Deadly Nightshade

II • Money Is the Root of All Evil

THEY SAY, MONEY CAN'T BUY ANYTHING. I agree—but money can buy many things. Money can't buy happiness, but if you are sad you can purchase many things that make you happy. Money can't buy health, but if you are sick money can buy you doctors and medicines—if you don't have money, you'll have a slim chance of living longer.  Money can't buy you friends, or loyalty, or kindness, or love—but when you don't have the money you are treated as nothing by the rich. The rich can buy servants and lovers. The poor can't. Money is power. 

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THE INVITATION WAS UNBELIEVABLY ATTRACTIVE. 

"You just have to stay sa isang mansion na nasa liblib na  lugar, survive the challenges hanggang sa ika-isandaang araw, at voila, you'll bag the whooping 20 million pesos!" sabi ni Remill with emphasis on the word voila!  Minsan maypagka-O.A. rin kasi tong taong tao kaya hindi agad ako naniwala, lalong lalo na sa nakakalulang 20 million pesos. Lockdowns were implimented in many areas, suspensions and shifting from in-person to work from-home set-up was implimented as well—the pandemic is getting worse so I'm reluctant kung yung sinasabi n'yang show eh maipagpapatuloy pa ba.  

I only know Remill nung nacast ako sa horror film na The Lovers of Julian kung saan ako sana yung pinalit bilang psycho-serial killer dahil biglaang nagkasakit yung dapat sana sa role nayon. The movie was on its last few scenes nung pumutok ang balibalitang may COVID na sa bansa so nirush nila ang shooting.  I can't believe my luck that instant dahil extra lang naman sana ako dahil wala silang ibang mapili sa mga kasama ko dahil—ayon pa sa director—ako lang raw yung may matipunong pangangatawan at may hitsurang pang "pwede na". Kaya lang malas parin kasi tinangal rin agad ako dahil sa kapalpakan. On the lighter side, they still payed the other scenes na nai-take ko. Still, the money was barely enough. Remill was a film crew at mahilig siyang makipagtsismisan sa mga kasamahan ko kaya doon kami nagkakilala. 

He called me at around 3 o'clock, insaktong dinadalaw na sana ako ng antok ko sa ilang oras kong paghihinatay. Para matapos agad yung pambubulahaw nya eh umo-o nalang ako sa imbitasyon niyang mag-audition sa show. At 8 in the morning, ayaw ko pa sana bumangon pero nagrereklamo na yung pantog kong gustong-gusto nang bumisita ng CR kaya bumangon nalang ako na nakahalf-shut eyes papuntang CR para umihi. I went back to bed—eyes wide open. Kahit ano pang gawin ko eh parang ayaw na akong dalawin ng antok. May away na naman sa kanto, tumitilaok na ang manok ni Empeng, at makati na ang liwanag ng araw na nakatuon sa aking kinahihigaan. Bumangon akong muli, at umupo, yumuko hawakhawak ang ulo sa dalawa kong kamay at inantay kung babalik pa ba ang kakayahang maka-idlip. Wala. My phone vibrated sa ibabaw ng bedside table. Kinuha ko ang telepono at pinindot ang stwitch while expecting na kay Remill iyon. Ang unang bumugad sa akin ay ang notification sa dalawang messsages. I clicked the screen to open my gmail account. Tila biglang lumubog ang dibdib ko nang makita ko ang sender ng mensaheng nasa topmost sa inbox. It was from Don Alfredo Paran Memorial  Sanitarium. Mabilis kong binuksan ang message habang papabilis naman nang papabilis ang kabog ng dibdib ko. Ito ang nakalagay sa sulat:

Mr. Morin,

Greetings of Peace!

In compliance with RA 11498 or the Bayanihan to Recover As One Act, we would like to inform you that your account statement will not reflect hospital bills for the next three months. On the other hand, we would like to remind you of the pending balance of your hospital bills (for January and February, please refer to the attached file of the statement of account for the breakdown) which is a total of thirty-six thousand pesos (P36,000.00). As much as we wish to offset the stated amount, our medical supplies are insufficient for us to operate for the next few weeks while waiting for the supplies from the government.  With this, may we request you to settle 25% of the amount (P9,000.00) so we can procure the necessary medication and items needed to provide the best quality of services for our patients.