Goodbye, my dear

ADDIO, MIO CARO

They were on my side before

Suddenly, they weren’t anymore

Good things I cherished

Even they too vanished

Efforts I relentlessly gave

Relationships I could have saved

Wonder why is this true

Solitary and oh so blue

Heavens may have revoked

And this occurring stroke

So used to play along

In the end it was all wrong

People I dearly know

Teasingly, they come and go

Closer to me as my world have changed

Then usual, they acted strange

It always ends, but why?

My heart is aching of various goodbyes

Soon, I know they’ll be back

For me they’ll be in formal black

Some will weep, others laugh

Relived memories on my behalf

As I lay to rest, paid my dues

Suddenly there I left them too

Chance....

At this point in our lives, even way back then, there’s always the presence of chance. The possibility to do it all over again. Circumstances may sometimes prevents us to or not to give it another try. Chances measure our willingness to get up from the failures, mistakes and trips we had. I guess getting that chance is what we want aside from feeling contended. Acquiring it gives the opportunity for better results, if not perfection.

Giving a chance to another is considered nobler. I know it’s hard but it’s worth trying. Giving a chance opens up new possibilities and growth. Handing this to another with an open heart makes you partly selfless and a true Christian. Give that desired chance.

Arguments...

To all logic students and debaters, I present Schopenhauer's 38 ways to win an argument:

• Carry your opponent's proposition beyond its natural limits; exaggerate it. The more general your opponent's statement becomes, the more objections you can find against it. The more restricted and narrow his or her propositions remain, the easier they are to defend by him or her.

• Use different meanings of your opponent's words to refute his or her argument.

• Ignore your opponent's proposition, which was intended to refer to a particular thing. Rather, understand it in some quite different sense, and then refute it. Attack something different than that which was asserted.

• Hide your conclusion from your opponent till the end. Mingle your premises here and there in your talk. Get your opponent to agree to them in no definite order. By this circuitous route you conceal your game until you have obtained all the admissions that are necessary to reach your goal.

• Use your opponent's beliefs against him. If the opponent refuses to accept your premises, use his own premises to your advantage.

• Another plan is to confuse the issue by changing your opponent's words or what he or she seeks to prove.

• State your proposition and show the truth of it by asking the opponent many questions. By asking many wide-reaching questions at once, you may hide what you want to get admitted. Then you quickly propound the argument resulting from the opponent's admissions.

• Make your opponent angry. An angry person is less capable of using judgement or perceiving where his or her advantage lies.

• Use your opponent's answers to your questions to reach different or even opposite conclusions.

• If your opponent answers all your questions negatively and refuses to grant any points, ask him or her to concede the opposite of your premises. This may confuse the opponent as to which point you actually seek them to concede.

• If the opponent grants you the truth of some of your premises, refrain from asking him or her to agree to your conclusion. Later, introduce your conclusion as a settled and admitted fact. Your opponent may come to believe that your conclusion was admitted.

• If the argument turns upon general ideas with no particular names, you must use language or a metaphor that is favorable in your proposition.

• To make your opponent accept a proposition, you must give him or her an opposite, counter-proposition as well. If the contrast is glaring, the opponent will accept your proposition to avoid being paradoxical.

• Try to bluff your opponent. If he or she has answered several of your questions without the answers turning out in favor of your conclusion, advance your conclusion triumphantly, even if it does not follow. If your opponent is shy or stupid, and you yourself possess a great deal of impudence and a good voice, the trick may easily succeed.

• If you wish to advance a proposition that is difficult to prove, put it aside for the moment. Instead, submit for your opponent's acceptance or rejection some true proposition, as though you wished to draw your proof from it. Should the opponent reject it because he or she suspects a trick, you can obtain your triumph by showing how absurd the opponent is to reject a true proposition. Should the opponent accept it, you now have reason on your own for the moment. You can either try to prove your original proposition or maintain that your original proposition is proved by what the opponent accepted. For this, an extreme degree of impudence is required.

• When your opponent puts forth a proposition, find it inconsistent with his or her other statements, beliefs, actions, or lack of action.

• If your opponent presses you with a counter proof, you will often be able to save yourself by advancing some subtle distinction. Try to find a second meaning or an ambiguous sense for your opponent's idea.

• If your opponent has taken up a line of argument that will end in your defeat, you must not allow him or her to carry it to its conclusion. Interrupt the dispute, break it off altogether, or lead the opponent to a different subject.

• Should your opponent expressly challenge you to produce any objection to some definite point in his or her argument, and you have nothing much to say, try to make the argument less specific.

• If your opponent has admitted to all or most of your premises, do not ask him or her directly to accept your conclusion. Rather draw the conclusion yourself as if it too had been admitted.

