Quiapo by John Paul Abellera PDF

Quiapo was far away from her. The burly man dropped him at the by JOHN PAUL ABELLERA church’s doorway. He tried to get in again, but the refused to...

Quiapo was far away from her. The burly man dropped him at the by JOHN PAUL ABELLERA church’s doorway. He tried to get in again, but the refused to let him in. The boy finally gave up. He went towards the throng It was only six o’ clock in the morning but Quiapo was already of people outside the church, and stretched out his can to the bustling with life. The streets and thoroughfares were filled old men with canes and the old women with veils. He silently with cars, jeepneys and buses moving at sloth pace. People of prayed to the Black Nazarene for these devotees to pity him all kinds—from vendors with toothless smiles to professionals and give him some of their copper, silver and gold coins. He with frowns to hide their dentures—fought for space in the closed his eyes and prayed harder that some would be kind overcrowded sidewalks. The combination of various city enough to give him folded bills instead of coins. Three-quarters sounds—cars honking, preachers shouting, beggars crying – of an hour had passed but not even once did hear a single coin threatened to break any sound barrier. It was only six o’ clock. drop in his can. He shook the can, hoping to hear something All signs of morning life in Quiapo were lost on a young boy move inside it. Nada. Tired and hungry, he sat down and sleeping outside the doors of the Church of the Black leaned back on the church door. He observed the various kinds Nazarene. He was shivering in his sleep. How the rags he was of people walking, running before him. It was during moments wearing could have protected him from the harsh cold was a like this that he felt separated from the rest of society. He mystery to everyone walking past him. He was dirty; his face knew he was different, especially from the cigarette-puffing and limbs covered with numerous bruises. In his sleep, he college students. With their good looks, clean uniforms and brushed his dirty hand across his dirty face, smearing his gadgets of all types, these students seem superhuman to him. cheeks with the mucus flowing steadily from his nostrils. The They were fair, wingless angels walking on the dirty streets of young boy awoke with the sensation of someone tickling his Quiapo, answering the calls of heaven through their cell sole. He opened both eyes and stared at the morning sky. The phones and beepers. How he envied them! How he wanted to bright rays of the sun greeted him but they could not radiate be one of them! Then, perhaps, he would be able to leave his enough warmth to keep his body from shivering. He looked at miserable life in Quiapo and start anew in the gold and marble his feet and saw the source of the tickling sensation – a limp laden halls of heaven. He closed his eyes and tried to imagine and dirty dog, a beggar like himself, was busy licking the sores himself as one of those angels – puffing blue seal cigarettes at his foot. He kicked the dog away, and even threw a stone at and sending text messages to his fellow angels. Even through it. The poor dog scampered away whining. He sat up, his closed eyelids, he can sense something blocking the scratching the mosquito bites on his legs until they bled. sunlight. He opened his eyes and saw a tall man looming over Involuntarily his stomach growled. He suddenly remembered him. The man was fair-skinned, with blond hair and an that he had not eaten since lunch yesterday. He willed his weak expensive camera hung around his neck. The man was saying body to move and went to the nearest garbage can. He something but he could not understand him. The language was scavenged through it, sifting the pile of trash thrown by people different from the one he learned while growing up. The man comfortably placed on the opposite end of the economic brought out a magazine and pointed at the cover where he saw bracket. He soon found what he was looking for – a big, empty a pair of African children asking for alms. The man repeatedly can of Del Monte pineapple juice. He sniffed at it – the smell pointed at the camera, the magazine cover and at him. Finally, of pineapples was lost in the mix of hamburgers, chocolates, he realized that the man wanted to take his picture. He gums and feces. Holding the can firmly, he dragged himself to immediately stood up and nodded his head excitedly. He the doorway of the church. He leaned forward to catch a arranged his rags and smiled at the camera. It surprised him glimpse of the church’s interior. He stared in awe at the various when he saw the man vehemently shaking his head. He icons of spirituality dressed in majestic robes and decorated watched as the man stretched out his hand and made a pitiful with multi-colored gems. The pious ones, clutching faded face, just like those of the African children. He then understood plastic beads of the rosary, walked on their knees towards that the man wanted to take his picture as a miserable child, these icons. In a slow, trance-like way, they wiped these icons’ not as a happy one. Pretending to be one of the African limbs with their handkerchiefs, which moments ago wiped children, he stretched out his hand and made a pitiful face. The away the sweat and mucus from their faces. The boy gathered flash blinded him for a moment. Afterwards the man took a bill his strength and ran towards the start of the line. Lacking a from his wallet and gave it to him. His dirty and callused fingers handkerchief, he rubbed his dust and soot-covered fingers tightly gripped the bill. He watched the man leave, eventually across the Virgin Mary’s pristine white robes and ivory-smooth losing sight of him in the crowd of people. He then opened his feet. For each smear of his fingers, he breathed a prayer for a fist and saw the crumpled ten-peso bill. He smiled and looked better life. He closed his eyes and imagined the Virgin Mary upwards to the skies. Suddenly, he knew how it felt to be an leaning down to catch every wish that fell from his lips. angel. With the money in his hand, he thought of the five days’ Suddenly, he felt someone grab his shirt. He opened his eyes, worth of cigarettes he could finally buy. and saw a burly man in white barong dragging him out of the church. He tried to clutch at the Virgin Mary’s robes, but he