The Cab Ride

It's already past 12 midnight. The dark sky is clear as no rain clouds are there. The moon is magnificently showing its glory, across the sky, with its half shining brightly. And I am here sitting and thinking. This is not a story of a right now and I'm not sitting inside a cab. But within a usual cab ride in a not-so-usual ride atmosphere, I had a fun yet touching story. 

                                             

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It was a typical Saturday afternoon. It was actually just last Saturday. The sun's heat could still be felt as it was slowly setting towards the west. I was waiting for a jeep along Jones Avenue for a ride back into my boarding house. For a couple of minutes, I stayed there standing along the road, waiting. And then on a 16-seater Multi-cab, I found myself riding along with around nine other passengers. I was sitting in the middle part of the left side of the cab. It all seemed like a typical ride I used to have.

I noticed two men talking. I could say they looked like they're in their 50's. They were just wearing casual clothes like they were just in their home. They were seated in the rear part of the cab, near the entrance, seated in front of each other in opposite sides. They seemed to be having fun. Their topic was about their relationship with their wives and they weren't serious. I didn't mean with their relationship but they weren't serious or should I say they were just being humorous. They were just making fun while enjoying the ride on that quite hot afternoon. The man sitting on the other side where I was sitting, was the one cracking the jokes. The other one, just laughing. They were having fun. My attention was attracted to them and I listened to them and glanced at them every once in a while and laughed a little.

One thing fascinated me. They were like teenagers teasing each other while cracking jokes. I think they were really close friends. It's not a usual scene one could see while riding on a Jeep - not, considering their age. Their fun continued until slowly they have grabbed the attention of the rest of the passengers, the driver and the fare collector seated beside the driver.

The man, seated on the other side, was really humorous. And the way he blew his lines, it all were just natural and that made it all really funny and amusing. I didn’t know if he’s a little bit drunk, I didn’t even notice or think of it. But when his brown envelope was unknowingly dropped below the seat, he didn’t seem to notice. I didn’t also notice although at that instance as I was looking at him while he was expressively telling jokes. A guy seated almost in front me told the man that his envelope was dropped, he thanked the guy and said, “Oh, you envelope. Are you drunk?” while he shook and opened it, showed it to us that it’s empty. He laughed and said that it was just for a show, nothing really is inside it.  And we all laughed and that made me think if his not drunk or the way I looked at him - maybe a little. 

And then he suddenly sang a folk song, I never heard of it. He was singing, with his head swaying and hands in beat, while showing us what’s written in the folder and then pointed to it. I think that was the title of the song. I tried to remember that word but I just couldn’t. His voice was good. And then he said he’s a music teacher in a university nearby,he even named it. Then he started telling about his wife and their relationship. He still was humorous while telling that. Parts by parts, he sang their songs and said those were the days when love was so strong. Young as they were, he told her he loved her and that she too felt the same. “The magic and wonder of young love and the strong intense emotions it brings”, he said. And they were happy. But now he said, we’re not together anymore. Their children are already old and each have their own lives. She’s a head nurse in a hospital and he actually mentioned the hospital. "He cares not.", he said and added, "She maybe have money but I do have my pension". And we all laughed. He sound so funny again but then I know there’s emotion there. A serious sad emotion hidden beneath those lines, I have felt it.”And I won’t anymore look for another woman, I’m too old”, he said. “Besides, a woman might just stay with me because of money.”,  he continued. “But mind you, oh I can still manage to make a woman happy”, and we laughed again. The way he throwed those words and his face and actions, he was just so hilarious. Yet I know, there’s a sad story masked behind those jokes. I have really felt it.

“I won’t commit suicide because of that break-up.”, he said laughing. “Then who will benefit my pension?..Her?”, and he kind of smile. “No, I won’t”, he added. “Life is still good and I just have to continue living.”, and we all agreed to him. I don’t know his story as a whole, but whatever it is or the reasons are, I could only agree to him that what he said was true - he should continue his journey. Life is always beautiful.  

Before they reached their destination, he asked the woman, seated beside me, of the man she earlier mentioned. He named the person and asked, “I know him. He’s in military, right?”. And the woman smiled and agreed. “I know him because I’m a Major.”, he said with a little laugh. I thought he said he’s a teacher. I was puzzled and began to wonder.

And then he said, “I’m a Major....Major problem!”. 

We all laughed. And he got me laughing hard with that. I could only wish the cab had a spacious floor. Kidding.

And the period was placed at the end of the sentence.

They both disembarked from the cab, in the intersection going to a military camp and also just near the university he said he was teaching. Coincidence or not, I wonder what does he really do for a living,  a teacher or a military man. At that time, he didn't look like any of those either. I can only guess.

He was still showing that happy and funny face while looking at us, smiling, after he crossed the road. And we were still laughing and fascinated with him.

