By Richard A. Giye
It just took one year for Lad to be completely healed from a motorcycle accident that batted his skull on the concrete road going to La Union. It broke his nose frame and shattered his cheekbones. His face nearly breaks off and blood came gushing from his eyes, nose, and ears.
First, he worked for his friend and provide labor to a nearby construction site. He stayed with his friend whose wife has just delivered a child. Lad is a thoughtful man who whenever his friend lacks the support of a father, he was willing to help. It was not even out of the friendship that he does this, nor pay forward to his employment but out of the true mercy to the woman and her child. For instance, carrying things around in the house, changing tanks, carrying water, or volunteering to do market stuff.
But one day his friend gets it done with him. The friend sank the boat of their friendship and terrible words came spewing like a whirlpool. He spun the table and accused Lad of being a traitor, taking advantage of their friendship, and 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. That on the time of the accident when he had already a foresight of the coming of a danger, Lad remembered those ill words in a collision that crushed his heart beforehand.
Lad in 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 weighed on him, it blew off his skull. He wanted to powder his face on the pavement and so willingly took the shame he does not deserve.
Lad was rushed to the hospital with a broken skull, his arms and legs wounded. He was operated and a thin metal brace was drilled in his skull to hold his cheeks and jaw in place. He was in long-dreaded dreams 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 some were 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 through the nightmare. He said he was saved by an angel with small hands, a cute smile, and innocent eyes he once cared about on afternoons when the mother would steal moments to rest and eat. Lad was reminded of the inner goodness with the genuine silence of a babe where his kindness was returned with his second life.
