Meanwhile, back at the University of Manila...

“Kimmy, would you like to sign up for the petition to reinstate the five janitors who were fired by the school?” asked Sarah.

Kim and Pauline was on their way to their next class when they bumped into her in the hallway.

Sarah Arroyo is a tall 17-year-old college freshman like them. Unlike Pauline, Sarah is unpretentious in the way she dresses and carries herself. She is often simply dressed and her hair is always in a bun.

“Hay naku, Sarah naman...as if we care about those janitors...” snapped Pauline.

Kim instantly gave Pauline a pallid look. “Sure, Sarah...why not? ” said Kim as she signed the other girl’s clipboard.

“Thanks, Kim. I knew you have some social conscience...unfortunately, not all people have it...” replied Sarah, giving Pauline a sharp, poisonous look as she walked past them.

This left Pauline seething. “Did you see what that stupid girl did?”

Kim could only shake her head. She was not surprised with the animosity between them. Sarah, Pauline and Kim used to be best of friends. However, as the years went by, Kim grew more attached to the more playful, adventure-loving Pauline. Sarah was the more shy and serious type. For some reason, Pauline had this thing with Sarah. Kim thought Pauline felt somehow threatened by Sarah. The latter’s family is rich and well known around the country. The Arroyos had been in politics for decades. Pauline feels she has to compete with Sarah for Kim’s feelings. Pauline never got past that. Even to this day, she feels insecure towards the other girl.

“Alam mo, friend...you and Sarah should make up...” said Kim. “You have been fighting for years now, it’s about time that you two get over whatever it was you fought about...”

“Hay naku, girl. Sarah and I are bound to be enemies. I don’t get her, she doesn’t get me. The farther that we are from each other, the better...”

“All I’m saying is that life is too short to hold grudges with anybody...”

“Sabihin mo iyan kamo sa sarili mo...” Pauline reminded her. “The way you feel about your mom is the very thing I feel about Sarah!”

“You want to strangle her too?” Kim giggled.

“Precisely!” answered Pauline.

As they turned the corner, Kim saw her boyfriend Aki waiting for her. He was sitting with Jim on one of the park benches allotted for their fraternity. It was sort of their territory.

Aki is a tall and hefty 19-year-old. He has this mischievous quality to his looks that most people find endearing. Kim ever since had a crush on him. Who wouldn’t? Aki is good looking and charming. Add to that, his family is rich and successful. But that is not why she loved him. Aki, despite his occasional brashness, really has a good heart. He has this penchant for making people around him comfortable. Aside from that, Kim also loves the fact that he can easily make her laugh...which to her is a great comfort especially during the rough times like today.

“Oh babe...what took you so long?” asked Aki. He quickly gave Kim a peck on the cheek.

“Nothing much...our Sociology teacher took a little bit extra time...” Kim reasoned.

“Ganoon ba?” he said. “I got your text yesterday...how bad was it?”

“I’m grounded...” admitted Kim.

She then recounted the events of the past night.

“Kimmy...you shouldn’t have talked to her like that!” scolded Aki. “You can’t blame Tita Agot if she got angry at you, babe...”

“Whose side are you on anyway?” Kim exclaimed.

“Babe, you know I’m always at your side, no matter what. But, in this case...I think you shouldn’t blame your mom...”

Kim couldn’t believe her ears. Her boyfriend had just sided with her mom. She immediately cast him an angry look and turned around to walk away.

“Kimmy, wait...” Aki called after her. “I’m sorry...”

Kim paused and looked back at him. It was the first time Aki apologized for anything. Kim wasn’t too sure she heard him correctly. “What did you say?”

“Babe, I said I’m sorry...” Aki said with a naughty smile. “I shouldn’t have said anything...”

Kim smiled back. How glad she was to have a boyfriend like him.

“Am I forgiven?” pleaded Aki.

“If you do me one thing...”

“What is it, Kimmy?”

“Find a way to sneak me out of the house on Saturday...” Kim replied.

“That is easy,” beamed Aki. "Consider it done..."

Fortunately for Kim, she got Aki all wrapped up in her finger. If not, she would have been totally devastated right now.

Seeing that he was forgiven, Aki immediately places his arm over Kim and together they walk to their next class.

.
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Gerald was on his way to work when he and Cherry hears a knock on the door.

“Magandang umaga po!” a pretty lady greeted them.

She looked young too, probably in her early 30's. She was of average height and has dark, smooth skin. She was dressed casually in jeans and plain white T-shirt. Her eyes were caring and sincere...the kind that tends to draw people in. Cherry, herself, was instantly caught staring at them.

“Hello, kamusta po?” she greeted once again.

Cherry had to break off her stare, “Kamusta din po! Ano po ang atin?”

“MY name is Mylene Dionisio...I’m a social worker from Kalinga Foundation.”

“Ah, sige pasok po kayo...” Cherry led her into the house.

“If I could please have a few minutes of your time...”

