54 - Livelihood

Many garbage trucks passed by. There were also people carrying sacks and sticks. There are minors and there are elderly who started making a living from garbage dumped by trucks. They took garbage that can still be used. Rubbish for others but to poor people like them, it's like a gold. She was suddenly sad in that part. There are many questions in her brain and why not everyone is equal. But all that remained in her brain, she had no plans to question God’s creation.

"What are you thinking?" Fender later asked her. He put the water back in her bag and tapped her lightly.

She turned her gaze to him and smiled sparingly. "Nothing," she looked at his arm and legs with many bruises. She hasn't commented yet, and she might cry again. "Why are you so sane?"

He grinned. “Because, I'm handsome?”

She smiled somehow. Fender always really shows her that his okay even tho he's not.





LAUGHING, Blessy watched Fender as he played catch-up with the children. These are their neighbor's children and some of those children are orphans.

Since they arrived at the Payatas Dump site, they have been living there temporarily. She and Fender lived together in a small house made of patchwork wood, sackcloth and cardboard. And when it rains, they always wet inside but that’s no problem for Blessy.

She has no problem even if they are surrounded by garbage, because somehow, that’s where they find their livelihood. Where they get their daily food. They trade and sell the goods they get.

"What is my beautiful girlfriend thinking?"

"Someone can hear you!" she barely stared him.

Fender ended up playing catch-up with the kids and they went back to their work. They can't stop and just lie down next to each other. No food will crawl in their path if they are both lazy.

“Why? It's true you're so beautiful, ah. Even if you're wearing an old blouse and pants, you're still so beautiful in my eyes. ”

She glared him and picked up the sack. She was always on the verge of being beautiful. She knew that her boyfriend was just teasing her once so that she would give him a kiss. She started to step forward as he followed her.

"Blessy, you're beautiful."

“Hurry up there. We will go with Tonyong and Indang. ”

He cratched his head when he heard the name Tonyong. "I really don't like that man."

"Why?. They were the ones who helped us when we first came here.” she turned to look Fender and paused.

“I know, I know. Let's go, is it okay?”

"Fender..."

"I'm jealous every time he's near you and you laugh with him."

It was as if something had gone through her chest at what he said. This is the first time he said he is jealous and she can’t help but shudder.

“Fender, you know that Tonyong is our friend.”

“It's my heart. Is there anything I can do?"

She just sighed and took Fender's hand. “Let's go and we might run out. In this ugly of mine, you still have the urge to be jealous of others? While I only want you. ”

“You are not ugly. You're beautiful."

"Yeah, yeah!" she kept pulling him. They need to work.





BLESSY woke up from lying in the old carriage covered with the old mat. She noticed that Fender was not by her side and he's not inside their little patchwork house either.

She slowly pulled the blanket away from her body. She grabbed her old slippers and went out of their shack.

"Where is he?" She quickly hugged herself as the cold wind greeted her. She was wearing only a thin shirt and knee-length shortpants.

She began to step forward to look where Fender is. She always notices that he disappears every night. At first, she ignored it. She thought maybe Fender was just ventilating outside. But now, she feels something is bothering him. It’s hiding something from her and that’s what she wants to know what.

"Fender, where are you?"

She looked around. She also has nothing to ask because all their neighbors, are also resting. She saw other people but they were also sleeping somewhere in the pile of garbage.

“Where did he go at this hour?” She widened her eyes but because it's dark in other parts of the area where they now live, her eyesight was limited.

"It's cold!" she hugged herself tightly and decided to go back to the shack. She would wait him there to come and ask where he go.

"How much do we share?"

She stopped walking for a moment. Blessy known that Fender owned that voice.

She hurriedly stepped forward and headed for the place where she heard his voice. She was relieved to see Fender sharing money with three men who were just their age.

“Dead! That’s your girlfriend, dude.”

"Huh?" Fender quickly turned to her.

His companions immediately left. As Fender immediately hid his hand on his old jacket.

“What are you doing here? Who are those? What time is it and why are you still out here?”

He smiled and quickly put his arm around her. “It’s just my friends. We are talking about work.”

"Why did I see you sharing money?"

“I-it’s nothing. Let's go back. It's cold out here.”

She did not answer. She wanted to ask Fender many questions but she chose to remain silent and continue her questioning tomorrow. She knew he's lying and hiding something from her.

"All right, let's talk tomorrow about what I saw." She removed Fender's arm around her and walked first.

"Blessy," he called.

“Let's talk tomorrow.”

He sighed and followed her. Fender is lying and hiding secret from her, she know it. They promised each other that no one would keep a secret.