I don’t know if he was really a teacher but one thing’s sure, I learned some things from him - jokes, life and most importantly, keeping a relationship.

Inspired By That Glass Of Milk

I would like to start having posts like this. It's like storytelling but I think it's more of story sharing. This is about sharing stories, more likely not my work   - until I can write my first story :), but I would just like to share it. As an adage goes, sharing is loving.

This is just one of those wonderful and inspiring stories that have touched my heart. I couldn't anymore remember the first time I have read this one. But on that day, I know in my heart that I've been greatly touched. I have shared this story in one of my former blogs, and I shared it with my workmate. He's been asking me lately about that blog, I had deleted the blog, since he had read all the stories shared there and that this story really have touched his heart. He wanted to read it again. He told me that the time he first read this, it feels like his heart was crumpled. I told him that I'd share it here. 

I don't know if you ever have read this story, but I'm sure this one is famous. You can always search the internet how true this story is. 

But this post is inspired by that glass of milk.

A tribute to goodness and gratitude. 

A Glass of Milk - Paid In Full

One day, a poor boy who was selling goods from door to door to pay his way through school, found he had only one thin dime left, and he was hungry. He decided he would ask for a meal at the next house. However, he lost his nerve when a lovely young woman opened the door. Instead of a meal he asked for a drink of water. She thought he looked hungry so brought him a large glass of milk. He drank it slowly, and then asked, “How much do I owe you?” “You don’t owe me anything,” she replied. “Mother has taught us never to accept pay for a kindness.” He said, “Then I thank you from my heart.”

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As Howard Kelly left that house, he not only felt stronger physically, but his faith in God and man was strong also. He had been ready to give up and quit.

Year’s later that young woman became critically ill. The local doctors were baffled. They finally sent her to the big city, where they called in specialists to study her rare disease. Dr. Howard Kelly was called in for the consultation. When he heard the name of the town she came from, a strange light filled his eyes. Immediately he rose and went down the hall of the hospital to her room. Dressed in his doctor’s gown he went in to see her. He recognized her at once. He went back to the consultation room determined to do his best to save her life. From that day he gave special attention to the case.

After a long struggle, the battle was won. Dr. Kelly requested the business office to pass the final bill to him for approval. He looked at it, then wrote something on the edge and the bill was sent to her room. She feared to open it, for she was sure it would take the rest of her life to pay for it all. Finally she looked, and something caught her attention on the side of the bill. She began to read the following words:

“Paid in full with one glass of milk”
Signed, Dr. Howard Kelly.

Like A Plant - Growing

It's been quite a few days since my last post here. Life has given me a quite busy weekend. Though, never did it leave my mind that I will, yes, write about this renewed inspiration to write, to express and tell about life's touching simple details. As soon as I could take time to sit in front of my computer, I'll have to sew the thoughts, the words that will tell the simple tales I have. I've been into some failed attempts at writing, well blogging, the past few years. I'm just good at starting then but as time goes by, momentum slows down just like a bus that's going for a stop. But this time, I won't. No, not this time.

Now, I am starting again but more differently than before. I think I was and am a frustrated blogger. I was in my college years when I first heard about blogging. Although, at first, it never really attracted my interest, so different from what I am having right now. Maybe t'was all because it seems a hard thing for me to do then. It seems hard where or how to start blogging. Thinking then that someone would need to setup a website and then look for some interesting topic to blog. It was then the topic or correct me if I'm wrong - "niche", that I find so hard to choose. Maybe at that time, I have looked far from my own horizon not noticing the ones just steps away. The ones which hold the so-many-things to tell about. And so this personal blog was born.  

I'm still looking forward, as I think we all should do, but with small, careful steps.  Every once in a while, I'm looking back, reminiscing, and sometimes glancing at my both sides. I don't just leave and forget the past things, the yesterdays, just because they were done or ignore the present because they'll soon pass for they have molded a part of me. And maybe some became a part of who I am - the lessons learned made me better, stronger and wiser. Among them, are those forgotten as time goes by, those which unknowingly remained for years, those which are written to be remembered, those which are wanted to be cherished in memory and those which are wanted to be erased but just can't. 

They're all part of who I have become. The thing is that I think it's all about keeping oneself in the path. And the journey continues. But as it goes on, I realized that sometimes it's not really that "getting there" that matters but "how we get there" that colors the day. I think I don't wanna jump or even fly as I go because I might miss some wonderful things along the way.  

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Like a plant.

Striving to live.

Almost withered.

Leaves fallen.

Sacrificed to fertile. 

The soil beneath.

Gained sunshine and rain.

Nourished again.

Now growing back.

Each leaf that sprouts.

Tells a new story.

Until all the leaves.

Are turned to book pages.

Or became posts like this.

For like a plant growing again.

Blogger could now also be my name.