Monday, October 5, 2009

Menthol Candy

I got off the institution in San Juan and went straight to EDSA Shangri-la to hook up with Ian for some beer and stories. Yearning for a smoke, I looked for a cigarette vendor along Shaw Blvd. but cannot find one so I walked towards Pasig Area until I found a vendor nervously sitting by the sidewalk, eyes moving cautiously, searching, waiting for something.

Settling down beside her with my precius cigarette stick, I asked the reason for her fidgety action. She said that the police are very active nowadays trying to apprehend hawkers like her along the Mandaluyong Central Business District.

She used to earn three hundred pesos net for a whole day's work and its not a 9 to 5 thing but a gruelling morning til night "patintero" with cars and people along Shaw Blvd. Now, her 300 pesos would include her "puhunan" for tomorrow. She makes do with a menthol candy for lunch and has to spend some for her jeepney fare home.

Sitting beside the cigarette vendor along the Shaw blvd. sidewalk, looking at the people rushing by, catching up with something I cannot comprehend, I remembered Thelma at that exact time to be sitting beside the U.S. Ambassador for their school activity discussing God knows what the U.S.A has to offer their beloved Philippines.

And I bet it wont be a menthol candy they'll partake for dinner.

Now for my beer.

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