguita flowers at that time, and guess what she said, "Mga putangina nyo! Ang dadamot nyo!". That was terrifying! Umalis lang sya as if nothing happened.
Last would be this American guy who I think is in his 40's or something. We were killing time in Ministop Tycoon when he came to us sweating and seemingly to be in a rush. With his complete bag full of soccer things. He was wearing a soccer uniform. Narrating us his story that he is heading to a soccer game for Smart chuva-chuva. Couldn't recall exactly kung anong game basta soccer game. We told him to go to the nearest police station for him to report what had happened to him. But he insisted that he needs money lang para makapunta sa venue. But since some of my friends knew him before, nag refuse kame with what he was trying to say. Looks like it's his way of living here in the Philippines. Playing a trick on people.
It will never be easy to extend help to this people. Scary and somehow you can't just spoon-feed them with what you can give all the time. But for those who are extremely helpless and harmless, why not comfort them with a warm way of chatting and/or smiling at them to make them feel at ease in the world which appears to be cruel to them.
In a daily basis, let us try to be a good samaritan to anyone who is helpless.
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