• When your opponent uses an argument that is superficial, refute it by setting forth its superficial character. But it is better to meet the opponent with a counter argument that is just as superficial, and so dispose of him or her. For it is with victory that your are concerned, and not with truth.

• If your opponent asks you to admit something from which the point in dispute will immediately follow, you must refuse to do so, declaring that it begs the question.

• Contradiction and contention irritate a person into exaggerating his or her statements. By contracting your opponent you may drive him or her into extending the statement beyond its natural limit. When you then contradict the exaggerated form of it, you look as though you had refuted the orginal statement your opponent tries to extend your own statement further than you intended, redefine your statement's limits.

• This trick consists in stating a false syllogism. Your opponent makes a proposition and by false inference and distortion of his or her ideas you force from the proposition other propositions that are not intended and that appear absurd. It then appears the opponent's proposition gave rise to these inconsistencies, and so appears to be indirectly refuted.

• If your opponent is making a generalization, find an instance to the contrary. Only one valid contradiciton is needed to overthrow the opponent's proposition.

• A brilliant move is to turn the tables and use your opponent's arguments against him or herself.

• Should your opponent surprise you by becoming particularly angry at an argument, you must urge it with all the more zeal. Not only will this make the opponent angry, it may be presumed that you put your finger on the weak side of his or her case, and that the opponent is more open to attack on this point than you expected.

• This trick is chiefly practicable in a dispute if there is an audience who is not an expert on the subject. You make an invalid objection to your opponent who seems to be defeated in the eyes of the audience. This strategy is particularly effective if your objection makes the opponent look ridiculous or if the audience laughs. If the opponent must make a long, complicated explanation to correct you, the audience will not be disposed to listen.

• If you find that you are being beaten, you can create a diversion that is, you can suddenly begin to talk of something else, as though it had bearing on the matter in dispose. This may be done without presumption if the diversion has some general bearing on the matter.

• Make an appeal to authority rather than reason. If your opponent respects an authority or an expert, quote that authority to further your case. If needed, quote what the authority said in some other sense or circumstance. Authorities that your opponent fails to understand are those which he or she generally admires the most. You may also, should it be necessary, not only twist your authorities, but actually falsify them, or quote something that you have invented entirely yourself.

• If you know that you have no reply to an argument that your opponent advances, you may, by a fine stroke of irony, declare yourself to be an incompetent judge.

• A quick way of getting rid of an opponent's assertion, or throwing suspicion on it, is by putting it into some odious category.

• You admit your opponent's premises but deny the conclusion.

• When you state a question or an argument, and your opponent gives you no direct answer, or evades it with a counter question, or tries to change the subject, it is a sure sign you have touched a weak spot, sometimes without knowing it. You have as it were, reduced the opponent to silence. You must, therefore, urge the point all the more, and not let your opponent evade it, even when you do not know where the weakness that you have hit upon really lies.

• This trick makes all unnecessary if it works. Instead of working on an opponent's intellect, work on his or her motive. If you succeed in making your opponent's opinion, should it prove true, seem distinctly to his or her own interest, the opponenent will drop it like a hot potato.

• You may also puzzle and bewilder your opponent by mere bombast. If the opponent is weak or does not wish to appear as if he or she has no idea what you are talking about, you can easily impose upon him or her some argument that sounds very deep or learned, or that sounds indisputable.

• Should your opponent be in the right but, luckily for you, choose a faulty proof, you can easily refute it and then claim that you have refuted the whole position. This is the way which bad advocates lose a good case. If no accurate proof occurs to the opponent or the bystanders, you have won the day.

• A last trick is to become personal, insulting and rude as soon as you perceive that your opponent has the upper hand. In becoming personal you leave the subject altogether, and turn your attack on the person by remarks of an offensive and spiteful character. This is a very popular trick, because everyone is able to carry it into effect.

(abstracted from the book:Numerical Lists You Never Knew or Once Knew and Probably Forget, by: John Boswell and Dan Starer)

Guilt

Among the queries I posted earlier, the thing that played in my mind was: why is too much, bad? Economics would rectify this through the law of diminishing returns. Other great minds have their own ways of explaining it, but I think that it all comes down to guilt. The meaning of guilt and our notions of it would tell us how it fares. Overstatements sometimes destroy the definition of guilt. What is guilt is at times co-existent with conscience or judgement.

The answer to the question above lies on our own definition and what is guilt to us. It depends on how we weigh things as they happen. Not everything that’s too much is bad. It is our guilt that tells us if it’s good nor bad. 

Sight perceptions

I’ll start off your weekend with some funny but interesting sights that you see around you. Though it may look dumb, these simple kinds surely bring a smile or even laughter on our faces. The way you perceive it is the way you invite it in your pre occupied minds. Perceptions do sometimes give us freedom in expression. Reality becomes because perceptions.  Coupled with belief, expectations on these perceptions of ours transform to materiality more transparent and obvious. 

