One True Love

Jake* is handsome. His is not an ordinary face. It was the face of a guy who gets a girl, any girl he wants. He couldn’t remember any girl that ever turned her down. He is simply irresistible and he knows it. And he doesn’t settle for an average face, his girlfriends had been known for their beauty and body. In fairness to Jake, he doesn’t dump anyone in his life. The relationships simply.. didn’t work out.

Then, he met Kat*, a witty, funny and ordinary looking girl who contradicted her the first time they came face-to-face. Jake was amused. How could she? thought he. Is there something wrong with the girl or he has gotten old? After all, he is already 26.

Since then, he did all he could to be noticed by Kat, but nothing seems to work. The girl is just too smart for him and no amount of flirting can do the trick. She’s just beyond him.

So, Jake found himself smitten by the girl to the point of obsession. Jake was finally and hopelessly.. in love. But there was one problem.. Kat was 10 years his junior? She was just a child. Courting her would be deemed taking advantage of the girl’s innocence but letting her go without taking a chance would be unbearable. So, he took his chance and was rewarded. Kat liked him too, maybe not as much as he felt about her, but it was enough for Jake.

For the first time in his life, Jake felt what love really is. Love was looking at her, watching over her and making sure she’s alright. He wanted to protect her and make her happy. He wanted to be there for her always. He couldn’t stand being away from her for too long. But Kat was too young and too smart, too young to commit herself to Jake and too smart to know there is so much ahead of her and Jake has to accept that.

When Kat went to college, Jake went abroad. He had to do something while waiting for Kat. Five years later, Jake came home but learned that Kat already had a child but had no husband. It didn’t matter, he still wanted her. But Kat was still the spirited girl who knew what she wanted and it wasn’t Jake.

Jake went back abroad, still hoping that when he comes back, Kat would finally realize she loves him. But Jake was wrong, he came back with a happily married Kat. Jake knew it was time to let go. He courted another girl and married her. They had two children and Jake loved them.

Jake is happy and knowing Kat is well makes him happier. Still, in the dead of night, he would put out his cell phone and look at Kat’s number, not to text her or call her, just look at her number thinking that his one true love is just a phone call away..

*not real names

A Confusing Inquiry

A month ago, as I was taking charge of the reception desk, I entertained the inquiry of a couple. The first thing they asked was whether we cater to children as young as two years old. I told them right away that we prefer older children as younger ones tend to cry, look for mommy and do not follow teacher’s instructions, which are contradictory to the real purpose of the program we offer. So, I suggested that we wait until the child turns two and a half years, at least.

Then, they asked me if our teacher speaks in English, so I said ‘yes’ as the medium of instruction is in English, but I also admitted that if a particular child speaks in vernacular, then our teacher may speak likewise, so that they will understand each other. The mother asked again, what if they prefer that our teacher speaks with their child in English, so I said yes, the teacher would because basically, English is the medium of instruction in our center.

But the mom said that, what if her child is not English-speaking, as they don’t speak English at home, but they prefer that the teacher speak to her child in English. So again, I said, yes, the teacher would because generally, the teacher speaks in English as medium of instruction.

Well, at that point, I didn’t know who couldn’t understand whom. Couldn’t I understand her? Or couldn’t she understand me, because it seems like I just repeated what I already said.

But since, their child is only two years old, even if we satisfy their requirement, we still don’t encourage them to enroll. So, I just gave them our contact number and said to call us when their child got a little older. The mother thanked me but before they left, she asked me one last question: if I can recommend a school that teaches English language only to her two year old child. I answered if there is such school, I personally don’t know any.

She thanked me one last time and left.

So, what did she want again?

(I understand if parents want their children to learn to speak English fluently. What I don’t understand is the almost obsessive way they want their children to learn. If parents really want their children to speak in English, then, they have to speak to their children in English, themselves, or they have to let them watch English shows  or English films. Even if they enroll their children to English language schools only to speak in vernacular at home, then, the purpose may not be served. What can two hours of English speaking do against 22 hours of speaking in vernacular?)

