July 22, 2009

Basking in the golden gleam of sunlight, Gerald never felt so warm in his life. Sure it was summer, not to mention he’s in a tropical country and, in direct contact with the sun’s light. But this is only a part of the warmth that Gerald is experiencing. He felt an indescribable warmth inside him as he observe his mother laughing and giggling more often than before, he felt warm as his grandmother dotes on him.

“Ill get fat grandma Anna” said Gerald, looking at his belly.

“young’uns shouldn’t worry about that” Anna chuckled, still serving food at the now nearly full wooden table.

Gerald gave up convincing his grandma, when he noticed Anna’s really bright smile, remembering that she had been alone all this time probably lonely, Gerald started shoving food in his mouth. It was delicious, it was the best food he had ever had. The dish was simple yet it had an indescribable flavor to it, it was so delicious his tears started to flow. This was the warmth he had always wanted, a warmth he had only dreamt of. Gerald, now engulfed with the feeling of love, felt that the years of needless suffering was nothing but a lie.

-

Missing the opportunity to enroll due to a difference in enrollment schedule, and disappointed by the countless rejection of store owner’s not wanting to hire an underage. Gerald found himself walking by the houses made of plywood and iron sheets.

There, he saw her again, she was standing by a foldable white board, pointing at the letters written on it, cheerfully teaching the children.

“ A! B! C! D!” chanted the kids.

Seemingly deaf to the children’s chants, Gerald stared at her, he could feel his heart beating wildly, reminiscing this weird feeling, he kept his eyes on her.

Noticing someone staring at her direction, Liah looked behind, realizing that he was staring at her, she fixed her pony tail and decided to approach him.

‘ A foreigner? Is he lost?’ Liah thought, observing the stranger with a blonde hair, sharp eyes, and a really pale skin.

‘I’m guessing his around my age’

‘ehhhh?? She’s heading this way,’ Gerald panicked, unable to calm himself he gripped his clothes tightly.

“Hello, are you lost? Mr...?” asked Lia, now standing half a meter from the stranger, pausing at the word “mr” implying that she was asking for his name.

Having zero experience at talking to girls his age Gerald awkwardly paused for a good two minutes.

‘She’s too close, too close, but looking at her closely, she’s really pretty, her brown skin and her enchanting brown eyes complimenting each other, accompanied by her black silky hair and the sweet smell of perfume lingering around her, isn’t she a goddess?...Not good, I’m thinking like a creep’ thought Gerald, composing himself.

“Mr. Ger-Gerald, Ger-Gerald, Ger-Gerald, Ger-Gerald, Ger Gerald, I meant just Gerald,” muttered Gerald, stuttering, nervously speaking in a rapid-fire rhythm.

‘cute’ thought Liah.

“I see Mr. Gerald...My name’s Liah” ,extending her right arm for a handshake.

“Ger-Ger-Gerald is fine Miss Liah”, said Gerald as he awkwardly swing his hand to give Liah a high five.

“ uhm? I thought you’d be familiar with a handshake” said Liah, scratching her cheeks.

“Ah yes, my bad” Gerald said, wanting to die, he shakes Liah’s hand.

“So, are you lost?” asked Liah.

“Ah no, Im not lost, I’m actually looking for a part time job or a way to kill time since I missed the entrance exam when we moved here” replied Gerald, still feeling awkward.

“hmmm…I'm not sure about a part-time job, but are you interested in volunteering to teach kids?” Liah inquired, anticipating Gerald's response as she was beginning to wonder if she was doing a good job of teaching the kids. Having a companion would be extremely beneficial to her

“I guess I can, but I don’t think I know how to teach kids and shouldn’t they be at school?” asked Gerald, concerned of the children’s education and well being.

“About the school thing, they lack money so they can’t afford to attend, you see they often have five more sibling and most of my students here are firstborn, they would rather work than go to school, Yes tuition is free at the elementary level but they would be burdened with other school fees as their parents fail to see the value of education. So attending would be a naught for nothing. Thus I do my best to teach them how to read write and do basic mathematics at least that’s the least I can do for them, and plus I can share my hobby of studying insects with them” said Liah as she smiles, but a hint of sadness is obvious in her wet eyes.

‘A Goddess indeed, compared to me or to a lot of people turning a blind eye on these kids, she acted to actually help them,’ Gerald thought, admiring Liah.

“Well, about you not knowing how to teach kids, why don’t we start by getting to know them” excitedly said Liah, delighted to having a companion.

Gerald failed to notice the kids clinging to Liah surrounding them both as he was immersed in their conversation.

‘I'm not particularly fond of children, but after hearing Liah's reasons and motivation for teaching them, I can't help but want to try and help them,' he reasoned.

“I’m Gerald, and starting from now I’ll be one of your teachers, so why don’t you tell me your names too” he cheerfully said, waving his two hands trying to amuse the kids.

However, the kids showed no response and was still clinging to Liah. Gerald still waving his hand stopped as Liah let out a chuckle.

“Pfft”

July 29 2009

“young’uns really are energetic” Anna laughed, looking at the running Gerald still full of energy after a back breaking 5 hours of work.

“Ill be off now mom, grandma” said gerald, now feeling fresh after a quick shower.

Gerald spent his morning helping his grandmother and mother tend the vegetable farm, then ride a bus to town to teach the children. He never was fond of kids but getting to know them, he changed. He now keeps a diary to record not just his daily activities but even the kids attitude, quirks, what they like, and brought by liahs influence, their favorite insects. Wanting to share the same hobby as liah gerald started to research about insects.

Preparing for what to teach the kids next he flipped trough his diary reading out loud.

“Jonathan, like most Filipinos, has black hair and black eyes, and he is the eldest student, he is the oldest of four siblings, and he has a strong sense of justice, driven by his desire to one day become a police officer. He was an admirable young man who frequently assisted those who were bullied in their neighborhood.”

“Anica, the shy kid who was always clinging to Liah, she has really round black eyes, black curly hair, and her nose drips a lot, filling her cheeks with snot, which Liah would always clean. She aspires to be a teacher like her Ate Liah.”

“Justin, a bald naughty kid who always teases me because he caught me ogling at Liah once, he's a pain in the ass but a really hard worker, he said he doesn't know what he wants to be but surely he wouldn't want to be a burden to his family, that, he imposed.” Gerald sighed.

“Sam, a quiet kid who excels at everything you teach. He grasps concepts quickly when they are introduced to him. He has an intellectual aura around him, observing everything around him, and he has a curious mind, as he asked anything he could think of in terms of seeking knowledge.”

“Last but not least, Gela, the really cheerful kid who is the epitome of headache. She brightens the mood, which is very distracting during class. She wants to be an actress, which I believe would suit her. She would frequently bring magazines with famous actors in them, but I had to confiscate one because of it’s graphic content.”

Thinking about a scenario of the kids happily playing. Gerald smiled and raised his hand, holding a small game board about the size of a fourth of a cardboard. It had a clock hand in the center with a vivid drawing of different types of insects replacing the numbers.

-

“So the game goes this way, you’d form a line, then ill spin the arrow the person first in line would describe the insect with at least 2 sentences but failure to do so, they would imitate the insect, got it” Gerald explained.

The children excited, Simultaneously replied:

“got it”

“Umu”

“That’s easy”

“Pfft basic”

“aight got it”

After spending the whole afternoon playing with the kids, waiting for the bus Gerald who looked tired and haggard stood by a flickering lamp post, he had his eyes closed, pondering about a quote he remembered,

“The brighter the Light, the darker the shadows” he whispered, simultaneously the lamp post light burned out.