Stories of Life

Time Waits For No One

"Time Waits for No One"
Proverb

In the bustling streets of Ormoc City, the scent of freshly cut Queen Pineapple filled the air. Kaloy, a young man in his early twenties, wiped the sweat from his brow as he carefully arranged the golden fruits in his cart. Each pineapple glistened under the morning sun, their spiky crowns standing tall like proud soldiers ready for battle. Kaloy had been up since dawn, traveling to the nearby farms to buy the best pineapples to sell in the market. It was a routine he had grown accustomed to, a daily grind that provided for his studies and his ailing mother’s medicine.

Kaloy’s mother, Aling Marta, had fallen ill a year ago. What started as a persistent cough had developed into something much more serious. The doctors had prescribed a regimen of medicines that were beyond Kaloy’s limited means, so he had taken up selling pineapples to make ends meet. It was hard work, but Kaloy was determined to see it through. His mother’s health was all that mattered to him.

“Pare, ayos na ba ang pwesto mo?” Aaron, Kaloy’s best friend, called out as he approached the cart. Aaron had been Kaloy’s friend since childhood. They grew up together, played in the same streets, and dreamed the same dreams. While Aaron had found work as a mechanic, he always made time to help Kaloy with his pineapple business.

“Ayos na, Aaron,” Kaloy replied with a weary smile. “Kailangan ko lang talaga ubusin ito bago magtanghali. Kailangan kong bumili ng gamot kay Nanay.”

Aaron nodded, understanding the urgency in Kaloy’s voice. He had seen how Kaloy had sacrificed so much—his time, his youth—to care for his mother. Aaron admired his friend’s dedication, but he also worried that Kaloy was pushing himself too hard.

“Baka naman puwede kitang tulungan mamaya,” Aaron offered. “Alam kong may klase ka pa mamaya, at alam ko rin na kailangan mong makapahinga.”

Kaloy shook his head, though grateful for the offer. “Kailangan ko itong gawin, Aaron. Kung hindi ako kikilos, sino pa ba ang tutulong kay Nanay?”

Aaron sighed, recognizing the familiar determination in Kaloy’s eyes. He wanted to argue, to tell Kaloy that it was okay to take a break, to ask for help, but he knew it would be futile. Kaloy’s sense of duty was unshakeable.

As the morning passed, the market grew busier. Customers came and went, each one drawn to Kaloy’s cart by the sweet aroma of the pineapples. Kaloy moved with practiced efficiency, his hands working quickly to weigh the fruits, hand out change, and exchange pleasantries with the customers. But no matter how fast he worked, time seemed to slip away faster.

By noon, the cart was almost empty. Kaloy had sold nearly all his pineapples, but he still felt a gnawing anxiety in his chest. He glanced at his watch, realizing that he had less than an hour before his afternoon class. He had to make a choice: rush to the pharmacy to buy his mother’s medicine or attend his class and buy the medicine later.

Kaloy’s thoughts raced as he counted the money he had earned. It was just enough to buy the medicine, but there wouldn’t be enough left over for food. His stomach growled in protest, but he ignored it. There were more important things than his hunger.

“Aaron, kailangan ko nang bumili ng gamot ni Nanay,” Kaloy said as he began packing up the cart. “Pero malelate ako sa klase. Paano kaya ito?”

“Kaloy, kung kailangan mong umabsent para kay Aling Marta, gawin mo na,” Aaron said firmly. “Wala nang mas mahalaga pa diyan.”

Kaloy hesitated, his mind torn between his responsibilities as a student and his duty as a son. He knew Aaron was right, but missing class meant falling behind, and he couldn’t afford that either. He had worked too hard to let his education slip away.

“Pare, time waits for no one,” Aaron reminded him gently. “Kung ano man ang desisyon mo, gawin mo na ngayon.”

The words hit Kaloy hard, as if a weight had been lifted and dropped all at once. He knew Aaron was right. Time was slipping away, and every second spent hesitating was a second wasted. Kaloy made up his mind.

“Aaron, ikaw na muna bahala dito sa cart,” Kaloy said, handing his friend the remaining pineapples. “Pupunta ako sa botika, tapos diretso na ako sa klase.”

Aaron nodded, taking the cart’s handle as Kaloy hurried off. “Ingat ka, Kaloy. Basta, kung kailangan mo ng tulong, tawagan mo lang ako.”

Kaloy ran as fast as his legs could carry him. The streets of Ormoc were crowded, and every person he passed seemed like another obstacle in his path. But Kaloy didn’t slow down. He couldn’t afford to.

The pharmacy was just a few blocks away, and by the time Kaloy reached it, he was out of breath. He pushed open the door and hurried to the counter, his heart pounding in his chest.

“Kuya, ito na ang pera para sa gamot ni Nanay,” Kaloy said, handing over the crumpled bills he had earned from the morning’s sales. The pharmacist nodded and quickly retrieved the medicine, placing it in a small brown bag.

“Salamat po,” Kaloy muttered as he took the bag and stuffed it into his backpack. He checked his watch again—he had just enough time to make it to class if he ran.

Kaloy sprinted out of the pharmacy, his mind focused on one thing: getting to class on time. He couldn’t let his studies suffer, not after everything he had done to stay on track. His mother’s health was important, but so was his future. He had to balance both, no matter how difficult it was.

As Kaloy rounded the corner to his school, he saw the gates closing. His heart sank. He was so close, yet so far. But he didn’t stop running. He squeezed through the narrow gap just as the gates closed behind him, his lungs burning with the effort.

He made it to class just as the bell rang. Kaloy slid into his seat, panting and sweating, but relieved. He had made it, just barely, but he had made it.

As the teacher began the lesson, Kaloy allowed himself a brief moment of satisfaction. He had done what needed to be done. He had bought his mother’s medicine, and he had made it to class. Time had not waited for him, but he had not let it slip away either.

Kaloy knew there would be more challenges ahead, more days when he would have to choose between his duties and his dreams. But he also knew that as long as he kept moving forward, as long as he didn’t let time slip through his fingers, he would find a way.

Because in the end, Kaloy understood that time waits for no one—but that didn’t mean he had to stand still.