Kabanata 4
1308 Words
DAHIL madalas na pinagbibigyan ni Kali si Eldritch na sa bahay lamang sila mag-inuman ay naisipan ni Eldritch na ito naman ang pagbigyan sa hilig nito. Nahihiya na rin kasi siya sa kanyang boss dahil ito na lang palagi ang nag-a-adjust para sa kanya.
"Here we go," said Kali after he parked his car in the basement of a tall building.
Tinanggal ni Eldritch ang seatbelt niya. "Saan, Sir?"
"Upstairs, top floor." Ngumisi ito saka piniga ang kanyang balikat. "We're gonna have a lot of fun. And stop calling me Sir. We're not in the office."
Napakamot siya ng ulo. "Parang kinakabahan ako diyan sa top-floor top-floor na 'yan. Huling beses na umakyat tayo ng top-floor, muntik akong magulpi de gulat."
Kali smirked. "Pababayaan ba naman kita? Come on."
Dumiretso na lamang sila ng elevator. Nang mapindot ang elevator button at sumara ang pinto ay pareho silang sumandal sa pader. "May mga imi-meet tayo rito kamo?"
"Yeah, some of my other friends. I was telling them about you. Ilan sa kanila balak magpatayo ng property outside the metro so I recommended you for some extra income," sagot nito habang nakatutok ang mga mata sa cellphone. Nang tila natapos itong magtipa ng chat ay muling ibinulsa ang phone. "I heard you're sending money to your family in Quezon so I figured out you need it more than the other engineers. Most of them are bachelors and would spend their salary on girls, cars, and other stuff. Hindi gaya mo. I haven't seen you spend a single dime on yourself. Maybe if you'll have side hustles, you wouldn't feel bad about spending on yourself."
Napahugot ng hininga si Eldritch. Napapansin pala ni Kali? Looks like his boss is more observant than he expected.
"Panganay kasi ako. Ayokong maobliga ang mga kapatid ko dahil trabaho ko dapat ang buhayin ang mga magulang namin," aniya.
Kumunot ang noo ni Kali. "Says who?"
He scoffed. "That's basic knowledge? I mean, at least for us who aren't earning millions."
"Eldritch, you shouldn't be the one responsible for your parents. None of us are. Panganay ka man o hindi, galing ka man sa marangyang pamilya o hindi. Ipinanganak tayo para maging mga anak, hindi para buhayin ang mga magulang natin kapag kaya na nating kumita ng pera."
Alanganin siyang ngumisi. "Parang ang selfish ko namang anak, Kali kung hindi ko bubuhayin mga magulang ko. I mean, utang na loob ko sa kanila ang buhay ko saka ang dami nilang nagastos sa'kin makapag-aral lang ako."
"And those are their responsibilities, E. Hindi 'yon utang na loob lang. They decided to have you so they should've known that they will have the responsibility to feed you, dress you, and give you proper education. But just because they did, doesn't mean you have to be chained to the responsibility of providing for them as well." Kali moistened his lower lip. "I know this is going to hurt a lot of people but, Eldritch, you are not a retirement fund. None of us should be."
Napaiwas siya ng tingin. "Kaso 'yon na kasi ang kinamulatang kultura, Kali. Kung hindi ko ipagpapatuloy ay . . . anong klaseng tao ako?"
"The cycle breaker." Kali sighed as they walked out of the elevator. "Just because it's a normal thing to most people doesn't mean we should continue it. I know you're not asking for my opinion about this, E but I hope you will understand that knowing what's right from wrong isn't selfish. Your parents have responsibilities because they're the ones who brought you into this world. Pero hindi nila dapat asahang ibabalik mo lahat pagdating ng araw dahil someday, you will also have your own family. Have your own problems. Your own responsibilities. Yes, you can give them what you can't, but you should not be the one responsible for them all throughout your life. Masakit isipin na dapat bago nag-aanak ay nagpaplano na muna ng buhay. Financial literacy in the country is so low that children are no longer seen as children to some families. They became piggy banks. Fed, clothed, sheltered, sent to school, only to be expected to return the favor someday."
