Journey With You (Completed)

Chapter 1: The Night Owl and the Wish Granter

Journey With You
Chapter 1: The Night Owl and the Wish Granter

“A night owl. That's what you are, Hani. A hardworking night owl.” I chanted to myself as I put down the box of canned goods from the cart.

Don’t get me wrong. Night stacking is fun. It's my first job ever, part time at that, and it starts at 10:00pm and ends 5:00am. A fairly nice schedule—at least for someone who can't be out and about during the day nor stand out in any crowd.

I've been doing this for two months now, and I'm excited to get my first pay. Bakit hindi, when the reason I'm here is to earn money in the first place?

Immersed with work, it took me a while to notice that the other night stacker was standing beside me as if waiting for a chance to talk.

"Bakit po?" Untag ko kay Ate Lorna, the flabby-looking woman in her early 30s. As a mother of two, she works two part time jobs: a stacker at night and grocery shopper for busy people during the day.

Hindi kami close, pero minsan na niya akong nahikayat magkape. Mas matindi pa pala si Ate Lorna sa mga nagne-networking kung maka-persuade. And in that coffee break alone, ay naikwento niya na sa akin ang kaniyang talambuhay.

Good thing she respects my preference for silence at work, kaya ito pa lang ang second time na mag-uusap kami.

"Hihingi sana ako ng pabor," mahinang sagot niya, halatang nag-aalinlangan. She’s usually enthusiastic, so seeing her hesitate is new for me.

“Ano ba ‘yun, Te?” I smiled politely to make her feel less reluctant.

"Naaalala mo ba ‘yung part time job ko sa umaga?” Untag niya.

Tumango ako. “Iyong grocery shopping ba?”

“Oo,” sagot niya. “Galante kasi yung kliyente, dalawang libo yung bigayan kaya nasasayangan ako.”

“At?”

“May PTA Meeting sa eskwelahan ng anak ko, eh. Baka pwedeng saluhin mo muna.”

“Alin? Yung PTA meeting?!” Nanlaki ang mga mata ko. Wala akong balak maging substitute mother, ano.

“Hindi,” natatawang sagot niya. “Iyong grocery shopping. Sayang naman. Kahit ikurot mo lang ako ng 500 tapos sayo na ‘yung 1500.”

1500 para lang mag-gorcery? Hindi na masama. Kaysa naman sa PTA Meeting ako mag-sub, bakit hindi nalang doon sa kikita pa ako? I need money anyway, to pay my mother's chocolate hill of debt.

"Paano ko makukuha ang grocery list at kanino ibibigay?" Sabi ko na siyang ikinatuwa naman ni Ate Lorna.

Nag-abot siya ng maliit na sobre sa akin. "Nasa loob yung listahan, pati yung address kung saan mo dadalhin. Saka yung pambayad sa grocery. Yung sukli, iyon na ang sahod mo. Balatuhan mo nalang ako ha."

"Sure ka? Baka naman bente nalang pala ang sukli dito, o di kaya'y abunado pa ako ha?"

"Konti lang naman ang pinapabili, siguro nasa isang libo lang ang magagastos. Tatlong libo yang binigay eh."

“Ahh…” Nice!

It was 5:00am when I finished stacking. I could have finished earlier if Ate Lorna hadn't interrupted me but the money is just too good to ignore, so I told myself that it's fine.

Maaga pa din naman. I have enough time for an early breakfast, so I left the store to grab coffee and sandwiches in the nearby convenience store.

Taking the chance to look at the shopping list, I was able to gauge how much time it would take to finish the task and how much money it would cost me. Surprisingly, there weren't a lot of stuff to buy. There's toothpaste, shampoo, conditioner, body wash, pressed powder, lip balm, eyebrow pencil, liquid eyeliner, lip and cheek tint...