The best day in Boracay was probably Sunday. It was a beautiful
morning. Mike and I, as usual, head out to our favorite spot - the
vacant lot between Stations 1 and 2. I watched the local children play
in the water. The innocence in their faces captured my interest.
Moments later, I found myself in the water, splashing around with the
kids. The company they offered was comforting. The conversations were
memorable and heartwarming/heartbreaking.
"Nag-aaral ka ba?" I asked Bernie, seven years old. We were trying to build a sand castle.
He replied, almost boastful, "Graduate na ‘ko! Tapos na akong mag-aral!"
"Ha? Graduate ka na?"
"Oo, tapos na ako ng kinder! Si Annamarie, daycare na sya!"
None of them actually experienced going to elementary school. I turned to Annamarie and asked her, "Nag-aaral ka pa ba?"
She said, "Hindi na po. Tumigil na po ako."
"Bakit naman?"
"Wala na po kasi kaming pang-gastos." She looked down on the wet sand
as she was talking. I can feel her sadness. I didn’t want the
conversation to go on - my heart was crumbling as we spoke.
So I asked her, "Hindi pa ba kayo hinahanap sa bahay nyo? Tanghali na. Hindi pa ba kayo magtatanghalian?"
She looked at me and maybe wondered what "tanghalian" meant. Then she said, "Nag-almusal na po kami eh."
I felt helpless. Hearing their stories and not being able to do
anything about it sucks. So I invited her to play with me again in the
water and everything was fun again.
When I got tired, I went back to my spot and lied on my back. I was
trying to sleep when I noticed that Bernie followed me to the shore and
lied on his tummy. He was staring curiously at me. During our playtime
earlier, he kept asking me questions like, "Tomboy ka ba?", "May anak
ka na ba?" and "Ilang taon ka na?" And I found them all silly and
answered them all with no offense taken. After all, he was only seven
years old.
"Balik ka muna doon. Maglaro muna kayo. Matutulog muna ako," I told him. He kept staring.
"Dito muna ako."
"Sige." And I closed my eyes.
What broke the silence was this question, "Nasaktan ka ba sa lalaki?"
I jumped up in amazement. Where did this seven year old kid get this
idea? I didn’t know whether to answer it seriously or treat it like one
of his funny interrogatories.
"Anong sabi mo?" I thought I was hearing the wrong words. But Mike
heard it, too. He stuttered as he reiterated the question. Mike and I
laughed for a bit. Enjoying the innocence of it all. It was confirmed.
My cynicism has become apparent even to a seven year old child. He left
me without hearing my answer. I was relieved. I didn’t want to dwell on
it. I looked for his face among the small crowd of children swimming in
the water but I couldn’t find him anymore. I might have embarrassed
him.
Mike and I decided to head back to Station 2 for lunch. And that was
the last time I saw Bernie, the cutest and most curious kid in Boracay.
I am looking forward to more of this kind of experience - hearing what
children have to say, hoping one day I can finally do something to
change the world, changing lives, one kid at a time.
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