IGME Files

           The street kid’s name is Precious.  I sometimes pass by her where I go to work and tread home passing the Katipunan overpass where she hangs out/helps her family sell things.  One unforgettable evening about a month ago, I remember I was visibly irked over some things, my thoughts were clouded, when this girl, seated comfortably at a chair greeted me, “Good evening.”  I smiled in return.  I asked myself right after, “How could she see through me?” Not only was her smile so affecting, but also that simple greeting brought out purity and goodness.  Feeling her, she saved me from a dreary night.

            Two nights ago, little did I know I would be formally introduced to her at a fast-food at Katips. There, I met an old friend from the University, Tita, Aling, however you call her — Remy.  I was beside her counter where she stood.  She had with her Precious, clad in simple clothes, who she would treat that night.   From what I would presume, Tita Remy and Precious are friends.  She said Precious just graduated from the elementary, hence, the treat.  My heart almost sank.  Precious barely stands three feet!  An impoverished life has stunted her growth.  And there are thousands, if not hundreds of thousands here.

            I don’t want to brag what I paid for as part of Tita Remy’s treat.  Needless to say, I wanted to be part of the celebration.  The two-piece chicken she had, she shared it with her young girl cousin who she called outside.  At the table, I couldn’t help but look at her left eye.  It’s almost closed, only the lower-most part of the eye protrudes and forms a slit.  I tried hard not to look at it and acted normal. Precious had a low appetite, she was only half-done eating while the cousin was done with hers. She suddenly stopped eating.  I prodded her to finish them, but Tita Remy understood the nuance. Precious would share the food later with her mom.  It’s heartbreaking.

            Tita Remy owns a xerox machine and personally does the photo-copying at the Filipiniana section of the Main library until now.  For the sake of those who aren’t from UP Diliman, she’s the one who has her papers in tri-colored blue, yellow and pink.  STS sample tests and other readings are a beautiful distraction if one goes to her.  Also, she scribbles Bible quotes on post-it notes and sends them out to the (lucky) students everyday.  Now sixty-three and still kicking ass, she regaled me with stories that I didn’t know about and saw her in a different light.  How she couldn’t bear on leaving the University, most especially the students.  She started working as a secretary at the College of Economics thirty years ago, then as a photo-copy operator for ten years and counting.  She has met the likes of Mareng Minnie Monsod, Miriam Santiago down to Alan Peter Cayetano.  I was amused when I was talking to her, she couldn’t put down the tri-colored papers at the table.  She said she reads some of the students’ readings at home, including a required Filipino novel that she loved — Lualhati Bautista’s “Dakada 70”. Apart from the eagerness to learn, she reads them to summarize for the students already at the thick of deadlines!! 

            She recounted how she’s still active in a social group where she belongs, a local Elvis Presley fan club which regularly meets quarterly.  She has everything from Elvis records to Elvis wallet, from Elvis wall décor-plates to Elvis chocolate tin cans, name it, she has it.  She even wore an oversized Elvis shirt at that time. “Elvipresident,” thats what you call her for the 200 active-members of the Club. 

            After four hours of endless conversation that started on an accidental meeting, I got my own little treats from Tita Remy –- a (fake) Elvis driver’s license, a Bible quote written on Mickey Mouse small pad, and a serenade from a chorus line of an Elvis song, "Love me tender, love me true, all my dreams fulfilled.  For my darlin’ I love you, And I always will."  Had a really sweet night.