The Tale of the Forlorn Couple

The past days and more to come, many of us get the kind of “high” feeling because of jubilation and things happening about the neighborhood or pretty much everywhere.

But away from the maddening crowd of people celebrating fiestas and other festivities, away from the euphoria of highly charged atmosphere and cacophonic music, there should be many who endure misery.

Maybe, joyful occasions are selective of the place it should locate and the people who should experience the same.

We didn’t have to stray long. In one deserted corner of the city, we saw this couple owning the place around them, all for themselves.

If only they were young and all, we will surmise they were enjoying their time, simply contented and maybe talking of sweet nothings, letting go of precious time of their lives, for there’s plenty to squander and look forward to.

Yet, no, maybe they were pre-occupied of what and where to go next, where to get their food, if ever they could find one, or where to lay their tired body to get the needed rest.

And to pass the moments, the woman peeks into the shriveled hair of the man, maybe looking for lice, or some sort of endearment. When was the last time they had a good, warm bath to soothe the sore body and comfort beaten spirit?

Where have all those support system akin to the traditional Bicolano (Filipino) family that takes care of the parents on their old age. For weren’t the parents nortured the young, making sure that nary a fly or mosquito bite would harm the child.

Maybe the current generation has grown so calloused and heart benumbed that would let the parents drift into the inhospitable streets. No wonder, we will continue to find homeless senior citizens out in the cold, not in a decreasing fashion but more in the trend of acceleration.

Can we justify this “phenomenon” by placing the blame on the people themselves who did not provide for the coming sunset of their lives? And, will it do them good now?

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