One Fateful Night

Jessie* is a lesbian who works in a call center. She used to live with her girlfriend in a quiet subdivision in Laguna. They had been together for several years and were both satisfied with what they had, until one fateful night.

Jessie was supposed to meet some friends and her girlfriend Tina was supposed to go to work, but for some reasons, both of them stayed in the house. By midnight they were woken by voices in the living room. It took only a short while for them to realize that the house was being robbed. The robbers were just as surprised as they were to find them at the Master’s bedroom. Both were masked and there was no way for Jessie and Tina to recognize them, besides the fact that they froze and couldn’t function over the idea that they were face to face with criminals.

In order to save themselves, Jessie and Tina got up and ran for their lives. The sturdy Jessie was able to reach the door but the petite Tina wasn’t as fast. She was grabbed by one robber and stabbed her, again and again. Jessie was able to get out the door but upon realizing that Tina didn’t make it out of the house came back for her. Luckily, the robbers already left and Tina’s body was lying motionless on the floor. With the help of neighbors, Tina was taken to the nearest hospital. She survived.

When she was sent home, it was Jessie who took care of her. Jessie fed her, bathed her, dressed her up and nursed her back to life. Together, they faced the ordeal. Jessie would come home from work and feed Tina, clean her wounds, change the bandage and put her to sleep. Sometimes, Tina would scream in the middle of the night. She was in so much pain. Sometimes, she even scream in her sleep as if the robbers were trying to kill her even in her dreams. Jessie would put her arms around Tina and comfort her and put her back to sleep. It seems to go on forever.

It took several months before things finally got back to normal, or so they thought. Things didn’t get back to normal. They love each other as much as they did before or maybe even more, but something about their relationship has changed. They no longer find enjoyment and satisfaction in their physical relationship. Instead of lovers, they feel as if they are sisters. Time passed by and the romantic feelings they once shared didn’t come back so they decided to part ways. They became best friends until now.

Funny how fateful events which make other people closer had opposite effect on Jessie and Tina. Life, indeed, is mysterious..

*not real names

Flattered and Touched

Last year, I had a student in reading. She surely was a smart six year-old girl. However, she had an attitude. She always made me feel I was not as good as her teachers in school. She made me feel impoverished with her stories of living luxuriously (which I believe was unintentional because she had no idea they have so much money) and she made me feel she didn’t need a tutor, me, because she was smart.

As what I do to all my students, I found ways to get along well with her. But it seems like she was making life difficult for both us. She read silently when I asked her to read out loud. She messed up her work sheets, she pretended to be so sleepy probably hoping I would send her home. Even one time, she said her tummy was aching so I had to call her nanny only to tell me it was false alarm and the nanny whispered at my ear..

‘Teacher, she’s just making it up…’

I came to the point that I secretly wished she would cancel a session. She didn’t, except during her ballet recital and that was only once. I was flattered, though, that she kept on enrolling in my program. I took it that her mother thought I was doing my job right.

Last month, I passed by the center and saw her with the teacher who replaced me. She got up as soon as she saw me and ran to me. She called my name and hugged me.

I was so touched. A gesture like that coming from a student who, I’ve always felt, didn’t like me was.. really something. I hugged her back and asked her how she was. She instantly recovered her poise and became as formal as I remember her to be, but her eyes told me she missed me.

I suddenly felt happy and proud of who and what I am… a teacher who makes a difference..

Never Meant to Be

Arthur* and Mely* were childhood friends. They were classmates in grade school. Arthur, being from an ordinary family, however, has not received any warm welcome in Mely’s grand house. The girl’s family looked down on him and never regarded him as an equal.

Arthur, handsome and extraordinarily smart, knew this and vowed to change the way they felt about him. Armored with innate intelligence and unwavering determination, he pursued the medical course. Before he graduated, however, Arthur, learned that Mely’s family had migrated to the United States.

Grieving his lost love, Arthur strove harder and became a passionate physician. He met a beautiful lady whom he married and they were blessed with six beautiful children. After almost 40 years, Mely, now a widow, came back and was happy to learn that Arthur became the doctor they both wanted him to be.