Blessy didn't mind Fender the next day. They quietly ate their breakfast of two pieces of bread and coffee. She's ready to work that day.

"Blessy, talk to me."

She did not utter a word. She won't talk to him until he tells her where he go last night. She continued to dip the bread in the coffee that started to cool and eat it.

"Blessy, don't give me this cold look, please?"

She sighed and laid the bread on the plastic plate. "As long as you don't tell me who you were with last night and why you always disappear every night, I won't talk to you."

She stood up and picked up her hat and jacket. Next she took the sack and stick. She was even more upset with Fender when he didn't say a single word and she's upset with the matter.

"Blessy!" Fender stood up and hold her arm.

"I'm going." She withdrew her hand and stepped out of the shack first. She went straight to the new garbage and huddled with her fellow traders.

But the whole day ended without her seeing him. Nor did Fender follow her and accompany her to lunch as they always do. Frustrated, she wiped away her tears that began to stamp.

"Why are you alone?" Tonyong approached her. He was carrying a sack with the garbage he collected.

"Fender," she replied annoyed.

They sat for a moment to one side. She didn’t care about the dirt. She was used to the place and more importantly, this place let them live.

"Why? What did your boyfriend do? Did he left you? You can be with me."

She just looked at it, "You're always really kidding me like that."

He then scratch his napr and smiled. "I'm just joking. Where is Fender and why did he let you trade now alone?”

"I don't know where he is."

Tonyong just put his arm around her and handed her the chocolate he was carrying. "There, eat this and it will make you feel happy. It's chowcoolet."

She accepted it and thanked him. Tonyong is a good friend of theirs. "Where did you get this?"

"In the treasure box."

She laughed at the way he called the dumpsite ast treasure box. They are sorounded by garbage around them. She didn’t spend much time with Tonyong, she immediately said goodbye to her friend and went home to the shack first.

Reluctantly, she placed her sack on the side of their shack. She finished selling all the things she traded and somehow, she saved fifty pesos. That’s big too.

Sadly she went to the small kitchen and got a drink. She was sulking at Fender and stared to shed tears when suddenly someone broke through their old tarpaulin door.

"Happy birthday, Blessy!"

Suddenly her world stopped spinning when she saw the young man holding a box and bag. It's Fender and his aura and smiled is really something. His also well-dressed and she’ll admit, Fender is handsome when bathed and well-dressed. He's like a foreigner and in fact, girls here in dumpsite are flirting to him but Fender ignore them.

"You thought I forgot its your birthday today?"

Her tears began to fall. She lost her temper when Fender approached her and kissed her on the forehead as he placed the box and paperbag on their small table.

"I came from outside. I smell stink.” she wiped her eyes. It's embarrassing for her to cry in front of him.

Fender just laughed and held out her hand. "I'm sorry if I let you cry and sad, because I have a surprise for you. I'm sorry if I always disappear every night, because I'm preparing for your upcoming birthday. You know how important you are to me and anything I can do for you."

“You are really crazy! You don't have to surprise me. Being here with you is enough—”

"I'm happier to give it to you," he interrupted. He guided her to sit in a wooden chair and silently followed.

He opened the carrying box and show her the cake that she hadn’t experienced in her entire life every time she had a birthday. Her name engraved on the chocolate cake and flowers surrounding it. Her tears began to fall again as she stared at the beautiful cake.

"Here's my love again, too crying child." He laughed at hee and wiped away her tears. Then he started lighting the candle placed on top of the cake. "Let's sing, hmm?"

She smiled and nodded. Fender started singing and she could tell that the man's voice was painful to hear but it's kinda okay. Her heart listens to his frog voice. She winced as he squeaked in the last line.

“Blow out the candle! Make a wish!”

"Where did you learn that wish-wish?"

“On TV, in the market. All right, blow it and make a wish.”

She bit her lip and obeyed what Fender said, she blew out the candle and close her eyes. She simply wanted to finish school and be with the young man forever. She didn't want to be with anyone else, just him. Fender is the only one she can leaned on and she noticed that in recent days, she become dependent on him.

Fender kissed her happily on the lips but she immediately glared her eyes to him.

“I thought I could kiss you because it's your birthday.” he grinned.

“It is forbidden. You can kiss me in the lips and have my body when I'm ready.”

He just laughed and jokingly saluted her. Fender brought pancit gisado, loaf bread and her favorite ginataan hito.

“I bought your favorite! I know you miss it.”

As if her heart would explode with joy. She stood up and quickly hugged him. "Thank you."