Devotion

It was 7:00 am and I just alighted from the LRT Station and started walking to school.

At the corner of Taft Avenue and Pablo Ocampo Streets, just in front of Jollibee, I passed by this striking old lady. My estimate places her at around 75 years old. She was a frail looking woman, with her white hair tied back in a pony tail. She was carrying a small, transparent umbrella with a pink handle, and wearing a bright yellow house dress. On the surface, she looked very nondescript. But I found her striking because of something on her dress.

There was something attached to both sides of her dress. Neatly safety-pinned on her bright yellow house dress was a computer print out with the photo of an old man. On top of the photo were the words "MISSING," and below, there was an address and a telephone number.

Since I had 30 minutes to spare before my first class, I went back to the corner and talked to the old lady. I greeted her good morning, and proceeded to ask her a few questions. (And to think I just discussed "The Art of the Interview" last Friday. How timely.)

ME: "Lola, sino po itong nawawala."
LOLA: "Yung asawa ko."
ME: "Kailan niyo po siya huling nakita?"
LOLA: "Mag-iisang buwan na. Mag-iisang buwan na siyang nawawala."
ME: "Nagpatulong na po ba kayo sa mga pulis o sa DSWD? Baka makatulong sila sa inyo sa paghanap."
LOLA: "Ni-report na din namin sa pulis. Pero gusto ko ding hanapin siya."
ME: "Malapit po ba kayo dito nakatira?"
LOLA: "Medyo malapit din. Dito nga kami magdalas nagkikita sa kanto kaya dito ako naghihintay. Baka sakaling bumalik siya dito."

That last line sent a surge of emotions throughout my body. If I were made of weaker stuff, I might have been bawling like a baby in the middle of the street. I was touched by her devotion to her husband, and the fact that she stands there, right at the corner where she usually meets him, in the hopes that she'll find him there.

It reminded me of the story of "Hachiko" in Japan. But this story was happening right in front of me. Right at the corner near our school. Right now.

ME: "Sige po, Lola. Tignan ko po kung may maitutulong kami sa inyo."
LOLA: "Naku, salamat. Kaawaan ka ng Diyos, iho."

I went back to school and held my two classes, telling my first class the story of this devoted wife waiting for her missing husband at the corner where they usually meet. Suddenly I was thinking, "heck, this is an advertising class. Why don't we help her make posters?"

At around 1:15pm, I left school and headed towards Taft Avenue, going to the LRT station. The old lady wasn't there anymore. Maybe she had lunch. Maybe she went home. Maybe her children picked her up and advised her to just stay home and assured her that she'll find him soon.

I sincerely hope that she does. A woman with that kind of love and devotion deserves to be rewarded. And what better reward than finding the man she's been looking for for the past month.