Stressful? Cool?

Spirited blabbers

As I am currently dozed with a thing I yearned for a long time, who am I to resist the call to burst once again. This time, I’ll try to be cool. I’m searching for answers.

Classic- Chicken or egg?

--o--

What’s the story behind reality shows?

--o--

Is dying an end to living? Living therefore is nonsense for you’ll die anyway.

--o--

Why does somebody always oppose to almost anything we have to say or do?

--o--

When is too much, good?

--o--

And when that too good turns into something bad, why endless reasons?

--o--

Of the 7 billion people in the world, why me?

--o--

Hik! Excuse me...

Blabber - II

With the required support and motivational shrug from a concerned friend, here I am, bursting various bits that you may find relevant or just treat it as another usual drool that floats unnoticed...

Recent study says that too much happiness is bad for your health? ... Happy about that?

--o—

An expired poison. Is this still effective?

--o---

It’s about time to come up with a TV where you cannot only see and hear but you can also actually smell...

--o—

More new breakthroughs in the field of medicine, yet more complex types of disease are found.

--o—

The way we live now, do we still value life?

--o—

People talk much on how good you were only at your wake.

Chairman's FOCUS

Pondering on an earlier conversation with ‘the chairman’, more self realization dawned on me. She told me to focus. How to focus on what is there and stop hanging around to those that aren't there or will be at all. To fixate your well being to reality and learning to fully appreciate everything whatever size it comes. How to focus on the available and harness those with your skills will get you up and going. In addition, learn to focus only on the present. The past is unchangeable so it is futile to reflect on it unless you are making sure you do not repeat past mistakes. The future is but a result of your actions today. So learn from the past to do better in the present so that you can succeed in the future. No ‘grave-digging’, please. Learning how to focus absconds by think positive thoughts. When you find yourself thinking a negative thought, stop it immediately by any means necessary. Slap yourself in the face, yell something positive at the top of your lungs or jump up and down. Do whatever it takes to get back to a positive mindset as such is essential for continual happiness and success.

Olympics

To momentarily pass myself from dwelling much on the subjectivity of being, I decided to skip my trend and embark on some relevant and timely buzz around me. To start, I’ll burst some Olympic trivia for you.

Olympic rings

The five Olympic rings represent the five continents involved in the Olympics and were designed in 1912, adopted in June 1914 and debuted at the 1920 Antwerp Olympics.

The symbol of the Olympic Games is composed of five interlocking rings, coloured blue, yellow, black, green, and red on a white field. This was originally designed in 1912 by Baron Pierre de Coubertin, the founder of the modern Olympic Games. According to de Coubertin the ring colours with the white background stand for those colors that appeared on all the national flags of the world at that time. (Wikipedia)

Games

First gold of the Games was won by Katherine Emmons of the Czech Republic (Women's 10m air rifle).

India won its first ever Olympic gold medal in individual events. (Abhinav Bindra, 10m air rifles).

Usain Bolt of Jamaica, the fastest man ever on earth, had the second worst start among 8 finalists in terms of reaction time (0.165 sec), when he started off his final run on 16th August 2008. He could get a lead over others after the first 40 meters. Seeing that he's unchallenged he relaxed in the last 20 meters, waving his hands and looking on both sides, which is unheard of in 100 meter race. Yet, he could clinch the title and create a world record.

The first time technology was used at such a high-profile event was on before the opening ceremony in Beijing on 8th August 1,104. Rain-dispersing rockets were fired into the skies in order to fend off wet weather.

On the very first day of the Games, Greek sprinter Tassos Gousis was sent home after tests proved positive for a prohibited performance drug.

The lowest age for an Olympic participant is 16. Gymnastics is the area in which largest number of controversies related to lowest age crop up.

More controversies surround female gymnasts than their male counterparts.

The Olympic flame

A flame was lit during the entire event of the Olympics during the ancient Olympic Game known as the Olympic Flame. 

A new flame is lit using a parabolic mirror to focus the rays of the Sun at the ancient Olympic Stadium in Olympia, Elis, Greece. The Flame is then transported to the host city where the last runner lights the large Olympic Cauldron by it and this burns throughout the Games. The Flame is extinguished during the closing ceremony. The Olympic Flame was first lit during the opening ceremony of the IX Olympic Games at Amsterdam, Netherlands in 1928. 

The first Olympic Torch Relay occurred at the 1936 Berlin Olympic Games.

Monday Poem

I am much honored to present a burst of my classmate’s tentative existence in literary world.