Humugot ng malalim na hininga si Eldritch. "Kung sakali na hindi ka galing sa marangyang pamilya, paano ang gagawin mo? H-Harmless question."
"I'll improve my financial literacy. Sabi ng lolo ko, kapag marunong kang gumawa ng pera, pera ang susunod sa'yo. Kahit saan ka pa ilagay, basta marunong kang gumawa ng pera, hindi ka mawawalan ng pagkakakitaan. I'll plan my life first. Save, invest, learn from my mistakes, repeat. Being married and having kids should not be decided based on emotions. It should be based on the financial capabilities. Yes, hindi pinagsisisihan nina Lolo at Lola na maaga silang nagkaanak noon, but it was the lack of money that took away my gramps to my grandma at tito Konnar. This is why I know money plays a very vital role. Kailangan bago ako mag-isip na panahon na for me to settle down, handang-handa na ang bulsa ko. Kasi kung hindi, hindi lang naman ako ang mahihirapan. Hindi lang ako ang magsa-suffer. Pati na ang mapapangasawa ko, ang mga magiging anak ko, pwedeng umabot hanggang sa mga apo ko. You get what I mean?"
Tumango si Eldritch. "Oo, nakuha ko naman. Kaya lang paano ang mga taong . . . alam mo na? Biktima lang din ng sitwasyon? Ng kahirapan?"
"Eldritch, we only become a victim of poverty when we let it victimize us."
Kumunot ang noo niya. "Anong ibig mong sabihin?"
Kali flashed a half smile. "Hindi mo kasalanan kung ipinanganak kanbg mahirap, pero kapag nasa tamang pag-iisip ka na, may dalawa kang choice. Ang isisi sa kahirapan ng pamilya mo ang pagiging mahirap mo, o tanggapin ang sitwasyon nang malaman mo kung gusto mo bang umalis sa gano'ng buhay o hindi. Sadly, most people never decide. They just play the victim role but never did anything to get out of their situation. Tayo, Eldritch, ang magdidikta kung saan ba tayo patungo. Either we will move or we'll stay. Not deciding to accept the situation as it is and do whatever it takes to get out of it also means staying at the very place you hate the most. You can complain, but if you're not gonna do anything, you're simply digging yourself deeper and deeper until you've got no more time left to move."
Napangiti si Eldritch. "Ganda ng mindset na naipamana sa inyo."
"Hindi kasi negosyo ang pinakapamana sa'min, E. 'Yong mindset. If no one is going to pass it down to you, then make sure you'll be the first one to do it. Fix your mindset and make sure your kin will inherit it. Para bumagsak man ang negosyo, mangyari man ang mga hindi inaasahan, they will never be scared to get up and try again." Tinapik nito ang balikat niya. "Let's get inside."
Tumango na lamang siya't bumuntot kay Kali papasok ng club. Halos mapapikit siya dahil malilikot na ilaw na sumasayaw sa madilim na lugar. Malakas din ang tugtog sa kulob na lugar kaya halos mapangiwi siya sa ingay.
"This way!" sigaw ni Kali.
They went to the VVIP area where they could see the stage better than the others. Ipinakilala siya ni Kali sa limang kaibigan nito. Nahiya pa siya noong una ngunit naging welcoming naman ang mga ito kahit halatang puro rin may kaya sa buhay.
He sat next to Kali. Pagkakuha ng waiter ng kanilang order ay nagawi sa stage ang tingin ni Kali. He scanned the girls dancing on the poles. Some are doing aerial dance, but what caught his attention was the woman on the pole that's inside a large cage, dancing with nothing covering her body.
Parang nanlamig si Eldritch. His eyes widened as he slowly stood up out of shock and horror.
"E-Elona?"
- Writer
