The Peanut Vendor

Aren't we all a little annoyed when the alarm goes off in the morning?  Most of us, if not all, will snooze it and get an extra 10-15 minutes of dear sleep.  Starting another routinary day isn't something we look forward to anyway.

 

Yesterday, my friends and I were hanging out at a small store just across school when a familiar vendor approached and offered salted peanuts for P10.  My friend buys one, and the vendor goes his way.

 

We head off to Dapug to have dinner, and several minutes later, whoa, the same vendor appeared.  I realized I've seen this man several times on different days.  I think you have, too.  He sells along Gen. Luna St. and then goes to Diversion Road, even in Smallville.

 

I don't know what occurred to me, I just asked him if he had dinner already, and he said no.  So I thought, what the heck, and ordered for him.  Turns out he just walks his way through the city hoping for buyers, because "kung magsakay ko, ti wala na karon may mabakal (if I rode the jeepney no one is going to buy)."

 

It turns out that Manong Lino was selling "taho" before in SEAFDEC, where I used to live.  I think I might have bought from him when I was still a kid.  He was also selling in UP Miagao before.  But now he settled for salted nuts.  Everyday he would get up and buy nuts on the wet market, go home and cook them, then catch some sleep before heading out to start his day to sell his peanuts to those who hang out on cafes, bars, and some restaurants.  Most of us get annoyed when these vendors approach us, some would try to shoo them off or just ignore them the very least.  But if you really think about it, they're just trying to make a living for themselves, just like everyone else.

 

A part of me wanted him to experience what it's like to be a customer eating at some restaurant, 'cause I doubt he gets that often.  Sometimes we complain and rant about the smallest and the most silly things, have you ever thought about what the really poor people complain about?

 

I can only imagine how hard it is for him to live.  But hey, he doesn't get tired of it.  And I admire these kind of people.  Getting up everyday and trying to make a living even if they don't get a lot from it.  This is how I define hope.  Even if you do know deep inside things aren't going to be better, you still go on.  I guess I bought him dinner because I wanted him to just keep going, because despite his "occupation", there would be people kind enough to do something for him.

 

We tend to get depressed and sometimes refuse to find a reason why we should be waking up and facing the day ahead, choosing instead to waste the day by slacking off or doing basically nothing.  We may all feel a little emptiness inside, but the grass is greener on the other side, all we have to figure out is how to get there.  Hope.  And when you can, give even just a little hint of hope to others.  Because these things could turn out to be something great in the end.  Not that I am expecting anything in return though.

 

I guess I just want this to be my legacy - these little things that I do or try to.  At the end of the day I am comforted by the thought that maybe, Manong Lino, the poor kids I've handed out gifts to last Christmas, and all the other people I have helped or tried to, will remember that one time when someone shared a little kindness with them, and think, "Life isn't so bad after all."

 

Hah, and maybe next time I will get free nuts when Nong Lino meets me again. ;)