My Monday Poem
By Rusty Sanchez Jr.August 28, 2010 (9:00 to 9:30) 

Never ending tell tale stories of misgivings
Unrelenting ….. Unforgiving
Breath of innocence, besiege by armors and arms
Misdirecting……Miscalculating 

Shameless faces of tangential ranks
Captured in lenses without poetic masks
Dying seconds of  clouded fear
Aggravated by sounds of bullets turned tears 

Ostentatious display of might and arrogance
Shelled in a bus to detour a lost rank
Ignited by a flat tire to seize his wallet size
Growling  like a boob tube monster firing with a shut eye 

Making my Monday mourning put into poem 
Conflagrating……..annihilating
Unstoppable……..unbreakable
Forgiveness we seek for the world to understand

Bursts - II

A boost or a much insisting push is what I really need now. I believe that part of me has done enough. Time to blast away more of those waited bursts. Bursting I now set sail on this wonderful journey of life. 

Unknowingly a dreadful ordeal

Cursing, lambasting

To which can’t reveal

Overwhelmed down too much

Afflicting this moment

Never dream of such

Wanting needed rest

Not that long

In order to be abreast

Teeming with ideas

Not to dwell more

By living in fantasia

Inspiration is what I pray

Imploring the heavens

Just let it...stay

Soon as I’m ready

No matter what

Be it light or heavy

I know that this shall come to pass

Nothing is permanent

Although meant to last

Wheelchair bursts

Active and recharged

Echoes of greatness emerged

Appreciate

After doing a massive task of drenching myself to the countless possibilities served by technology, mauled I was. My stroked body, heavy on emotions, work revisions, connection flaws, a dear friend’s absence, loss of clear ideas, and consider almost anything that gets in the way of me advancing and improving pulls me back. I still remember my boss saying: ...if shit hits the fan...

But I’m fully aware of this and its possible repercussions if left unattended. Just as my ‘’Tol’’ advised me, I’m taking a rest. Husserl’s method might work this time. Being apart from your being and looking at it subjectively. Clearing away the cobwebs and polishing my present outlook is considerable. To be appreciative of all things stops the fan and clears the shit. Appreciate, appreciate, and in this life, we must appreciate.

My Idol

This is another insisted moments that my youngest daughter asked me to do for her mom. It is likewise dedicated to OFWs [Overseas Filipino Workers] and their families. A simple 'thank you' note for their countless sacrifices and immeasurable heroism.

It is often said and written down in various pages of human history, as well being handed by word of mouth and the individuals and personalities that shaped our minds.  It is through them that we pattern our ideals and hopes. Their drive to almost perfection is the very foundation of what we are now and their very lives are inspirations and basis of how our lives must be lived.

As simple and minute my goals may seem, I am drawn to reply that my favorite character in life is my mother. My mother has and is always been my inspiration to pursue hard on my studies and on the other facets of life for her brave attack on life, her unselfishness and her uncontested commitment has made her my unsung idol.

The mere fact of being able to endure every single night of being lonely and not embracing her beloved children when they go to sleep is simply unimaginable.  The countless days of hardwork and unlimited sacrifices for the family may sound so familiar to some, but to me, a gallant one.

Love weather - III

I would have been so selfish if admiration was all mine to cherish. It’s an honor to showcase this burst of artistic sways. Feel the invite and the unforgettable feel that soothes your soul as together we momentarily join our thoughts on a proposing tour to a friend’s world of pure love and affection.

DAYDREAM

Whenever I day dream,

and day dream I do,

in my secret garden,

I day dream of you.

I day dream of you,

in a faraway land;

embracing me tight

and holding my hand.

Holding my hand,

and touching my face.

Just you and me,

in this peaceful place.

In this peaceful place

a pristine river flows.

Where the unicorns run,

a breeze always blows.

A breeze always blows

and sings of a song;

our love in a place

where you're never gone.

Where you're never gone

is as it would seem,

from dusk until dawn,

whenever I day dream.

And whenever I day dream,

and day dream I do,

in my secret garden,

I day dream of you.

MUSIC TO A SONG

I was sort of hoping,

That you would come along,

Like the answer to a prayer,

And the music to a song.

Like the kind of thing that happens,

At a special place and time,

That will change our lives forever,

Like a fantasy of mine.

The fantasy was there before,

I ever knew your name,

And now that I have found you,

We will never be the same.

So, pardon, if I look at you,

Forgive me if I stare,

At the fantasy I knew before,

I saw you standing there.

For I was always hoping,

That you would come along,

Like the answer to a prayer,

And the music to a song

Stroked reality

Dwelling to the reality is almost unacceptable. Salvaging what was left is just mocking yourself. Stroke is an unwanted event in my life. Because of my previous unconstraint lifestyle, I lured an undesirable health concern. It almost ravaged my life. I dwindled to oblivion.

