By: Mrs. Bee
KRRRNG! The loud sound of the bell rang throughout the entire campus of Dalubhasaang Epifanio de los Santos. The year was 1987.
The school quadrangle is filling with students rushing to the canteen.
It’s break time.
In the 5th grade classroom, everyone sped through the door, each one racing to be the first one to get out of the room. Meanwhile little Betchay, a 10 year old girl, stayed seated counting the coins in her hand. ‘I only need one more peso.’ She thought.
“Let’s go
buy our food,” said Nenita her classmate and close confidant. She reluctantly followed. Afraid to become the hot topic again, as her classmates would often buzz about her not having anything to eat for recess.
And while Nenita was choosing the food at the counter, little Betchay watched from behind.
This had become the scene most of the time, if not everyday in Bethcay’s life. Afterward, they would usually walk down the wide, covered pathway to join their other classmates to play.
As they reached the spot, before Betchay could even sit near the bushes, she heard a whimper from behind them. She followed the crying sound, and there, tucked right behind the shrub was a young girl weeping.
“Why are you crying?” inquired Betchay.
“I’m hungry.” The young girl abruptly replied, she's about 7 years of age. Betchay’s hand reached into the pocket of her skirt pulling out the coins she had been counting a moment ago.
Again, she counted them and… "Come with me,” she said, wrapping her right arm around the kid’s shoulder.
“I’ll come back later.” She looked back at Nenita.
And while Nenita was choosing the food at the counter, little Betchay watched from behind.
This had become the scene most of the time, if not everyday in Bethcay’s life. Afterward, they would usually walk down the wide, covered pathway to join their other classmates to play.
As they reached the spot, before Betchay could even sit near the bushes, she heard a whimper from behind them. She followed the crying sound, and there, tucked right behind the shrub was a young girl weeping.
“Why are you crying?” inquired Betchay.
“I’m hungry.” The young girl abruptly replied, she's about 7 years of age. Betchay’s hand reached into the pocket of her skirt pulling out the coins she had been counting a moment ago.
Again, she counted them and… "Come with me,” she said, wrapping her right arm around the kid’s shoulder.
“I’ll come back later.” She looked back at Nenita.
When the girls entered the store, Betchay’s eyes began to wander across the copious packs of food
hanging above the counter and behind the lady who was staring at her irritatingly, waiting for her to decide
what to buy.
“How much is that?” She asked pointing at one big plastic packed with smaller packets of foods in it.
“One fifty.” The lady briefly answered.
“How about... uhm... that one?” She pointed at the large transparent plastic bag filled with small yellow packs of snacks.
“Fifty centavos.” The lady answered annoyingly.
"Umm... how about that one?" she asked again pointing with her lips toward another plastic pack. The woman grew exasperated. Crossing her arms, she raised a brow and glowered.
“Okay that one." Betchay said. Aware of the woman's irritation, she pointed back to the yellow-colored pack of snacks.
"Please give me two.” Picking the coins from her palm she handed, them over to the woman who in turn gave her the two packs of “Zeb-zeb,” a classic corn puff snack.
She gave the other pack to the young girl, who instantly stepped ahead, leaving her gazing at the food displayed behind the glass shelf.
She looked at the food she was holding in her hand, then back to the shelf, before gazing down at the remaining coins in her palm and felt a quiet wave of sadness.
Bethchay turned her head to where the girl was standing and saw her waiting for her. Realizing the little kid was struggling to open the pack of her corn puffs, she hurried over with a speedy gait to help her.
The little girl consumed hers so quickly that it was nearly empty by the time they made it back to the spot where Betchay and Nenita had been sitting.
And before the little girl left, “You should come back here again, tomorrow." She said, beaming.
"Just come to me if you don’t have anything for a snack.” Said Bethchay. The little girl nodded then hastily run off, smiling.
“How much is that?” She asked pointing at one big plastic packed with smaller packets of foods in it.
“One fifty.” The lady briefly answered.
“How about... uhm... that one?” She pointed at the large transparent plastic bag filled with small yellow packs of snacks.
“Fifty centavos.” The lady answered annoyingly.
"Umm... how about that one?" she asked again pointing with her lips toward another plastic pack. The woman grew exasperated. Crossing her arms, she raised a brow and glowered.
“Okay that one." Betchay said. Aware of the woman's irritation, she pointed back to the yellow-colored pack of snacks.
"Please give me two.” Picking the coins from her palm she handed, them over to the woman who in turn gave her the two packs of “Zeb-zeb,” a classic corn puff snack.
She gave the other pack to the young girl, who instantly stepped ahead, leaving her gazing at the food displayed behind the glass shelf.
She looked at the food she was holding in her hand, then back to the shelf, before gazing down at the remaining coins in her palm and felt a quiet wave of sadness.
Bethchay turned her head to where the girl was standing and saw her waiting for her. Realizing the little kid was struggling to open the pack of her corn puffs, she hurried over with a speedy gait to help her.
The little girl consumed hers so quickly that it was nearly empty by the time they made it back to the spot where Betchay and Nenita had been sitting.
And before the little girl left, “You should come back here again, tomorrow." She said, beaming.
"Just come to me if you don’t have anything for a snack.” Said Bethchay. The little girl nodded then hastily run off, smiling.
The
next day, while still far down from the pathway, Betchay could already see the
young girl smiling and waving at her. She signaled for the little one to come closer.
