Chasing the Wind

C H A P T E R 46

I miss you too

Isa ako sa mga naniniwala na ang "No Erasures Allowed" policy noong elementary, highschool at colllege ako na pinapatupad ng mga guro at professor ay guni-guni lang nila. Sapagkat sa totoong buhay, puwedeng-puwede kang magbura.

Tanga lang ang hindi nagbubura.
*  *  *
CHEESY

"You have a 75 rate grade?" tanong ng babaeng nag-iinterview sa'kin dito sa airline company na pinag-apply-yan ko. Wala namang masamang sumubok hindi ba?

Iyong dalawa pa niyang kasama ay napatingin sa'kin, para silang nakakita ng multo nang malaman nilang may 75 akong grade noong highschool.

"Yes, I also have a 61 grade." Parehong naubo ang mga panelist na nasa harapan ko. Palihim namang natawa iyong mga katabi kong ini-interview din.

"Uuh, can you explain to us why you have this rates?" ani noong babaeng british.

"The 75 grade or the 61?" tanong ko at mahinhin silang natawa. Iyong atmosphere kanina na sobrang nakakaba, naging biglang kalmado. Dahil na rin siguro sa hindi ako nagbabalat kayo at iyong totoong ako lang ang pinapakita ko sa kanila.

"Both," ani ng babaeng panelist na sobrang ganda. Mukhang Canadian yata siya.

Lumunok ako ng laway at umupo ng ayos bago sumagot. "Well, to be honest with you, my teacher in Mathematics must not supposedly give me a passing grade which is the 75 rate because I almost failed her quizzes during the first quarter. She gave me 75 because I have completed all her classes without absences and lates. My teacher pitied me and gave me another chance by giving me a passing rate."

Nakikinig lang ng maigi ang panel sa'kin habang ako ay nagpapatuloy lang sa pagkuwento. "However, the 61 grade was given by my MAPEH teacher. She failed me and didn't gave me a chance to cope even though I explained her my reasons."

"So what exactly is reason why you have this almost failing grades?" tanong ng lalaking panelist. Kagaya ng babae ay parang Canadian din ito na medyo hunk ang dating. Ganito yata talaga kapag nasa Human Resource Department, dapat magaganda at guwapo para maintimidate iyong mga iinterview-hin nila.

"Well sir, I was in second year high school that time when I needed to feed my eight siblings and I was forced to work during the night by doing diffrent things like selling boiled eggs on the street."

"How about your parents?"

Ngumiti ako ng mapait sa tanong na iyon. "Well sir, believe it or not, my mom used to be a strumpet. She mets different kinds of men and use to sleep with them in exchange of money---making us---her childer have different fathers. Too obsessed by finding the right person, my mom succumbed in her life and tried drugs. She loathed us and even left us alone. And as her eldest daughter, I was bound to take good care, protect and feed my siblings making me work during the nights and do several part time jobs making me unable to study my lessons and got failing grades."

Nakangiti ako noong tinapos ko iyong sagot. Kahit masakit balikan ang nakaraan ko na masyado ng maraming bura, kailangan ko pa ring sagutin ang mga tanong nila ng walang halong pamemeke. Maaring marami ng bura ang buhay ko pero ang importante ay hindi ako kumopya sa ibang tao.

Napansin kong nagpupunas na ng mga mata niya ang babeng panelist kaya natawa na lang ako. Na-touch yata siya sa madramang kuwento ng buhay ko.

"Well Miss Cheesy Demoiselle, this will be your final question and your answer for this question will be our basis if we're going to let you pass this round."

"Are you ready?" tanong nito.

"Yes," masigasig kong sagot.

"Why should we hire you as one of flight attendedants?"