But stroke did not and would not let it stop me. I saw stroke as a blessing and an eye opener for me. A reality that I was forced to swallow and enjoy at the same time. At first, it was not painful. It was hell. Gradual and dilatory embracing of reality was an endeavour. It further reminded me of others who was at the same situation as mine. Doable, but it’s a long hard boulevard to recovery.

Thorough determination and support from everyone is what every stroke patient needs. Reality is what it is.

Flowers

With or without the global financial crisis hovering at our doorsteps, the show must go on.  For men, a simple way of showing the affection to your loved one is by gifting her with flowers even though I can’t imagine the close relationship between crude oil and flowers.  Just by simply presenting those colorful and fragrant ones to your sweetheart is always guaranteed to melt her heart away.

And while we are into this flowers idea, why don’t we sneak in and answer some questions about flowers and plants, for that matter, while were thinking what kind of those flowers we are going to give away.

We all know from our science classes that just like any living things, the plants need water in order to grow.  It is one of the essential elements of survival for a living thing, particularly in plants aside from sunshine.  We also have known that the plants absorb the water through their roots and it is also a well known fact that one of the major functions of the root of a plant is the absorption of water and other nutrients in order to make our plants grow and survive.  Much also is in the case of flowers.  Unlike plants that have roots, the flowers, once cut from its stem or detached from its original nature, can still blossom the way they are by absorbing water.  On a kid’s notion, it is much of a “drinking” process for a flower in order to maintain its life and its beauty as well.

Flowers “drink” water by undergoing through some quite complex but amazing processes.  The less-scientists-botanists in us would adhere to these facts that it is through terms such as transpiration, osmosis and capillary action that our lovely flower is able to “drink” and absorb water.

The whole “drinking” process would start at the very basic when the sunlight tries to express its ‘powers’ by evaporating the amount of water in a certain leaf surface thus leaving our leaves thirsty.  The water that the roots have absorbed initially will also be hijacked and evaporated.  This initial process is called transpiration.  The most crucial part of the “drinking” necessarily involves the xylem tube inside our plants.  It is that tube that connects between the roots and the stem and it is more likely that water and other nutrients pass through this tube.

Once our “thirsty” plant prompts a need to “refill” because of the transpiration process, a certain amount of vacuum is created in its xylem tube causing some sort of a suction pressure to pull a considerable amount of water that the roots once absorbed.  Water is then traveled through the xylem tube to quench our leaves and flowers.  The size of the xylem tubes are also very vital in this “drinking” process as it will enables the holding and traveling power of the water to its destination.  This process is likewise called the capillary action.  For kids alike, the whole process is much like of drinking by using a straw.  The transporting and delivery part of the water and nutrients to the stems is handled by the osmosis department.  Osmosis is the process wherein plants evenly distribute its food source on their entirety in order to survive.

Again, being awed by the process of how a flower or plant drinks water brings out another “kid” in us.  Learning and discovering these simple and amazing things makes as also more aware of the things that are happening around us that are usually neglected and not that worthy much of our attention.  They are the realities that we have to learn and embrace in a way for these simple facts are the very foundations of what we are right now.  It is a much better way of getting more aware on our environment that is in need of care nowadays.  It is in these small things that we see its great importance.  A mere “drinking” process could always go a long way if given that much attention.  

Another burst

Last night while contemplating, consideration on the recent events that happened and what had transpired during the day, still dumbfounded, I was able to burst, through my ‘stroked’ mind, a short poem for my dear friend.

CGE, SABI MO E....GOW

Guess I woke up at the wrong side of the bed

Fate might accidentally pushed me instead

Though I am calm, a little confused

Bit concerned, then again, amused

This must now I’ll truly confess

Be it to thou that it won’t be a guess

From the very beginning

An aura I commend that’s truly amazing

So I’m finding it hard at least for the moment

Procure ideas as they happen

Shred of loss of thou art presence

Me resulting to pure nonsense

Guess it’s time and hope it’s not

A virtual distant mate and true friend a lot

Just remember this, I hope you do

There’s no more T3 for me other than you

Troubled goals

Being a person with stroke is extremely hard. No road or method is easy. You are hurting both from the inside and out. At times your mind dictates while your body does not feel like going through your mind, or it’s the other way around at certain times. The feeling of being limited seeps in and desperation pulls you back suddenly. Then hope slowly fades. Goals seem like mere utterances. The fire in you dies down. Pale, weak, uninvolved persona emerges. The masked depression attacks again strategically.

But just as being true and honest about the matter, everything and anything all comes down on how you treat it yourself. By surrounding yourself with people with concern can help you. Deeply focusing on what is to be done instead being distracted by negative thoughts also works well.

Take time. Time to transcend and empathize. Depression is a real mean mental enemy that could worsen your status if not handled correctly.

Too Little too Late...

This is my budding and raw play writing done for my daughter few insistent years back.