For some reasons, Mely wanted to meet him and his family. It seems like she wanted to see how he turned out to be and what kind of family he had. She talked with Arthur’s sister and arranged to pay him and his family a visit.

Four days before the intended visit, they received a news that Arthur had a heart attack. He died in the hospital at 68 years old. Mely wept, not so much for the reunion that will never take place but more for the LOVE that was NEVER meant to be..

*not real names

A Touching Gesture

By now, the parents of most of my students know that I am leaving the company in a few days’ time. It was so touching to see their facial expressions change from surprise to sadness.. But I guess the most touching of all was from a father of my student in Reading.

Mr. Ang* is a quiet and serious person who never talk with us much. He would just drop his son and when he is sure that there is already someone watching over the boy, he would take his leave and be back again after the session. He would simply say ‘thank you’ and silently go away with his child. The longest conversation he had was not with me but with our Officer-In-Charge about his son’s progress, and the fact that he re-enrolled his son twice already might be an indication that he likes our services.

Then he found out that I was leaving. Just when I thought that he was about to leave, he looked at me and in a quiet and firm voice asked me if it’s true that I will be gone soon and I answered yes. Maybe I just imagined it but I saw an expression of genuine sadness in his eyes before he asked ‘Why do you have to leave us?’

So I said that that’s just the way it is, people come, people go, but I believe that whoever will replace me will teach his son with as much dedication as I had. He looked at me one more time before he finally bid me goodbye.

Right now, I’m having mixed emotions about leaving. I feel excited to start something new but I feel sad for those I will leave behind. I also received some offers for my services at the client’s house but of course that wouldn’t be right, so I have to turn them down very politely.

I guess I just have to keep my fingers crossed and hope for the best :D

*not real name

Black Eyed Susan

Susan’s husband Andy* is an ordinary worker. Since they live in the province, their cost of living is supposed to be minimal. But with 6 children in the family, life was still difficult.

Consequently, Susan* always gets irritated. She feels as if everything was conspiring to give her a hard time. So, she started nagging Andy every time she gets a chance. Andy, on the other hand just ignores her altogether. After all, it’s not his fault the price of everything keeps on getting high, is it? Besides, he’s doing everything he could. What else can he do?

One night, however, when Susan was in one of her ranting moments, Andy became a little uneasy. He feels as if Susan’s tongue was a little sharper and her face a little uglier, in short, Susan was more annoying this particular night. Well, blame it to the brandy he consumed earlier.

Andy loves his wife. She might be a pain sometimes but behind the irritating face is a sweet, kind woman he married about 10 years ago. But there are times that she goes too far, just like tonight.

Susan, running out of something annoying to say, began to drag Andy’s mother into the issue. She started to blame her mother-in-law for not paying what the old woman owed to her, like a kilo of rice, a bottle of cooking oil, etc. She started to say how irritating, meddling, ugly old hag Andy’s mother was. But as soon as the words came out of her mouth, Susan flew across the dining room and fell on her butt. Her left eye was bruised and burning from Andy’s knuckles.

Andy stood and walked out of the house. He came back the following morning.

Moral Lesson: Don’t do to other people’s parents what you don’t want other people do to yours.

*not real name

A Rewarding Call

About 4 days ago while our receptionist was busy with another client, I answered the phone and felt somehow uneasy when the caller specifically asked for the English teacher which, obviously, happened to be me. Did I do something wrong? I thought.

I identified myself and asked the caller what it was about. She told me how grateful she is for all the things she learned from me during the review. She took the civil service exam last October and passed. I congratulated her sincerely and told her I am so happy for her.

Other people may think that it is our job to teach, but for us, it is more than that. We don’t just prepare lessons and stand and talk. We find ways to make learning easier and more enjoyable. We don’t simply give out the correct answers, we teach the students how to find the answers. We don’t simply want them to pass, we want them to LEARN.

Teaching is not just a JOB. Teaching is a way of life and only those with the gift can do it properly and enjoy it. So, if anyone is teaching just for the salary, she’s lucky to last for 3 years. If she does, then there’s a chance she’ll do it for as long as she can.. :)

How Much Is Your Love?

