‘Why are you crying?”
“That’s it. I’m done.”
That was the last conversation that we’ve had. Words spoken by a cold voice. His intelligence. His good-looking. He’s kind. He lived in a fancy hose with his classic family. They said he has a great mother, to whom they think was a stage-supporting mother, but for me, she’s just a harsh boss to his slave son.
It’s up to you if you want to listen to those noises that you hear but you could never ever stop your ears from hearing it. Just like what an ordinary and typical best friend do, we used to go to canteen and eat together eating almost the same foods. On our way back to our class room, we met the boss, her mother so he told me to go first. I’ve exactly known what will happen next. After taking a few steps, the priest had started its sermon. His long and scary nightmares had begun.
That was the day for announcing the honor roll in our class. The day of the revelation. Everyone was excited to know their ranks. Numbers that indicates only their performance, not their intellectuality. The only thing that matters to a student’s parent that pushes them to reveal their true colors.
As the program started, parents sit beside their child. For the past years and announcing ceremony that passed, same faces, same names, the same rank arrangements, same parents, same filled seats, same blank seats except this year. One parent is missing. The one that always wear a big smile on her face after this eventin which she considered as competition. The one who used to be so proud of her son. My best friend’s mother was missing. She didn’t attend the ceremony.
Screams, shouts, yelling of names, teasing and other unnecessary noises were all you can hear in the room. Top 10… top 9… and there he was called: At the ninth. Everyone in the room gave him a round of applause but he just stands up, glance back and fake a smile. I shook my head. I know that smile. I know there’s something behind it.
Now, I know why he was crying. Now I know what causes those precious teardrops of him to fall—- frustration, failing, annoyance, shame, feeling of disappointing and dissatisfying him and his parents. I felt pity for him not because he haven’t maintained his title of being first but because his education becomes an obligation that he must do to fulfill his needs, either material things or intangibles.
I want to comfort him but words couldn’t go out of my mouth. I want to make him happy but I know that’s impossible for that moment. If I could only tell him those word maybe he’ll feel comfortable. It may somehow ease whatever feeing it is that he feels. Those words that my mother used to tell me when she was still in here—“People go to school not because you only run for those honors but because you want to learn. You want your knowledge or skills that later on you’ll need in your life. That was the purpose of your hardship in school- education.
By: Pia Moran G. Mangahas | Teacher III | MNHS- Cabcaben | Mariveles, Bataan
