It took one year for Lad to be completely healed from a motorcycle accident that batted his skull in the concrete road going to La Union. It broke his nose frame and shattered his cheekbones. His face nearly broke off and blood came gushing from his eyes, nose, and ears.
First, he worked for his friend and provided labor to a nearby construction site. He stayed with his friend whose wife has just delivered a child. Lad is a thoughtful man that whenever his friend lacked the support of a father, he was willing to help. It was not even out of friendship that he did this but out of the true mercy to the woman and her child. For instance, he helped by carrying things around in the house, changing tank, carrying water or volunteering to do market stuff.
But one day his friend sank the boat of their friendship and terrible words came like a whirl pool. He spun the table and accused Lad of being a traitor, taking advantage of their friendship, wooing his wife. Worst, he took the high road and priced all the benevolent gifts he gave to Lad. The shouting, the uncontrolled anger, and the poisonous words of a monstrous confrontation haunted Lad. At the time of the accident when he had already a foresight of the coming of a danger, Lad remembered those ill-words that crushed his heart beforehand.
Lad, under the influence of the alcohol, was almost willing to strike the road speedily and when met by an obstacle, he flew his body, weightless in the air, and took the fall. The impact of words weighted on him. It blew off his skull. He wanted to powder his face in the pavement and so willingly took the shame he does not deserve.
Lad was rushed to the hospital with the broken skull, his arms and legs wounded. He was operated on and a thin metal brace was drilled in his skull to hold his cheeks and jaw in place. He was in a long-dreaded dream while his family prayed earnestly. Buried with curses, accusations, and vile words his mortal soul wasn’t meant to hear.
But somehow because the world went crazy, the pandemic came, poverty has stricken, and all people are in pain that some were all angry and hungry. Many are mad like Lad’s friend, so willingly mad to break friendship, family or filial relationships at the fall of good people like Lad.
When Lad recovered after a year, he was asked how he was able to break from the nightmare. He said he was saved by an angel with small hands, cute smile, and innocent eyes he once cared on afternoons when the mother would steal moments to rest and eat. Lad was reminded on the inner goodness with the genuine silence of a baby where his kindness was returned with his second life. (RICHARD A. GIYE)
April 24, 2024
