As soon as she had the source of internal organs fixed, she centered all the food she was cooking with that main ingredients.
Sa umaga, she would even have bone soup na hindi lamang patok sa mga magsasaka at mangingisda kundi maging sa mga buntis at bagong panganak lamang. Sa tanghali, she would deep fried some of the internal organs or grilled them or braised them. Pinakapatok ang braised nila na ulam.
At first, they were hesitant dahil kumpasa sa 23 copper coins na presyo ng mga almusal nila sa umaga, she increased the price to 52 coins ang mga ulam sa tanghali. Pero kung titignan naman ang dami ng serving at lasa ng mga ito ay sulit na din ang presyo sa tinda nila Veira.
Hindi lang talaga sanay na gumastos ng ganoong halaga ang mga tagaprobinsya para sa pagkain dahil kinasanayan na nilang magluto ng sarili nilang pagkain. But when everyday, they could smell the food Veira's family were selling as their food cart goes around their barangays, they also couldn't help but spend their money.
The roaming food cart business was really going well this time. Pero gaya ng iba pang klase ng business, hindi maiiwasang may gumaya ng ginagawa nila.
One morning...
Lulu was stomping her feet and her cheeks were puffing as she and Lili came back from their morning selling.
Naturally, both Nanay Onang and Veira got curious why this little ancestor was mad.
"O bakit nanghahaba ang nguso niyang si Lulu?" Tanong ni Nanay Onang.
"Pano ay yung Aling Wanda na iyon! Nakakagalit e!"
"Anong ginawa naman ni Aling Wanda sa iyo, aber?" Veira asked.
"She copied our food cart!" Lulu angrily answered.
Lili elaborated na noong makarating sila sa palayan ay may food cart na doon. Nang makita nila ang nagbebenta, they were even surprised when they saw Aling Wanda, her youngest daughter at ang asawa nito na si Mang Rodolfo ang naroroon.
What's more, they were selling their foor at the price na halos kalahati ng kanila Veira, 13 silver coins. Of course, may bumili pa rin naman kanila Lili at Lulu. But half of their usual income from this area was gone.
Lili and Lulu drove to the bayside at sinundan din sila doon nila Aling Wanda. The situation was the same again as the farmer's area.
The old woman and her daughter were sneering at them as if trying to provoke them more. Fortunately, Lili could still control the loose-cannon Lulu.
As for Mang Rodolfo, he gave them an apologetic smile but it was just a facade dahil narinig pa nila ito na nagsabing, "Sila lang ang nauna pero hindi ibig sabihin ay kanila na."
Fortunately, Lili and Lulu had gone to other barangays this time, maliban sa Rojo at Morado, para lang maubos ang kanilang tinda. But compared to the previous days, it took them more time to sell the food this time.
When Lili was finished telling the story, maging si Nanay Onang ay halos mamula sa galit. Veira even thought na kung hindi lamang ito natrain na maging gracious buhat ng maging maidservant siya noon, ay baka samu't sari ng makukulay na salita ang pinaulan nito kay Aling Wanda at sa pamilya nito ngayon.
Veira found her three family members to be really cute right now. Of course, she also felt bad after hearing what that family did. But she also understood that this what business was.
"Come to think of it. If others are copying our business, then it only means we are doing well right now."
"But we can't just let them steal our customers like that, right?" Lulu asked.
"Of course."
"Then magbababa din ba tayo ng presyo?" Nanay Onang asked hesitantly. Although they could buy the internal organs didn't cost that much but there were still other ingredients to buy.
"I think in a business, the most important is the quality of product and making our loyal customers feel valued. No need to change the pricing. Business is business after all. We need to prepare a tasteful food so we cannot skimp with the ingredients we use.
"Don't worry. I am still confident with our business. We just need to make sure na lahat ng bumibili pa rin ng ating mga paninda sa kabila ng pagkakaroon natin ng kakumpitensya ay mapapasalamatan natin ng maayos."
"How to thank them?" Lili asked.
"Well... Did you remember those people na bumili sa inyo ngayong araw?"
"Good. Make a list everyday. We will give them surprise one of these days. Also, anong tinda nila Aling Wanda ngayong araw? Gumamit din ba sila ng lamang loob?"
"Nope. Rice porridge din ang niluto nila pero manok ang sinahog nila." Lulu answered.
"How did you know that?" Lili asked.
"Of course! I sneak a peek on those bowls ng mga bumili sa kanila. They used chicken but I swear I saw necks on those servings. Isa pa, is it easy to prepare those internal organs? They just recently tasted it. How to prepare them? Well, they still have to ask us about that, right?" Lulu confidently said.
Veira chuckled at her boasting face. "En, our little ancestor Lulu is right. The correct way of preparing the internal organs is still only known to us. But... I am also certan that they will attempt cooking and selling using them one of these days. However, whether it will be as good as my cooking, that is still up to question."
***
The same day, bumisitang muli sa kanila ang limang ginang. Naturally, they heard about the shamelessness of Aling Wanda and her family. They were also mad on their behalf.
"Ginawa na rin nila iyan dati! Hindi naman sila ang naunang magkatindahan noon dito sa Barangay Rojo. Etong sila Beth ang unang nagtayo ng tindahan dito dati." Aling Freida started.
"Anong nangyari?" Nanay Onang asked Aling Beth.
"Bagong lipat din kami dito noon ng asawa ko. That woman started to talk to others about how they do not know who we are. Plus, they also sell at lower price than we can. Halos pantayan nila yung presyo ng sa market.
"Naturally, lahat na ay sa kanila bumili at nalugi ang aming tindahan. In the end, we just closed it at saka sila nagtaas ng presyo. Still, people buy in their store dahil wala ng ibang bibilhan maliban sa kanila. Unless, they rather go to the market themselves." Napapailing na lang na kwento nila Aling Beth.
"Gahaman talaga yang pamilyang iyan!" Aling Maria angrily said na may paghampas pa sa hita niya.
"Ang mas nakakainis pa diyan kamo, maririnig mo pa siya doon sa tindahan niya na binibida ang ginawa nila. Kakapal ng mukha. Proud pa siyang manulot na business ng iba!" Aling Carmen added. Nagngingitngit din ito dahil siya mismo ang nakarinig ng mga sinasabi nila Aling Wanda doon sa tindahan nito dahil na rin sa magkatabi lang ang bahay nila.
And yes, if these madams already knew what happened, natural lang din na sa ngayon ay kalat na sa bung barangay Rojo ang nangyari. At mukhang pamilya din mismo nila Aling Wanda ang nagpapakalat noon. They must be happily boasting to everyone their win this morning.
At totoo nga ang hinala nila. Hindi lang si Aling Wanda ang bumibida sa mga bumibili sa tindahan niya, kundi maging si Mang Rodolfo na dapat ay busy din sa pagsasaka niya.
Kesyo daw na iba pa rin ang dayuhan sa matagal na nilang kakilala. Of course, people in their barangay still trusted them more than the new comers. Plus, they knew better to sell in lower prices dahil alam nila na hindi naman maalwan ang buhay ng mga kagaya nilang magsasaka at mangingisda.
Veira thought it was a good tactic. To appeal to the mass and make them feel na mas kilala nila ang lahat because they had been experiencing the same experiences.
However, that wouldn't last long.
"Don't worry too much. Our business is still alright. Besides, what comes around, goes around. They will definitely earn what bad things they have sow one of these days." Veira with conviction.
***
