The air inside the store is cool, but this doesn't dampen my interest in his story. Kids outside want to take my life. But what can they do if I am with a guard carrying a shotgun?
"Good afternoon, ma'am," the guard said as he opened the glass door and greeted the customer, doing his job seriously. Then he sat back in front of me.
"Back then, when I dropped out of school due to financial problems, I started to work at the public market as a helper. I was still a teenager back then. Even the food they gave me already made me happy," he reminisced.
"I still got paid though. About 3 pesos per day. Back then, with that 3 pesos you could buy some rice and quick food for yourself. This little cash that I earned managed to ease some of my parents' burden, and that felt great," he continued.
I can clearly relate to what he feels. It was also one of my proudest moments in my past life. I never let my parents experience hunger. Because I didn't have a family of my own and I didn't have a girlfriend, most of my earnings went to my savings and to my parents. They couldn't work anymore at that time, so I made sure that even though I rarely saw them, they always had enough financially.
"It was hard back then. I remember that when my father got sick, I had to do two jobs just to provide for my family. I worked as a helper in the morning and as a jeepney conductor in the afternoon and at night. I started to feel stressed back then because they never paid me fairly. They told me that I was still young and couldn't do what adults do. However, if you look at the work that I did and the work they did, mine was clearly harder. Sometimes they even ordered me to do their work."
"They all thought that because I never studied, they could just fool me around. I knew that I was treated unfairly, but what could I do? I was young and uneducated. One of those two words is already unlucky enough. Imagine having both," he said jokingly, trying to laugh it out.
"Hahaha, that must be hard, sir! But why didn't you try to do other things?" I laughed with him. I was also curious why he stayed when people abused him. If I were in his place, I would have left a long time ago. Why stay in a workplace that doesn't appreciate how hard you work?
"Well, if I did that, who would accept me? They knew that I was just a kid, and no one would accept me even if I left. I also heard some rumors that they would accuse other kids of stealing if they decided to transfer to other stores."
I felt sad for him. I also had my fair share of difficulties in life, but I always had choices unlike him. I had also heard from some people I knew how difficult life could be for the uneducated. However, this was the first time I talked to someone who shared his experience directly.
"Well, at least I earned some cash. That was what mattered back then. I managed to feed my family until my father got back on his feet," he stated with a smile.
"Now that I think about it, it was not that bad. Others became beggars after experiencing the same situation. Others even committed suicide."
I sighed. I can control it. That kind of mindset really sets people apart. Some think that because others have it harder, you shouldn't complain about your own suffering. But if it pains you, no matter how little it is as others say, you have the right to complain. No one has the right to tell you how you should feel.
"A few months after that, I decided to call it quits. I found a rich family that needed someone to take care of their house."
"I worked at that house for a few years. When they decided to sell the house and move to America, I was already 18. Finding a job became easier after that. I became a bus driver, a construction worker, and a crew member in fast food. However, even then life was still not easy. The boss always asked you to work overtime without pay. Any losses that the store had were charged to you."
He looked at me for a while and paused. He saw me waiting for the continuation of his story. Maybe he found me amusing because he laughed a little.
"A friend then recommended me to some security agencies. When I got accepted, I worked as a security guard at a bar. I worked as a guard for multiple establishments. I was transferred to many places. I had to leave my parents and my girlfriend for a long time. Only after 15 years did I manage to request to be assigned here."
I felt happy for him because he finally managed to settle down. Not everyone can do that given the disadvantages he had.
"So study well. Value the opportunity that has been given to you. Not everyone manages to make it. I hope you do."
He smiled while looking outside and saw a car that wanted to park. He left me for a moment.
He helped the car park in the store's parking space. Then he looked at the kids waiting for me outside.
"Hey kids! What are you doing hanging around here? I've been watching you for a while now. You're taking up space outside the store and blocking the entrance! Leave before I do something about all of you!!"
The kids ran away in fear. Being confronted by a big man carrying a shotgun scared the hell out of them.
They tried to stay nearby for a little while, but the guard kept looking at them, clearly not having it. Only after they vanished from sight did the guard come back into the store. He looked at me and grinned.
"You're clearly intelligent for your age. However, don't think that you are above others because of it. And don't think that your lies will work on everyone," he told me with a smile.
Feeling embarrassed, my face started to heat up.
"Sorry, sir. I didn't mean it. It just" I tried to explain my dilemma to him. I've been with him for a while now. Leaving with a bad impression would be a shame.
He interrupted me midway and smiled.
"Nah, it's okay. You managed to ease my boredom. Just don't do that again. I suggest you leave now before they come back."
I thanked him again for his help and told him that I'll see him again soon. Then I rushed to the terminal to ride home.
On my way home, I was finally given time to think.
Everyone must always be careful. You never know how low other people can be. There will surely be people who will take advantage of you. But you can't always tell who they are.
You can't simply doubt everyone because you don't know them. At the same time, you can't trust them easily.
Just don't be a fool. Always leave yourself a safe exit.
Because sometimes the best defense is not about guarding or blocking everything in your path.
Sometimes, it is simply knowing when, where, and how to respond.