“Sure...what can I help you with?” said Cherry.

Gerald looked on from the kitchen. He was tidying up his unruly hair with his hand.

“We’re doing a social profile of your community,” said Mylene. “I’d like to ask you a few questions...”

“Okay...as long as it doesn’t hurt...” Cherry said with a smile.

“How many of you are living in this house, Mrs. ____? ”

“Garcia...I’m Cherry Garcia...that is my son, Gerald, over there. There’s only the two of us living in this house.”

Mylene looked down on her paperwork and began transcribing Cherry’s answer. She then asked her several questions regarding her family.

“Mrs. Garcia...if you don’t mind...where is Gerald’s father?” Mylene queried after she had gotten some of the demographic information out of the way.

“Uhmm...he is in Bilibid...”

“As in Bilibid Prison?”

“Yes...he got caught in a robbery...”

“How long has he been detained there, Mrs. Garcia?”

“Gerald was only eleven then...”

“Twelve...” Gerald corrected from the other side of the house.

“Oh yes, he was twelve...” Cherry confirmed. "So, that makes it six years ago..."

"Six years, three months, fourteen days..." answered Gerald, looking down at his wristwatch. "and ten hours to be exact..."

Mylene readily jut down the data. She didn't make anything out of it.

“How did his absence affect the family income?” asked Mylene.

“We’ve never recovered since...”Cherry revealed. “With the lawyer’s fees and temporary bail, we lost the little we had saved up. Gerald even stopped schooling to help out...”

Mylene immediately turned her attention to the boy on the other room. She could see from where she was how his face became taut at the mention of his father. Mylene deduced that the boy had some strong feelings against him.

“Gerald stopped school?” asked Mylene.

“Yes. He didn’t go to high school...” Cherry disclosed.

“But you guys have a public high school nearby...”

“It’s not that I really had to stop, Miss...I just didn’t want to go to school...” Gerald answered.

“You could have gotten to school but you didn’t?” clarified Mylene. “Am I right?”

“Yes...I didn’t like going...”Gerald replied.

“Why?”

“A lot of reasons...”Gerald said cryptically.

“But what about learning...” Mylene added.

“You don’t need a school to learn stuff...you can gain knowledge everywhere!” Gerald said.

“My son is right, Ms. Dionisio,” Cherry added, smiling broadly. “Whatever knowledge he has gained, he didn’t get it from school...he got lots of real world wisdom...”

“So, basically you were home schooled?” Mylene was sceptic.

“Not really,” Cherry replied. “My son kinda taught himself...stuff...”

“Ahh...so you mean, practical knowledge...” Mylene said.

“If that’s what you want to call it...then yes,” Gerald surmised.

Mylene proceeded with taking notes.

“Inay, alis na po ako!” Gerald said as he flung his tattered knapsack on his back. He then gave Cherry a quick peck on the cheek on his way out.

“Uh...Gerald, could I ask you one more quick question?”

“Sure...what is it...”

“How do you feel about not having a father at home?”

“I don’t know...I’ve never ever thought of myself not having a father...”

“Why not?” Mylene cast him an interested glance.

“When one has not had a good father, one must create one...”

Mylene almost fell to the floor. Instead, she dropped her pencil and looked at him with complete shock.

“Wh...What did you say?” asked Mylene, she couldn’t believe her ears.

Gerald gave her sheepish grin. He nodded at her and said curtly, “It’s by Nietzsche...”

“Yeah, I know...but how...?”

Before Mylene could ask any more questions, Gerald was out of the door.

“Miss, pasensya ka na sa anak ko...” Cherry said. “He hates it if he comes to work late...”

“Mrs. Garcia...didn’t you just say your son has never gone to high school?”

“No, he hasn’t...” replied Cherry. “But he spends lots of time reading...”

Mylene’s curiosity was instantly heightened. How could somebody of meagre income status and education recite passages from famous philosophers like it was second nature to him? How many young men of his age, regardless of social standing, even know Friedrich Nietzsche?

“Mrs. Garcia...Gerald just gave me an obscure quote from a famous German philosopher...how do you think he had come up with this idea?”

“I don’t know, miss. Maybe he has read about it? You know, my son, he loves reading books...”

“Can I see the ones he is reading now?”

“Sure...” Cherry said.

She then led Mylene to Gerald’s stack of books. From there, Mylene began perusing through the titles.
“Oh my God...” Mylene said under her breath. She was so surprised with what she saw. Though there were no books by the German-Swiss philosopher, there were other books by Chopra, Milton and Machiavelli. Also, he had books on Mathematics and Chemistry along with it. Mylene was amazed...and excited at her discovery.

“Mrs. Garcia...is it okay if I come back and have a talk with your son?”

“OO naman...but he won’t be home till later...”

“Is it okay if I wait then?” asked Mylene.

“Sure...but, what is it you want to talk about?”

“Mrs. Garcia, I think your son has a gift....”

“What gift?”

“Something special...”

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March 23, 2009