The Zagu Crew

It's La Salle's 100th year in the Philippines today.

Of course, it's a really big celebration. The kind that involves various beats of music, lots of food, crowds, queuing at the Discipline Office, Bands, and Fireworks display. 

I've spent most hours of the day inside the office, I can't seem to stay out of the office for more than five minutes, I could and would have wanted to if only it wasn't too hot outside. Well, blame global warming then. I did cover some events somehow but mostly, I've been facing my computer, strumming the guitar and well, eating the food given by Dean of Student Affairs Mr. Andrei Tagamolila. I don't know why but my respect for that man only grows as months pass. 

Anyway, going back.. I ate a lot during lunch and three hours after, I didn't resist the urge of buying a cup of Zagu. You know, it's this cool drink that has sago in it. And so I went to Zagu's booth just outside the Coliseum lobby and bought my own cup. As always, it's Choco Caramel, Regular. 

I watched the crew do their job and I stared at the face of the guy who took my order. He looked like he was somewhere between 20-28 years old. He had this kind of face that WON'T and  can never will launch a thousand battle ships. He had this worried expression, he checked the amount of flavoring powder a couple of times, checked the amount of ice he dropped into the blender once more before he hit the button and made sure that he gave me just two sheets of tissue and a straw. 

I'm not certain if, while reading this, some of you would find him awkward because, honestly, I did. 

I mean, was he some OC guy who couldn't even look his customer in the eye? 

I would have laughed but, then, I thought.. what if being a Zagu crew is his first job in his whole life or maybe, it's his first job after years of screwing his life. What if he wasn't able to get a college degree because he didn't have the resources to do so. What if he has a kid at home and his wife couldn't find a job because she hasn't gone to college as well. What if he's the eldest in their family and he's the only one working because his father is sick and his mom is too old to do people's laundry? What if he has a younger sister or brother who has a kidney cancer and working as a Zagu crew is the only way he could earn, and the moment he receives his salary, he only holds the money for a day and divides however small the amount is to his sister's medicine, their family's food (which by the way is not even considered as food by many of us who only eat pasta and bacon) and of course, electricity bill, if they even manage to buy one fluorescent light to light up their entire home at night. 

What if one of those WHAT IFs is true? Then I guess it was just right that I didn't laugh because that man,   that Zagu crew, has all the reasons to make sure he's doing everything about his job right. 

He gave me my cup of Zagu without making eye contact. He was smiling sheepishly at another girl who was buying Zagu as I was walking away from their booth. "Ano imo Ma'am," I heard him say.

I looked back and stared at him once more, I thought, Good luck, Nong. 

Whoever you are, whatever your story may be, I might never know. 

But I wish, somehow, Life will be good for you.