TITLE OF PLAY:

“TOO LITTLE, TOO LATE…”

CAST:

        MADRID FAMILY:

                MILA (MOTHER)

                LITO (FATHER)

                JENNY (DAUGHTER)

                JOEL (SON)

        RUIZ FAMILY:

                MANDO (FATHER)

                BEN (SON)

                RAUL (SON)

                KAREN (DAUGHTER)

OTHERS:

                NARRATOR (BOY)

SCENE 1: Inside the house of Madrid Family

Narrator:  A pleasant day to everyone.  Our group will try to personify through a small performance, some of the countless pressing problems of our modern Filipino society:  Malnutrition, the Street children and Poverty.  It is a typical story about the tragic lives of most families that are suffering these days…

(Lito enters the scene covered with sweat and somewhat exhausted)

Lito:         Mila? (looks for Mila)  (Mila appears with Jenny who looks sickly)

Mila:        (somewhat angry) Why?  Where have you been?  I have been looking for you as early as this morning and I’m beginning to worry about you.  Do you have any idea what time it is?  It’s almost six in the evening.

Lito:         I’m sorry.  I was not able to tell you that I had to leave early and look for a job. Mando mentioned to me few days ago that the construction site somewhere near the hospital is looking for helpers and its been two years since I got laid off from that ruthless factory that I had been so I decided to give it a shot.

Mila:        So, what happened?

Lito:         I was not able to get it.  I was too late.  They had the slots filled up as early as yesterday…How unfortunate I am…by the way, what’s up with Jenny?  How are you my dear?

Jenny:      (speaking slowly) Mother and I went early this morning to the center near the barranggay hall to have me checked up…(coughs heavily)…

Mila:        Its been almost a week that she’s down with fever, cough.  She complains on her lack of sleep, her strength has deteriorated.  I’m again beginning to worry Lito.   She has been showing signs of weakness lately.

Lito:         Yes, I know.  I have also been observing that and beginning to worry too. What did the doctor said?

Mila:        Jenny is underweight, lacks the necessary vitamins and nutrition needed for a normal girl like her.  The doctor told me to look after her and observe her as she shows signs of malnutrition.  He even advised me to have Jenny eat more fruits and vegetables and get enough sleep.

Lito:         I don’t think we would be able to give that to Jenny. I’m sorry but its all about how we live Mila.   We only eat twice a day and sometimes one or at times not at all!  All we eat are nothing but tuyo and instant noodles.  God knows that I’m trying very hard to earn a living but I seem to be so unfortunate.

Mila:        (begins to cry) What do we do now Lito?  Is there any chance maybe even our children do not have to suffer all these hardships in life?

Jenny:      (coughs)    Don’t you worry Mother, I’ll (coughs) get well soon.

(Jenny is held back by Mila in exiting the scene leaving Lito who looks so bothered by problems)

Lito:         Where’s Joel?

SCENE 2:  Urban Streets

(Music-busy streets)

(Sitting by the road is Joel, Ben and Karen)

Joel:         It’s almost dark.  I’m still short of earning my quota for the day.  Times are really hard nowadays.

Ben:         People nowadays seem so hard and harsh to kids like us who wander to ask for alms.

Joel:         They treat us like we’re bastards.  They see us as if we have no more future ahead of us…Hopeless individuals.

Karen:      You cannot blame them.  We streetchildren have been stereotyped as young delinquents and a threat to their safety.

Joel:         No one trusts us anymore.

Karen:      What? With the way we look? It’s impossible Joel!  We cannot even get a clean ourselves and go to school!  Most of us are orphans who always end up in jails and drug rehabilitation centers!  I sometimes feel that our parents were asleep when God showered all His blessings in this world.

Joel:         Hahaha!  That’s why we’re like this!

Ben:         I sometimes think of running away and just let those social workers adopt and take care of me…

Joel:         Me too but I worry about my kid sister.  She’s still sick and has become weak.

Ben:         Hey, I saw her with Aling Mila earlier at the center.  She really look so pale.  She is even thinner than when I last saw her.

Karen:      I hope she gets well soon…Listen, I’ll go ahead of you guys.  Tatay and Kuya Raul maybe home already. (started getting to leave)

Ben:         Wait!  I’ll go with you.  See you tomorrow Joel.

Joel:         Ok then.  I’ll stay for a while.

Karen:      Don’t stay too long, the police may be here any minute now.  Mang Lito might have to bail you out of the precinct again just like the other day.

Joel:         Nah, I just was not able to run that fast to elude the police that’s why I got caught.

(They heard police’s loud whistle and was baffled)

Joel:         And I guess we better start running! 

(They all immediately run in different directions away from the scene)

SCENE 3: Inside the house of the Ruiz Family

(Inside are Mando and Raul.  They are tired and exhausted)

(Ben and Karen enters the scene I a hurried way as if been chased)

Raul:        Oh, there you are!  I seem to know where you’ve been and who are you running from?

