Informal Theme #2.1

The Story of Poor Johnny.

            Once there was an ephebe named Juan. Juan is from a deprived family, living only in a small weak grungy hut made from scrap woods, and pieces of clothing. They own the small land where their house stands, hence, they never think of selling it. They typically eat only twice a day but when those times that his father isn’t capable of earning enow money, they would only eat on one occasion and worse, they would just fill their grumbling stomach with a glass of water and then slumber in the darkness.

            Juan is the youngest in their family. His siblings do not have any decent work and weren’t able to finish their education. His mother was jailed when he was eight and still in surveillance after a hag accused her of stealing her jewelries. Now, The only hope of their family is him who is currently in fifth grade and is an achiever in class.

            Every Saturday morning, Juan goes to the nearby depot to find some wealth with his brother, Indon. There, they carry heavy and huge drums of fish. For some times, they serve as the one who vociferates and harangues to the queue of buyers. However, even though how hard they try to make the both ends meet, they still could not provide all the necessities of the family. In midst of those complications, Juan can still manage to have some relaxation. Before dusk, he would hang about under the deciduous tree alongside their house, writing onto a paper his dreams and future plans about their life.

            One day, there was a fastidious man who came to their place riding in a coupe and clothed akin to a sleuth. He is indeed enormous, has light complexion, has tiny eyes and speaks Mandarin. After him is an assemblage of men, who is at that moment working and digging the land that is Juan’s family’s property.

            Juan came out of their house and asked the tall man, “Why are you burrowing our territory?”. “It’s ours”, he continued and showed evidences but the man seems to be taciturn and instead gave him an uncouth look. Juan then saw bunches of diamonds and golds on the wheelbarrow one of the workers is taking to the truck. Juan was petrified and could not believe what he was seeing. Juan asked the peculiar man to arraign the problem but still, he did not listen and brought out a gun.

            Juan tried to ask for help from the richest and most prominent capitalist in town, Sam, some call him with his epithet, Uncle Sam, but he same with the others did not show any care to appease the affray. Juan’s family is now desperate; fighting back is a piffle idea because they don’t have the same equipments that he has. Juan tried to benefit with the land the same as the knave man but he failed so he just took photographs of the abusive acts hoping that someday, the man will agree to bring it to court. Vacuous it may be but Juan let the theft to continue and in the end, the land was left barren; that the same land that is invisible and inconspicuous to their eyes before..

From Philippine Daily Inquirer