Mang Ambo's Big Catch - Part 2

The problem of the fishermen continued, less catch each passing day. Farther and farther they fished... They tried to catch at a longer time but still the same. The catch became less and the fishes were smaller.

And so, one night before the fishermen went out to fish they approached Mang Ambo to ask for an advice. They saw him busy repairing and checking his fishishing nets. Even some beg for his advice to no avail. Mang Ambo just told them that it was just luck that he always had a big catch.

As the fishermen were leaving, Mang Ambo was smiling while saying to him self "You are very lucky if I will tell you my secret"...

After finishing a pack of cigarette, off he went fishing. As usual, he went far from the other fishermen and one by one he throw his dynamites. Big fish, small fish were everywhere! Big catch again for Mang Ambo tonight and his secret remains a secret.

Just like the other night, the other fishermen were still out in the sea while Mang Ambo was already heading home. As he was approaching their village, he saw an area engulfed in flames. He started to feel uneasy when he was sure that it was their place which is on fire.

He rushed to their house upon reaching the shore and he heard more explosion. These were coming from the place where he was hiding the dynamites. All the other people were just looking at what was happening and now they knew Mang Ambo's secret.

As he was sitting down with his palms in his face, he remembered the place where he was sitting the night before he left to fish. The cigarette butts which might be still lit could have started th fire. Everything that they had because of his illegal fishing were gone. His only consolation was that his family was on vacation when it happened...

Mang Ambo's Big Catch Part 1

Mang Ambo was not the typical fisherman because he prefers to fish by himself and far from the others. Comparing to his fellow fishermen, their family have a bigger house and can afford to send his children to school with ease. You might think that Mang Ambo was a very good fisherman because of these but not until you knew him well.

Unknown to others, Mang Ambo uses dynamite in fishing and that is the reason why he prefers to fish alone and far from the others in order for them not to notice his illegal activity. He keeps his dynamites in a small hut not very far from his house so his wife and their children do not know about it either.

As days pass by, less and less fish were caught by the fishermen in their village. Even Mang Ambo's catch were reduced to half of his original catch. They were forced to fish farther and at a longer time just to have a good catch.

It was summer and his family went to their relatives to have a vacation. Mang Ambo opted to be left behind because he doesn't want to leave his fishing. Besides, nobody will be left behind to look after their house.

The fishermen had a meeting to discuss about the problem and invited Mang Ambo to talk about it one day as they knew that he is the only one who is having a good catch. They were hoping that he could teach them a new way to have a good catch but he did not attend. They thought that he was just busy so they did not bother him anymore.

To be continued....  

The Sideline - Part 2

"Thanks son!" Marwin's mother was so happy when he handed her some money which actually came from his sideline. Not knowing that the money came from illegal, she hugged and kissed her only son. "Your father would have been very proud of you if he is still alive" her mother said. "We are poor but you were able to raise your own family and have a decent job". "You could go to the mall with junior tomorrow and buy the dress that I promised to you before" Marwin cut short her mother's words. "Lina and I couldn't come with you because we have work". Then he went to sleep thinking of his would-be earnings again on the next day from his sideline.

"Sir, excuse me but we have to take the patients" asked by one of the medical team from an ambulance. Tears starting to flow from his eyes, he informed the man that the two were his relatives so he was allowed to enter the ambulance. The victims were brought to the nearest hospital and were immediately treated. His mother suffered only minor injuries but his son needs an operation. Unfortunately, the doctor on duty was not yet in while the other one have just left.

Not long after, the doctor arrived and immediately proceeded to the operating room without wasting time. He knew that every second counts for Marwin's son. Hours passed and while they were waiting for the doctor to come out, Marwin realized that the accident could have been avoided if only he did not leave his job directing the traffic. He remembered the money that he took from the driver and his regret was only now when the accident already happened.

It was a very long wait for Marwin and his wife for the doctor to come out. After hours of waiting, the doctor appeared from the door and informed them that their son was already out of danger. And to Marwin's shock, the doctor was the same man whom he apprehended for his "sideline" a while ago. And because of what he have done, it almost cost his son's life.

The doctor just drove their truck for one day because the driver of their family business was not able to report for work. He was a little late reporting for duty after he was apprehended for his "traffic violations" which was made up by Marwin.

And so Marwin's sideline stopped completely....

The Sideline - Part 1

"Oooopppsss!!!! Here comes another sideline..." Marwin whispered to himself as he flagged down a vegetable delivery truck leaving his position directing traffic in an intersection. He knew that the truck driver have no traffic violation but still he was able to produce some "traffice violations" when the driver asked him.