At the canteen, Bethchay was asking the same angry lady, who was already scowling at her for inquiring about various packs of chips, biscuits and cookies. In the end, however, they wound up eating the corn puff snack, “Zeb-zeb” all over again.
After finishing their snack, they went their separate ways. Bethchay joined her classmates for a game of Pinoy-style football, while the little girl ran off to play with her own friends.
On the
third day of feeding the little one, they both have Coco Honey-a coconut
flavored biscuit-for a snack, since it cost the same as the corn puffs they had been eating.
Among her classmates, Little Betchay alone has one peso for her daily allowance-her baon-while the rest of her classmates had pocket money ranging from ten pesos to as high as fifty pesos.
Because of this, she had to save for days whenever she craved for something that exceeded her single-peso allowance.
However, among all the food in the canteen, which was located right below Betchay’s classroom, there was one particular treat she had always dream of tasting-something that made her world stop every time she saw it.
Most people on campus would find her standing in front of the glass shelf, spending a minute or so staring at the mouth-watering clubhouse sandwich, oozing with mayonnaise.
Though unaware of all the layers filled inside the sandwich she was craving, she still found the sight of it delightful. But for all the years she had been waiting and longing to eat it, she hadn’t tasted a single bite, her baon or allowance was never enough, because the clubhouse sandwich cost the equivalent of three her day's allowance.
Even when she tried to save for it, unexpected events usually got in the way such as: a piece of writing paper, theme paper, bond paper, art materials and many other things. And now, an entirely new situation had emerged, a little girl was hungry and needed to be fed.
Because of this, she had to save for days whenever she craved for something that exceeded her single-peso allowance.
However, among all the food in the canteen, which was located right below Betchay’s classroom, there was one particular treat she had always dream of tasting-something that made her world stop every time she saw it.
Most people on campus would find her standing in front of the glass shelf, spending a minute or so staring at the mouth-watering clubhouse sandwich, oozing with mayonnaise.
Though unaware of all the layers filled inside the sandwich she was craving, she still found the sight of it delightful. But for all the years she had been waiting and longing to eat it, she hadn’t tasted a single bite, her baon or allowance was never enough, because the clubhouse sandwich cost the equivalent of three her day's allowance.
Even when she tried to save for it, unexpected events usually got in the way such as: a piece of writing paper, theme paper, bond paper, art materials and many other things. And now, an entirely new situation had emerged, a little girl was hungry and needed to be fed.
Days
and weeks went by, and the two little girls remained inseparable still together every
morning during recess. They thoroughly enjoy their food-which, if it wasn't the usual corn puffs,
was that biscuit in coconut flavor with sugar on top. Although, there was once instance when the younger one had grown so tired of the same snack that she asked if they could eat something different, but of course it wasn't possible with the money they had.
One day, however, Betchay arrived earlier than usual at the covered walkway. Since the little girl hadn't show up yet, she sat beside her classmates while they ate. Minutes ticked by, but the young girl was nowhere to be found. When breaktime was over, Betchay reluctantly started to stride back to her classroom with an empty stomach. She couldn't help but wonder where the little girl could be.
She might get even hungrier if she didn't eat today, she thought worriedly.
Maybe she was just absent, she concluded, trying to brush away the trouble in her mind.
But
then again, the little girl did not show up the next day, or the next day. And the day after that.
Maybe she was really sick, The thought lingered in Betchay's mind, filling her with a quiet, anxious dread.
Once the weekend had passed, Bethchay found herself standing near the briers yet again during recess. Refusing to just wait in vain, she walked directly to the little one’s classroom to inquire. However, the teacher said she, as well, had no idea whether the little one would ever show up for school again. She added, she had received no news from her or any of her relatives.
Maybe she was really sick, The thought lingered in Betchay's mind, filling her with a quiet, anxious dread.
Once the weekend had passed, Bethchay found herself standing near the briers yet again during recess. Refusing to just wait in vain, she walked directly to the little one’s classroom to inquire. However, the teacher said she, as well, had no idea whether the little one would ever show up for school again. She added, she had received no news from her or any of her relatives.
Unhappy,
Betchay returned to her classroom, unsure of how she would spend the coming days, since she had become accustomed to the routine she had kept for almost a month.
But just like any other ordinary kid, she has moved on eventually and forgot about the girl. And soon, her days became as if she had never even met the little girl.
But just like any other ordinary kid, she has moved on eventually and forgot about the girl. And soon, her days became as if she had never even met the little girl.
Years went by, and little
Betchay still hadn’t tasted the clubhouse sandwich she had long to eat during her elementary and
high school days. But this time it wasn't because she couldn't save for it, nor because she was helping another
kid; it was simply because the craving had stopped. For what exact reason? That I do not know.
The memories of that little girl still visited her once in a while. Sometimes she even thought of the brief camaraderie they had shared-the girl's bright smile and the way they had played and laughed together with Betchay's friends.
The lifelong dream of tasting that sandwich may not have happened when I wanted it most, but my regret is not that I chose to forgo the treat to share my allowance with a younger child, but what's lingering in my heart today, it is simply, that I never even knew her name.
Why didn’t I bother to ask her name anyway? To this day, I still cannot find the answer-why the little me did not do so.
Why didn’t I bother to ask her name anyway? To this day, I still cannot find the answer-why the little me did not do so.
