Umaapoy na Damdamin ng Isang Ina

Napakahaba ng titulo ko di ba? Ibig sabihin, umaapoy talaga, nagpupuyos, nagagalit.

Ang asawa ko ay may meeting sa SBMA kahapon. Ako ay hindi pumasok sa trabaho at sumama sa kanya upang pumunta sa tahanan ng aking mga magulang. Naiwan ang anak kong si Julian doon sa bahay ng aking mga magulang, upang makasama ang dalawang kapatid niyang sina Trixie at Tania. Babalikan sila bago ang pasukan sa Hunyo.

Gabi na ng kami ng aking asawa ay makabalik. Kami ay gutom na gutom at pagod. Dumaan kami sa isang kainan upang maghapunan. Doon sa kainan, merong mga bata, me dalang banduria, byolin at gitara. Sila ay tumutugtog. May isang bata namimigay ng maliit na envelope upang manghingi ng donasyon.

Ako ay nabagabag at hindi komportable, hindi dahil sila ay nanghihingi ng pera kungdi dahil gabi na at dapat sila ay nagpapahinga na ngunit sila ay patuloy pa din sa kanilang ginagawa. Ito ay isang palaisipan sa akin. Hindi ba ito ay isang pang-aabuso? Hindi ba ito ay isang pagmamalabis? Umaapoy ang aking damdamin kaya kinuha ko ang aking kamera upang kunan sila ng larawan. Kelangan ko itong maisulat, upang maipahayag ko ang aking pagkamuhi sa ganitong sistema. Bakit kailangang gawin ito sa kanila? Sila ay mula sa isang foundation. Pero bakit ganun?

Sintunado na ang kanta.

Hindi na sabay-sabay ang pagtugtog.

Wala nang saya ang pag-awit.

Pagod na ang mga bata. Pagod na.

My title is long, isn’t it? This means it is fiery and angered even.

My husband had a meeting at SBMA yesterday. I decided to not go to work and go with him so that I can visit my parents and my two daughters currently vacationing there. Julian was left there to be with his sisters and to have some break too. We will be getting them before classes start in June.

It was already late when we started for home. My hubby and I were hungry and tired. We decided to go to a fast food in one of the many gasoline stations lining up the NLEX for some dinner. In the restaurant,there were some children. They had musical instruments with them: violin, guitar and banduria. They were playing these musical instruments. There was even a small child going to the diners giving them envelope for donations.

I was uncomfortable, I was not happy, not because they were asking for money but because its late. Its past 9pm! Shouldn’t they be resting? Why do they still continue what they were doing? This puzzled me. Isn’t this a form of child abuse? Isn’t this child exploitation? My feeling were hurt for them, I was “on fire” so I had to get the camera and to take their photos. I wanted to write about this, to vent off my steam about this kind of treatment, about this kind of system. And to think they are staying with a foundation. Why do they have to do this to them?