————-««✼»»————-
Wheelchair
————-««✼»»————-
"BEH, foreigner na pogi at mayaman ang hanap ko. Hindi 'yong ganyan. Tingnan mo, baldado at mahirap pala. I want an AFAM na aahon sa amin sa kahirapan. My best friend, Trina, whispered to my ears as we met a British Canadian guy she just met online. "Hindi 'yong ilulugmok kami lalo." she said.
Tatlong buwan nagkausap ang dalawa at sa loob ng panahon na 'yon ay nagkahulugan nga ang loob nilang dalawa. As soon as we met Connor Earlington, Trina's mood changed, as if she felt disgusted at their meeting.
While she knew her intentions were not right, I supported her when she was planning to marry a foreigner for the sake of their money.
She already admitted that she was a gold digger.
Trina loves Connor but she's disappointed when she finds out the truth that he can't walk because of his polio. He loans money just to see her and lastly, he's not a chairman of a company but a man who sits in a wheelchair.
Napabuga ako ng malalim na buntong hininga nang sandaling nakikita ko na ang posible niyang gawin ngayon pa lang.
She held my hand as tears fell down her cheeks. Her hands were shaking and she was cold as ice.
"I'm sorry, Kalli pero hindi ko kaya siyang alagaan. Sorry..." she said sincerely then ran past me.
Dito na nadurog ang puso ko.
Trina met a guy online; they fell in love with each other. She walked away after knowing the whole truth after meeting him.
"Hey, Trina, where are you going?" Rinig kong sigaw ni Connor, he even reached out to grasp my friend's hand, but nakalayo na ito.
Napatingin ako kay Connor na katabi lang ng isang bagahe niya at halata sa hitsura nito na naguguluhan siya sa mga nangyayari.
This innocent guy just abandoned by my friend.
Naiinis na ako sa babaeng 'yon, akala ko ba mahal niya si Connor pero bakit ganito? This dude didn't deserve it.
Aminado ako, g'wapo at ang tisoy tingnan pero wala, eh. Iniwan pa rin siya ng loka-loka kong kaibigan.
"Hey, Trina's friend! What happened to her? Why did she run and leave us here?" Connor asked innocently as he tried to look back.
I sighed, "Connor, I'm really sorry for what happened. Trina just found out the whole truth about you and she said that she's disappointed..." malungkot kong wika at dito naman mas lalong naguluhan ang 'Kano.
"What? She's not into me? Am I right?" he asked.
Tinanguan ko siya bilang sagot.
"Sorry, Connor but Trina thought you were rich and attractive. But she can't accept the fact that you can't even walk. She thought of you as a burden... not a person who'd raise her up in the mud..."pag-amin ko rito.
As much as possible, masakit man pero kailangan kong maging honest sa lahat ng sasabihin ko kahit na ikasira pa man ito ng kanyang damdamin o ng kanyang pagkatao.
Nilapitan ko si Connor, yumukod at marahang hinawakan ang kanyang kamay.
"Hate me for what I said, but it's the truth. My friend has already admitted that she is after your money, but I promise, I am not like her." I confessed.
He looked me in the eyes, "So what now? I can't go home right away. I don't have enough money to return to my country?"
I smiled at him, "Don't worry. I'll be here to guide and help you earn money. "I will be your feet." I assured him.
Alam kong mukhang malabo man pero gagawin ko ang lahat. Ayaw kong madisappoint lahat ng tao sa paligid ko. And now that I am taking on another responsibility, mas pag-iigihan ko pa ang pag-ta-trabaho.
AS a result, pinatira ko si Connor sa tinitirhan kong apartment. Mabuti na lang at mabait ang landlady.
I let him sleep on my bed habang ako naman ay sa upuan matutulog o 'di kaya ay sa lapag.
Wala namang kaso sa akin dahil sanay na ako kahit no'ng nasa probinsya pa lang ako.
Ilang linggo na ang nagdaan at nakagaanan ko na nga ng loob si Connor.
Naging independent ito.
Nagsisimula na siyang tulungan ako sa simpleng gawaing bahay. Pagwawalis, pag-ma-mop ng sahig, pag-sasaing at paghuhugas ng pinggan ay ginawa na niya nang wala ang tulong ko.
Ako naman ay kumuha pa ng mga extrang trabaho para pang-tustos sa gastusin nina mama at papa sa probinsya habang ang kalahati naman nito ay inilaan ko para sa pagbabalik ni Connor sa kanila.
Naghahanap na rin ako ng paraan na mabilhan siya ng murang ticket ngunit sa kasawiang palad ay wala ni isang paliparan ang may discount.
Ilang buwan pa ang nagdaann ay hindi ko inasahan ang mga sumunod na nangyari.
I fell for Connor without noticing it. Kusa ko na lang nararamdaman ang pagtibok ng puso ko sa tuwing kaharap ko siya.
Mas lalo ko tuloy ginagalingan sa pagtatago ng nararamdaman ko sa kanya.
Kasabay rin nito ang sunod-sunod na problema at ang gastusin ko sa buhay ay nagkapatong-patong na.
Tuition, bayaran sa tubig at kuryente nina mama't papa kasama sa amin, upa, utang sa tindahan at marami pang iba. Nakaka-drain na ng enerhiya.
Alas tres na ng madaling araw akong umuuwi. Naglalakad ng tatlong kilometro matapos kong magtinda sa palengke ng gulay nina Tiya Beba kasama si Connor at kapag gabi naman ay pinapauwi ko na si 'Kano kasi ayaw ko siyang mapagod. Nagtata-trabaho ako sa restaurant at sa hatinggabi naman ay isang waiter sa club hanggang mag-umaga.
I want to quit. Pero no'ng makita ko si Connor ay ginagahan ulit akong mabuhay, he's my strength but also my weakness.
Two had passed...
Finally!
Makakauwi na siya sa kanila. Salamat sa isa kong kasamahan sa club at nakabili kami ng discounted ticket ng eroplano papuntang Canada.
And I finally saw Connor's smile again... and he's heading home now.
Hindi ko napigilan ang sarili kong umiyak habang nakatingin sa lalakeng nakasakay ng wheel chair at muli nitong suot ang damit niya no'ng una naming siyang nakilala.
"Now that you can finally go home, thank you, Connor for the memories..." I cried.
I cannot help but get emotional.
"No, Kalli. Salamat. You're such a kind girl. Your parents raised you well. Maybe I'm nothing now because you didn't take the responsibility of me..."
Those were his final words.
Hindi na ako nag-atubiling umamin ng aking nararamdaman dahil alam ko sa sarili ko na hindi kami p'wede sa isa't-isa.
Time went fast...
He finds a way to contact me, much to my surprise. We talked on the phone a lot. Lumipas na ang isang taon at masasabi kong nakaraos-raos na rin ako sa buhay.
Nakakabili na ako ng mga bagay na hindi nabibili dati. Someone in our family graduated and was looking for a decent job.
But life's biggest plot twist.
Ay muling bumalik si Connor sa Pinas. He can finally walk!
Nakapagpagamot siya.
When we met again at the airport, he walked straight like he was a normal person. He is holding his daughter's hands, whereas my friend is holding his other hand.
She's with Trina... and she's the mother of his daughter...
All this time, nagtagpo pala muli ang kanilang landas. Nagkapatawaran. Nagkagaanan ng loob. Bumuo sila ng pangarap. At may sarili na siyang pamilya.
I was hurt knowing that I was on his side during his downfall.
In a sense, I was his wings, guiding and helping him. But I was never his final destination.
————-««✼»»————-
