Yesterday I went to UK, as in UKay-Ukay. for real. it was my first time to dig on the piling clothes on the tables, getting itchy by the ants' bites every now and then while looking for something that i could buy. well, i was looking for a sweater with a hood, zipper and side pockets. :) but i didn't see the zipper and side pockets so instead i took two ordinary ones, with hoods, for only TWENTY pesos. ten each. weird, eh? unsa goy tiangge nimo?

but when i got home neither of the two clothes i bought fit. XP

the hoods were too small that i got choked. haha... so i gave them to my lil bro and cousin.
Anyway, before we went home, i was waiting in Julie's bakeshop for my sister to finish buying burgers on the other store when a ragged and famished kid came to me and asked for food. I wanted to give gim even a piece of bread but then i decided otherwise. why? it's not because I was greedy or i didn't want to be contaminated by those filthy hands (that's exaggerating.). I was thinking... why can't the parents feed their children like responsible parents should? why do they have to 'make' children when they cannot even support their own basic needs? if i had given the kid some bread, would he have been fully satisfied? no. would his parents realize that their child was doing something that he wasn't supposed to be doing? no. would he also realize his dignity has been slowly flaking off every time he begs from strangers? no. he wouldn't even realize he has one. if i did give him, would his life change? no. he'll continue asking and begging for food, he won't be able to go to school because his parents don't care or don't have jobs to supply them with money for the expenses, and he'll still be filthy without doing anything about it. there is a possibility he'll change, but the chances are nil.
it's either he chooses to stay the same or make some sense in his life.
but how could he when there's no one to teach him which should be done, which is right or wrong?

so i didn't give him a piece of bread.

and, minutes later, another street child approached me. i ignored at first. but when my mom and sis came, i grew tired of her pleading gaze and the words, "Ga.e ko te. cge na te." so i gave her one, stood up and left,feeling both ok and argumentative deep inside.

Setting: Classroom. Everything was in slovenly disarray. Professor sits rather comfortably on a chair beside the wall, his feet placed on the armchair. Writer stands beside the door, leaning, with her arms across her chest. It's her birthday.

Writer: Hey Prof!
Prof: (raises his head) What?
Writer: Are you going out this lunch?
Prof: Yeah. I'll be eating outside. Why?
Writer: Can I ask for a favor?
Prof: Favor? What is it?
Writer: Can you buy me Swirly Bits*?
Prof: ...?
Writer: I haven't treated you years ago, remember? It's time for me to treat you exactly on the same day. Mamawi ko.
Prof: (looks at Writer for a moment then turns away) Ha...? Ayaw lang uie. I'll pity you.
Writer: (stares at Prof in disbelief) Oh ok. It's up to you. Librehan nuon, nya di gusto. Ikaw gud. (turns away from Prof, leaning her head on the door with a heavy heart, understanding what was just said.)

*food name changed