Naldo* was an impressive University of the Philippines student when I met him, I was in grade school at the time. He was a distant relative and I could say, a close one. He was the hope of his family and everybody was expecting so much from him. So, it was kind of sad when I learned that he joined a group of militant students and instead of finishing his studies, he did something else.
After several years, he realized he made a mistake and came back home. With him, however, was a very pretty lass of 17 years, and was about 10 years younger than he is. Obviously, Nita* was smitten by the impressive young man and fell for his persuasive and diplomatic skills. They were unquestionably in love.
However, life was difficult and it was more so for people with unfinished college education. Naldo had no choice but to work in the farm, and work in the farm he did. After a few years, his calloused hands and cracked feet are silent witnesses to the kind of life he and his family had. At 30, he looked 45.
His wife bore two boys and was pregnant with the third when I saw them again. Nita was just as pretty as I met her first, except for the rough calloused hands. She was selling vegetables that she herself grew in their own backyard. As always, she was smiling as if everything around her was beautiful, but I wasn’t easily deceived, I saw something else from her eyes, MISERY. I don’t know how true it was but rumors had it that Naldo hit her from time to time.
After several more years, I wasn’t surprised when I learned that Nita ran away. She ran away with another man who operates a gambling house in the place. She didn’t take anything with her including her children. She left all of them to Naldo. Maybe she fell in love, maybe she got fed up or maybe.. she simply found a way out of her miserable life.
Was I surprised? Not at all :(
*not real name
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