It was an ordinary Sunday morning and everyone’s directed to the Church; people talking about their past experiences, some were sincerely praying to the Father and some of them were asking for alms from everyone who crosses over them. On the left side of the Church’s main door, there was this boy named Geraldo who was unfortunately born blind sitting on the floor asking for alms. Even though he was so unlucky because of his eyes, at the age of nine, he was so blessed for being a gifted child mainly because of his abilities to sing and communicate well through the English language. He uses them as instruments to express what he feel and hear. The reason why he was that fluent with English is because he studies by himself everything he hears around him. Fortunately, he is still living with his 20-year old brother who is a tricycle driver and that’s the reason why he was alone there sitting on the side of the door. Reaching out his hand which was meant to ask for alms, he felt a coin on his hand and he immediately said, “Thank you very much.” He smiles then and he thought that the one who gave the coin already left. He felt someone sitting on his side and then he asked, “Who are you?” The time that this someone speaks, he knew she was an old lady because of her voice. “Is it still important to state my name?” Geraldo turned quiet. “Why don’t you speak? Can’t you understand too much English,” asked the old lady. “I can but not that much,” he replied. The both kept quiet. The only thing heard is the noise coming from the people getting in and out of the Church until the old lady broke the silence. “Can you sing a song for me? Any song please,” she requested. “Just a little bit ‘cause I am not that used to it,” he replied. He started singing a song familiar with him but he never knew that he was doing it loud which made some people pause for a while. “That we are the children, of yesterday’s dream.” Applause surprised him and upon reaching out his hand, bills and coins were on his palm. Soon as people began to go away, Geraldo thanked the old lady, “Thank you for bringing me out again. I was then afraid of singing since the last time I did that,” he then smiles.
Time passes by and the old lady isn’t going anywhere and is still on his side. By that time, the two offered a game wherein each would ask questions and they need to answer those with honesty. With this, Geraldo knew that the old lady’s name was Dolor, short for Fidoloria. Fidoloria Socrina to be exact and he called her Lola Dolor. One of them throws the question and the other one will answer. Lola Dolor asked, “Is there anyone living with you?” He replied, “My brother.” “So you don’t have any of your parents living with you anymore,” she continued. “Yes and the only memory living on my head which came from my parents was the song I sang \a while ago. My brother said that to me and before we sleep, he usually sings it too. He said it was so special for her but I still have the hatred in my heart with what she did to us. I was still out of the reality before she left us and because we’re just poor, she can’t afford to have us a better future. The other side, my father died before my mother left. That’s what my brother said. I feel so unfortunate for not having them, a happy family and the ability to see the wonderful colors of our nature. I feel so sad hearing children happy with their parents,” he said. Lola Dolor then replied after a moment of silence, “I feel so sorry about that but don’t lose hope, maybe one day, she’ll come and get the two of you.” Silence again kills the conversation until Lola Dolor broke it again, “Let me be the one to tell my story now.”
It was exactly 12 noon when the bells from the Church rang, an ordinary tradition done by the Christians. Everyone pauses for a while and remembers the ascension of the Holy Spirit to Mary. The two stopped to commemorate the tradition. After that, Lola Dolor continued. “I guess I am the worst mother in the world. Maybe you’ll ask why and my answer is that I never became a mother to my daughter. I was like your mother. I left her without knowing anything about me. I guess that was the biggest mistake I have ever made in my life. I never became a true mother to my daughter due to my selfishness and yet I still expect that she still lives and we will still see each other. The only mark left on her was the scar on her right palm, a scar which marks forever.” She stopped in there. Tears flow down her cheeks as she wipes them. Geraldo replied, “As what you have said, you shouldn’t lose hope that there would be a time when you will see her. Let’s be strong together.” Lola Dolor answers, “I do.”
