Lola

I accompanied my mother to the market. The weather is gloomy that afternoon. Then, suddenly an old woman approached us. She wears ragged clothes I wonder how she feels given the cold weather that day. She must have been freezing last night. As she walked slowly, her slippers could barely feel her agony, her tiring feet’s. Her hair was out of style and I see her supposed to be black hair dominated by a white hue. Her crowning glory was tied imperfectly.

“Pahingi ng pamasahe pauwing Sta. Mesa...”she told us.

I was shocked when I heard her speak. I didn’t know what to do then. My mother gave her a coin. Her wrinkles are visible with those fines lines as she smile. How I missed my grandmothers at that very moment. They were with me for a short period of time. And I could still remember my grandmother when I was about to graduate from elementary. I was overflowing with childhood tears then. She must have been seen our graduation rites with her camera. I realized then, how I really longed for her for a long time.

At her age the old woman can still smile. How ironic I asked myself. She still gave us that smile as she begged for sympathy. Back then, when I was walking alone, I saw an old woman outside the bakery. She gave everyone a glimpse of her old and tiring eyes. She was with her empty steel can that serve as container for coins. As I passed her, I saw her eyes rummaged to me, pleasing. Without a word, I go inside the bakery and brought bread for her. I gave it to her –it must have been bigger than the coin for her empty can. She accepted it with her face that tenderly gives me that happy smile. I could still reminisce that very moment when she say to me, “Salamat hija”.

“Wala ba siyang kasama?” I asked my mother. She did not give me an answer. Instead, she asked the vegetable vendor. The vendor told us that the old woman is staying around the market in Makati and not in Sta. Mesa. “Pinababayaan na lang siya ng mga anak niya”, he added as he gave to us our plastic that contained the vegetables. I was speechless and we went home.

Our encounter with an old woman reminds me to be forever grateful every single day. Thou, I have my questions on that day that concerns the old lady, I used to asked myself on how do the people that surrounds lola to just let her loiter in streets. Considering the fact that she can no longer be alone with her age. She must have been in her home. If only we give them what they deserve, we might not see them loitering. They need comfort and they were old...