Ben:         (panting) As if we have any place to go and something relevant to do?

Karen:      They have been very persistent in trying to clean the streets of kids like us.  We’re just trying to earn a living in ways we kids know, asking for alms.

Mando:    Oh! That’s enough kids.  We should learn to accept the reality on what the society faces today.

Raul:        How about it tatay?

Mando:    That we, together with all the families in this dark, smelly, noisy and poor area of Metro Manila, belong to what they call those below the poverty line.

Karen:      Poverty line?

Mando:    Yes, my dear.  The State considers us as those who lack almost everything.  Education, income, opportunities, and everything else that a typical Filipino family has.

Raul:        Such as morals, food in the table, stable income, a healthy body and a sound mind…

Ben:         How come you learn these things Raul?  And don’t you think that we poor people don’t possess it?

Karen:      Kuya, as long as you are poor in this country, you must learn to accept the fact that you are deprived of what is common and what is typical.  That’s what I heard on the radio last time.  Is that true tatay?

Mando:    Most probably.  It’s either we ignore that fact or do something about it.

Raul:        Hey, Kuya, have you seen Joel?  He told me yesterday before Tatay and I went to collect garbage in the village, that his sister Jenny was still sick.

Ben:         Yes, he was with us earlier and yes, Jenny is sick and her condition is getting worse.

Karen:      She was brought at the center today and was told that her sickness and becoming weak are signs of malnutrition.

Mando:    I pity them, especially her father, Pareng Lito.  He can’t even manage to get a job or earn a decent income to give the needs of his family.  Same goes for Mareng Mila.

Ben:         And it’s been Joel who always finds a way of earning…… sad to say, in a dangerous, uncommon way…

Karen:      By asking for alms.

Raul:        But we all have common lives, do we?  We may even suffer the problems that they are encountering right now.

Mando:    That’s true kids.  And it is sometimes painful to accept the truth.  We all have to pray that no such things happen to us……  I’m hungry, what’s for dinner Karen?

Karen:      As usual, steak sirloin, kare-kare and menudo (grins)

Raul:        What? Don’t tell me the lechon and lengua are already gone?

Mando:    Hahaha! Stop your hallucination kids, get back to reality.

Ben:         Tatay is right; bring in our hot and steaming instant noodles as well as the ever sumptuous fried galunggong!

Raul:        (While getting something away from the scene and comes back with a covered plate) Well, I might as well bring out our “added attraction” which I got from a nearby vacant lot while picking up the garbage at a village outside.  I boiled it actually and added some salt to flavor.

Karen:      (Looks at Raul with curiosity) What’s that kuya?

Mando:    (Looks also to Raul and inhales the aroma that fills the air with what Raul is holding) Mmmm…that smells good, anak.

(Everyone stares on what really is on the plate and when Raul opens the cover, everyone was stunned to see what is it and faces the audience.  They all together say:  Talbos ng Kamote!!!  Then everyone laughs as they began to eat their supper)

SCENE 4: The Twist

(After eating for a while, everyone exits the scene except Mando who tries to rest, when Lito and Mila enters the scene with Mila sobbing)

Lito:         (Tries to knock first), Pareng Mando?

Mando:    Pareng Lito, Mareng Mila?  What’s the sudden rush about?

Mila:        Sorry for disturbing you pare, it’s about Joel.  We heard that he was with your Karen and Ben this morning.

Mando:    Wait, let me ask them... (Calls for Karen and Ben)  Karen!  Ben! Can you come out here, I have something to ask you guys!

(Karen and Ben appears on the scene)

Ben:         Good evening Mang Lito and Aling Mila (then turns to his father) about what Tatay?

Mando:    They are asking if you were with Joel today at the streets.

Karen:      (Looks at Lito and Mila)  Opo.  We even tried to run when we heard that the police were coming.  All I know is that he decided to stay a bit longer when everyone else chose to call it a day.

Ben:         He told us that he was still short of what he usually brings home to buy food, especially for his sick sister Jenny.

Lito:         But the problem is he has not gone home yet since we left our house.

Mando:    What happened?  Do you think that he was caught again by those unscrupulous policemen?

Karen:      That’s impossible tatay, he ran ahead of us and I was not able to figure out which way he went.

Ben:         He tried maybe to elude those corrupt policemen and have gone back to our place once it was already clear.  Have you gone looking for him on his spot?

Lito:         I tried to look for him but he was not there.

Mila:        (started to cry) I’m beginning to worry about Joel.  I hope nothing unusual happens to him.  Karen, can you look out for my Jenny for a while?

