Alkansya vendor
It was the heavy traffic in Uyanguren Street on Friday afternoon that I noticed a kid selling "alkansya" or cylinder coin banks made of wood, covered with printed papers like that of gift wrappers. He displayed his products in front of a big food chain here, the one with a big red bee mascot.
While the coin banks were neatly filed according to sizes and placed on top of a used sack or was it an old cloth that marks his turf, the boy was squatting at the side, facing the wall, his hands on the head, grasping his hair in a frequent manner.
The jeepney slowly moved along and I had not seen his face. Until now, I am imagining how his face looks like, or what was its expression at the time when he was pulling his hair with a bit of force.
It was about 3:00 PM, when I saw that boy. Then, I said a short prayer, I wish someone would buy one of those coin banks that day. Before Christmas, I will buy my godchildren those alkansya from that boy. Hopefully, I will find him again on the same spot so that I will not only finally see his face, but share with him my smile.
While the coin banks were neatly filed according to sizes and placed on top of a used sack or was it an old cloth that marks his turf, the boy was squatting at the side, facing the wall, his hands on the head, grasping his hair in a frequent manner.
The jeepney slowly moved along and I had not seen his face. Until now, I am imagining how his face looks like, or what was its expression at the time when he was pulling his hair with a bit of force.
It was about 3:00 PM, when I saw that boy. Then, I said a short prayer, I wish someone would buy one of those coin banks that day. Before Christmas, I will buy my godchildren those alkansya from that boy. Hopefully, I will find him again on the same spot so that I will not only finally see his face, but share with him my smile.
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| Photo by Ace Morandante / www.davaotoday.com |
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