Olden Times

1

Let us go back to the past, where love letters were the means of communication between two lovers and where everyone's love was real.

All characters, incidents, and some of the places are fictional. There is also no guarantee this is historically accurate. Every regarding information is from the internet.

Busy bustling streets and people walking to and fro. Apartment complexes that rise as high as one's eye could see. People still believe in love, but they don't seem to know what it truly means.

Everyone comes and goes, hit and run. No one stays, only the memories and the possible trauma people leave behind that haunt you in your sleep.

Promises saying one would last, but it seems like it expires in just a few days.

Tanya is a 26 year old who lives in New York City. She's been there ever since she was young. She's lived most her life there. She's also been a victim of a modern crime known as being left after getting a baby in her stomach. She's been left with pain, and she's been through a lot.

She cries and screams silently every night, yet she still manages to wake up with a warm smile everyday for her son. She goes to a retail company and she works in an office filled with unhappy people who try their best to keep it all together. They're doing a great job pretending they're fine, well barely.

Tanya sees today's world as gloomy, as it seems like those days where the rain pours down are always at hand.

She sighs as her boss complains at her again. Though it's not the worst she's seen.

A couple months ago, she worked at another shady company, where she got harrassed and abused by her boss. She wanted to get out of that job, but she couldn't as she didn't have any other way to support her young child.

Good thing one of her friends gave her a way into the company she works in now. It's not the best but it's better than nothing.

She had Tony at 24 from her ex-boyfriend who didn't really want anything but her body and as expected he left her after knowing she was pregnant. She still regrets it every night. Though she has to keep her head up high for her child.

She wanted her child to see the good, rather than the bad. So she strives her best for him.

He's turning two now, and she knows she has to get him to school soon, but what she's earning is just enough for the meals they have.

She stresses out in a daily basis trying to make ends meet for her and her kid. She sighs as she closes the door to leave for her work, knowing it'll be a long day ahead.

Yet it doesn't stop there. The landlady always comes along her door knocking furiously with clutched hands. She would always complain of her not paying on time.

Tanya would try her best to plead for a few more days. There are some times the landlady would let it slide but most of the time she'd have to ask some money from her friend.

She's tired and she knows it, but she knows she has to keep fighting for the good of her little one. She gets her strength from him, and she tries her best to hold on for him.

She has tried calling her parents for help, but it seems like they don't want her anymore. They disowned her since she had Tony. She's an only child, so she has the burden of supporting her parents too on her shoulders.

She feels pressured and she's drained. She holds her son's hand as they sleep, hoping it would all be just fine and work out in the end.

"I'll make sure you have a good life." She looks at sleeping Tony with tears on her eyes.

She wipes them off and goes to bed to face another day.

Let's take a pause from Tanya's story and take a look at another one of our main protagonists.

Lito dates back to 1912, in the humble country of the Philippines. In the municipality of Marilao, Bulacan.

Lito wakes up to the sound of his rooster outside his humble "barong-barong" (traditional Filipino house).

He straight away wakes up to get dressed and take a bath. He gets out of his room, through the curtain, which was commonly used as a door back in the day, and until now.

"Son, you need to go to the port earlier than your departure!" Lito's mother yells in their kitchen.

"Yes mama!" He laughs.

His mom always makes sure he's never late.

A few months ago, he received a letter from his tiyá (aunt) Emy from the capital town on Manila saying he has the opportunity to go to the United States for work.

He was elated as he got this notice. He would be the first one in their baryo (Village) to go to the States. His mother and his father were so proud of him, they even made a feast with one of their pigs to celebrate Lito's trip.

He then packed up his stuff in a bayong (a type of eco-friendly bag) a day before the stated time of his departure from their province.

He made his way to the jeepney stationafter he hugged his parents tightly. They all dropped by the church to pray for Lito's safe travels. It's something they've gotten used to over the years.

"God bless you on your trip, son." His father waves at him as he goes to the port.

His mother cried as he rode the jeepney away.

"Don't cry dear, he'll have a great future there. He'll also be the one to get us out of our poverty." His Father comforts his mother.

She nods softly and they walk back to their house.

Lito was looking forward to his trip. He knew America would be a great city and it would be so modern and it would be fantastic!