The poor driver thinking that it will take too much of his time and still have other emergency matters to do, had gave in to the demands of Marwin. He secretly gave the money that was demanded by the crooked traffic enforcer and left.

Marwin was all smiles as another driver fell victim into his "sideline". Grinning from ear to ear, he was about to return to his position where he was directing traffic when suddenly a big truck skidded after it tried to avoid a vehicle that beat the red light. 

Many people could be hear crying and some were shouting for an ambulance. His heart pounding, he rushed to where the accident happened and was surprised to see two very familiar faces to him lying in the ground. His mother and his son were the ones who got hit by the truck!

To be continued.... work muna po.

A Christmas Story - Kevin's Wish (Part 2)

Kevin did not received anything from the company....

He did not lose hope at first, he still tried his best to look for a new job. But to no avail, his record was tarnished by his termination from his job. The only consolation was that he was not put into jail by his previous company. He started to change. He always comes home drunk at night. He forgot how a good husband and a father he was before it happened. His wife, loving and understanding eversince, always tried to console him and talked to convince him to never give up trying. But her words fell into deaf ears...

Christmas season is once again coming and it was the days when they usually decorate their house. Kevin never helped his wife and their children instead he goes out to drink with his drinking buddies. Then one night when he arrived, his wife once more beg for him to change and once again be the same Kevin that they knew. Being drunk and not in his usual self, he forgot to control himself and unintentionally hurt his wife. Fearing that this might be the start of more physical abuse from her husband, Kevin's wife decided to leave and brought along their children. She just left a letter saying that it was for the good of everybody.

Kevin soon realized what he had done after reading the letter. Bringing along all the courage that he have left with him to face his wife and his wife's parents, he tried to convince her to come back home but she refused. Many times he tried... Many times he failed convincing her. The trauma of being hurt physically from someone she did not expected that will do it to her was still there. And besides their kids were already studying and Kevin's wife could not leave her new job.

Christmas came and Kevin celebrated it by himself. Unlike before, there were no laughter that could be heard from their home. No lights and no decors. How he wish that his family was complete. So, he promised to himself that he will change his ways. He tried to look for a new job again. He never gave up because of his commitment to his plan to bring back his family. It is the only way to show his wife that he changed and deserves another chance.

One day, he met his old friend way back from their college who started a new company and was looking for him for a long time. Knowing Kevin as a good man, his friend offered him a job which he accepted but not before Kevin telling his friend about what happened to his previous job. His friend believed that he could not do such thing and Kevin immediately started in his new job. He did his best and not long after, he was promoted to a higher position.

TIC TAC TIC TAC.... His flashback stopped. It was almost midnight and he was already sleepy. Off he went to his room to prepare to sleep. After praying and whispering his Christmas wish just like before, he laid down to sleep. He was about to close his eyes when suddenly he heard some people singing Christmas carols outside his house. Thinking that these were the same kids he saw a while ago, he took some money from his pocket and went outside.

To his surprise, the people singing carols outside were his wife and their children! Tears flowing from his eyes, Kevin did not wait them to finish singing and he immediately hugged them tightly. Thanking Jesus, the birthday celebrant, for the GIFT he promised to be a better husband and father than ever before!

  

A Christmas Story - Kevin's Wish (Part 1)

TIC TAC TIC TAC.... An hour more and it is Christmas once again. The loud sounds of firecrackers could be heard outside and kids are doing their last round of going house to house singing Christmas carols. Decors and lights brightly lit up all of the houses in Kevin's neighborhood. Everybody was happily waiting for the clock to strike 12 midnight. Everybody..... except Kevin.

Kevin will be celebrating Christmas all alone once again just like the past 5 years. Unlike others who are busy with their activities, he is just there sitting by the window watching others. His house has no decors and lights. There was no food for Noche Buena in the table. Though he wanted to sleep and just let the night pass by, he couldn't because of all the noise of the firecrakers and the laughter of people passing by.

Staring at the Christmas lights in one of his neighbors' house, the memories started to play in his mind....

Kevin was a good, loving husband to his wife and and their 3 kids. He has a nice job where he served for more than 10 years. They always prepare early for every coming Christmas by decorating their house with lights and decors when the month of September starts. Christmas was the day that their family were most excited about as they pray together before sharing the Noche Buena, watch the fireworks display outside and exchange gifts afterwards.

Until one day, an unexpected happened. He was wrongfully accused of doing something illegal in their company and was immediately terminated. So much money were lost and evidences were planted all pointing to him as the one who did it. His appeal fell into deaf ears and after his long years of good service, he received nothing from the company.

to be continued....