Mark* and Belle* were childhood friends. They practically grew up together. They did a lot of things together and shared a lot of memories. So, we were kind of expecting that they would end up together.

It was quite obvious that Belle felt something for Mark. But Mark, though obviously thoughtful to Belle, never courted her in any way or dropped a hint that he would do so when the time comes. Still, we waited. We were so sure that fate would take its natural course. We didn’t doubt it even when Mark changed girlfriends countless of times and Belle had boyfriend as well when we all went to college. Why would we doubt? They look so good together that we couldn’t imagine one without the other.

When they both graduated from college, we thought that the long wait was over. But we were disappointed yet again. At this point in time, we wanted so much to interfere, but we knew we were not supposed to meddle with other people’s affairs even though those other people are our friends.

After years of waiting, in one very special occasion, Mark was finally able to say how he felt about Belle. We were right all along. He loved her.

We were shocked, however, to find out after a few months that he was marrying someone else. So, we went to Belle to clear things up.

What is going on?

Belle was composed. She told us what really happened that night. Yes, Mark expressed his feelings to Belle. How much he loved her all this time. But he was only letting Belle know. He was not courting her. He never did and he never will. It seems like he met a girl at the party that particular night. A rich and gullible girl who was obviously smitten by his natural charm and he knew, she was the one for him.

They got married. Mark is now living the life he had always wanted, a comfortable one without sweating out even a little. Belle? She is doing fine. She is also married to a more deserving man and she is now operating her own preschool.

The saddest part of this story is that.. it is true :(

*not real name

Speech Delayed?

Mommy said Paul’s speech is delayed, but upon assessment, I found out that Paul’s English vocabulary is even better than those of other kids his age. When presented with pictures, Paul can identify objects and animals, but he can’t talk with us. He can’t tell us what he wants nor can he tell us how he feels. He simply can’t communicate with other people.

Moreover, Paul’s pen grip is so light. He can’t hold a pencil by himself. He can’t rub a crayon against paper, so, he can’t color the pictures that I give him. One time, during one of our sessions, Paul suddenly had an attack of separation anxiety. He wanted mommy, but mommy went somewhere else. So, I explained to him that we have to wait for mommy to come back. Paul mumbled words that nobody could comprehend. Frustrated, he pointed outside and kept on mumbling. I assumed that he wanted us to follow his mommy but I said that wouldn’t be good because we didn’t know where mommy went. Paul wept in between mumbling. I felt that he was trying so hard to tell me what he wanted to happen. I felt that he was pleading and begging. I felt that he needed help but I didn’t know how to help him. I tried to comfort him and told him everything’s going to be ok, I was with him and we will both wait for mommy to come back. Paul kept shaking his head. He wanted to say something but I couldn’t figure out what it was. So, he just sat on his chair and wept silently. I nearly wept with him.

When mommy came back, I told her what happened. Mommy said that was her problem with Paul and told me that she didn’t know what to do about it. Honestly, I didn’t know either. So, I just told her to consult Paul’s pediatrician and ask her to recommend a speech therapist for the boy.

I may have an idea what happened to Paul, but I didn’t know what is supposed to be done except consult  the specialists about it.  We stopped Paul’s program and we wouldn’t resume until something has been done about his speech. I sincerely hope that mommy didn’t wait until now to do something about it :(

*not real name

Mommy Laptop

Kyle* is a little boy of four. He is one cheerful lad with smiling face. He is also quite smart and one of the best students in class.

He is usually brought to school by his aunt and fetched by his grandfather at the end of class. We never met his mother. But whoever raises Kyle is surely doing a good job at it, because though the little boy can be mischievous and stubborn, he is one sweet, smart and well-adjusted kid.

One day during their play time, Kyle started to say something about his mom. Out of curiosity, we asked Kyle what his mom’s name is and he said..

“Mommy Laptop”

It was how we learned that Kyle’s mom is an overseas contract worker and that he only sees her and talks to her via the internet.