Karen:      (Nods her head in response) Don’t you worry much Aling Mila, I know Joel.  He’s just around the area.  Some place busier I guess where he can beg for alms from lots of people. (Begins to exit the scene)

Ben:         So he can buy whatever he likes and do something for Jenny.

Lito:         I’m so ashamed of myself Pareng Mando, (bows down in shame).  I should be the one in Joel’s place.  But I’m stuck with my ignorance, lack of determination and the will to be responsible enough to handle a family.  I, like everyone else, am poor and don’t know what to do.

Mando:    I share the same sentiments pare, I just happen to pray every night that me and the kids don’t get sick and our being underprivileged would not get in our lives.  Admit it pare, we cannot live as normal as we want in this country of ours.  It is true that the poor becomes poorer and the rich becomes richer.

Mila:        It’s the system that’s ruining our lives.  There are no more equal opportunities.  Absent of programs that will help the poor and the needy.  The benefits that each member of the society should enjoy should be addressed.

Ben:         (Laughs) with all due respect, if I may join the conversation, what this State knows is nothing but keeping his pockets full and his stomach bloated!  The hell with us poor people!  Sad to say, it’s our entire fault that we are poor. And it is so desperate to say, that our country and the people who are running it, does not have the solution to this ever growing issues!

(Karen returns running towards the scene panting)

Karen:      Aling Mila! Mang Lito! I guess you better come with me and we should hurry!

Mila:        (surprised and startled) Why Karen? What happened?

Karen:      It’s Jenny………

(everyone stares puzzled at Karen)

Karen:      (almost crying)  She’s…dead…

(enter soft dramatic music)

Mila:        (shouts in grief) Oh my God, my Jenny!

(Lito still cannot believe what he heard, fell on the floor sitting down, bows down his head and started to cry.)

Mando:    (sadly consoles Lito by placing his hand over Lito’s shoulder).  I’m so sorry pare, our deepest condolences.  Just put in mind that it was not you fault or anybody else, for that matter.

Ben:         Raul!

Raul:        Why kuya?

Ben:         Go with Karen, Aling Mila and Mang Lito.  I will go out and look for Joel.

(Raul nods his head and leaves the scene together with Mila, Lito and Karen)

(lights out and soft music)

Scene 5:  My sister

(On one corner of the busy street, Joel is happily counting the money in his hands as Ben enters the scene)

Ben:         Joel! (Joel looks who is calling him and recognizes Ben)

Joel:         Ben!  Come here! I have some good news for you!

(Ben comes over but is somewhat sad)

Ben:         What? That you finally found a new way to elude those stupid and corrupt policemen who always bothers our small street business?

Joel:         Yes! And that’s not all.  I was able to even triple my earnings for the day.  I can now buy the delicious pancit canton and some bananas that my sick sister Jenny likes very much!

Ben:         (looks sadly at Joel) Ah, Ok. Good for you.

Joel:         What are we waiting for?  Let’s hurry home because I might miss the fruit stand.  It usually closes early this time of the week!

Ben:         Wait Joel, I have to tell you something…and it’s very important.

Joel:         What’s it about Ben?  I know that my parents are already worried looking for me.  I know that.  It’s my sister whose I’m worried about and we should get home now.

Ben:         There’s no need to worry about your sister Jenny.  She isn’t sick anymore.  She won’t be eating your pancit canton and bananas either.  (Ben bows down his head in grief and starts to cry)

Joel:         C’mon Ben, why are you saying these things to me? (Joel is beginning to look suspicious). What happened to Jenny?

Ben:         (Lifts his head and embraces Joel and looks at him with sadness).  Jenny is gone.  She’s dead.

(Upon hearing the bad news, Joel runs away from the scene.  He was immediately followed by Ben who also exits the scene).

(curtains close)

(Enter soft dramatic music)

SCENE 6:  Too little, too late…

(Curtains open with the entire cast except Ben and Joel.  They are all in the scene grieving because of Jenny’s death. Then Joel appears and slowly walks towards Jenny upon seeing her.  He was met by his crying mother whom she embraces. Ben enters the scene and tries to comfort Joel. He looks at his dead sister and cries out loud)

Joel:         Aaaahhhh!!!! Jenny!!!!

(Everyone continues to cry and grieve as music turns a bit louder.  The narrator slowly enters the scene in front of the audience.  The music softens as the narrator faces the audience.  Sadly he begins to speak)

Narrator:  Simple as it maybe, we are faced with the truth that these simple tragedies that we just shown, are happening in real life.  And if these problems are left unaddressed, more families will be affected; the issues at hand will swell to the point that we start blaming one another and initiate endless pointing of fingers.  What’s worst is that we, ourselves, could be the next victim of these dilemmas of our modern Filipino society.  And help from the government and private sectors may come…too little, too late…Thank you and good day.

(the entire then cast takes turns in taking a bow in front of the audience)

Play ends.