I found it a little sad that a child like Kyle grows up knowing his mother only on the screen. He has no memory of how she held him in her arms, nor how she kissed him and tucked him to bed.

I can understand the sacrifice Kyle’s mom has to make for her child and I know that someday Kyle will understand, too. If only all children of overseas contract workers are raised with so much love and affection, then, surely , no child will feel neglected and abandoned even if he only sees his mother on the laptop. Kyle’s program will end this December and I sincerely wish him and his entire family good luck..

*not real name

Till Death Do They Part

When I was in high school way back in the province, I remember a couple. I already forget their names but I wouldn’t forget their story.

They were newly weds and they were as sweet as newly weds could be. As far as I can remember the boy works in the farm and the girl sells rice cakes. In the afternoon when their tasks were done, they would walk hand-in-hand in the farm. They did it every day that it became a common sight.

Then one day, the girl was in her 6th month of pregnancy. They were walking down the road they usually take when it suddenly rained. It was only a drizzle but the boy got worried for his pregnant wife so he decided that it was time to go home. He held his wife’s hand and was walking faster than usual when he saw a blinding light and heard a deafening sound, then BLANK. When he regained consciousness he was lying down the wet and cold earth, beside him was the lifeless body of his wife. She was buried after a week.

The first few months were the hardest for the boy. He went on with his usual farm chores as if nothing has changed. But the scary part was, he was living as if his wife was still with him. He was often found sitting by the tomb of his wife at the cemetery singing her songs he used to sing to her. He was always seen walking in the farm talking with no one. His family worried for his sanity but they did their best to help him cope up. They succeeded.

After a few years, the boy led a normal life. Last time I heard he remarried and was living in the province together with his family.

“LOVE NEVER DIES but PEOPLE DO…”

(Blog author’s Note: I still do not know how the girl was struck dead by lightning while her husband only suffered slight burns. I did not study science much but I have too much respect for nature so I do not question its power, still, this case left me curious.)

Education Stars at Home

When the parents decide to send their child to school, it is understood that they are taking the responsibility of all his needs: financially, academically and emotionally.

Karlo* is a 4-year old boy. He is a naturally playful kid who is preoccupied with every other thing aside from studies. It seems like he is not ready for school yet. We surely understand that, after all, enrolling in our center is an optional thing.

As what I heard, Karlo is being sent to school by his grandmother in US. She sends him money for the monthly tuition fee and allowance for the entire month, so, his financial need is settled.

For the past 4 months, however, we noticed that no one is making a follow up on his lessons. His homework is always undone.. actually it is untouched. He is always absent and when asked why, he would say because he slept. When we asked his aunt, we learned that the boy played computer past his bedtime and woke up around noon making him miss school altogether.

It was also obvious that no one is reading his reminder notebook. So, when there is something to bring to school, he would come empty-handed. He also wears the prescribed uniform any day he wants when we already sent a memo that the official civilian day is Wednesday. (Don’t they even notice that he is dressed differently?)

On our Halloween party, he came early (for the first time) but not in his proper Halloween costume. His mother said she does not know about the costume so, she bought one on the spot. After the party, the teacher made an announcement that the class will resume on November 8 and there will be a long test the following day, so, please refer to the reminder notebook for the child’s schedule.

As we expected, Karlo did not come to school on the 8th and came instead the following day at 10:30am when it was specified that his schedule is at 11:30am. His mother simply answered that they were busy so did not look at Karlo’s notebook so they did not know that the class resumed the day before. When asked if they know about the exam, his mother’s expression became blank at first then abruptly answered that she already reviewed Karlo. (How come then that she didn’t know about the schedule?) The result of the test proved otherwise. Karlo got a very low grade.

Last Thursday, the teacher announced that the students’ official plastic envelope must be brought to school to be updated. Karlo did not bring his. We tried to call his mother at home but no one was answering the phone. We tried to reach her on her cell phone but with  no luck either.

Every child has the right to education. The decision, however, when and where to get that education depends on whoever is responsible for him. We can only teach academic subjects and a little of moral values by reminding him what to do and what not to do. The best way is by setting example and only those who live with him could give that.