(A Short Story – Third of 6 Parts)

Chris stood up and stretched. Jay lit another cigarette. He offered one to Chris.

“Oh no, Doc Jay,” Chris said, taking the cigarette. “Don’t you know that smoking is harmful to your health? You should quit smoking.”

“It’s too late,” Jay replied.

Chris and I exchanged a glance after hearing that.

“Too late for what bro?” Chris asked.

“Come on… just kidding. What I mean is, it’s too hard for me to quit now,” Jay said.

I couldn’t shake the feeling of uncertainty about whether Jay was joking or being serious with his comment. Chris pocketed the cigarette Jay had handed him, choosing not to light it.

I observed Jay closely and noticed how thin and pale he looked.

“Are you really okay, bro?” I asked, genuinely concerned.

Jay simply nodded, but his reluctance to discuss his health spoke volumes.

“Speaking of health, have you heard about Mario? He’s now an engineer and has been working in Saudi Arabia. I saw it on his Facebook,” Chris mentioned.

“Absolutely, Chris,” Jay confirmed. “Mario is doing incredibly well. It seems he hit the jackpot in Saudi Arabia, working at an oil refinery. He’s back in the Philippines now, and when I met up with Mon, I thought it would be a fantastic opportunity for all of us to get together. He only has about a month for his vacation.”

I thought that this was the perfect chance for us to reconnect and celebrate his success!

Chris turned to me. “How about you, Mon? Why couldn’t I find you on Facebook? You’re probably using an alias, huh?!”

I couldn’t help but smile.

“Mon isn’t really into social media, Chris,” Jay remarked. “Unlike you, who’s completely hooked on Facebook.”

“Hooked, really? You’re the one who updates your profile picture almost every couple of days!”

“Wow… sounds like someone’s stalking me?” Jay teased playfully.

“Absolutely! I want to stay in the loop with my friends. Speaking of which, Mon, have you ever thought about getting a Facebook account? I’d be happy to help you set it up.”

“No, thanks. We have an Internet connection at home, but I can’t see any reason why I should do it.”

“Can you make us the reason? From now on, we should stay in touch from time to time. We have to catch up on a lot of things. You’re missing Jay’s educational content. I promise, you’ll learn a lot from those. You could also subscribe to my YouTube channel.”

“Come on, Chris, let Mon be. If he doesn’t want to do social media, that’s his choice.”

“Just give me your cell phone number, Chris, so we can stay connected. I’ve already got Jay’s.”

“Here you go.” Chris handed me his business card. “Just give me a missed call so I can save your number. But don’t worry, I’m still going to help you set up a Facebook account. I’ll even send you the password once it’s ready. By the way, do you have an email?”

“I don’t have an email. I don’t have a Google account.”

“Wow, Mon, you’re really living in the past! But don’t worry, I’ll handle everything for you. All give you all the details later, then decide whether you want to live in the 21^st century or stay in the Jurassic Age.”

“Chris, just give  Mon time, okay. I am pretty sure he will consider it.”  

I nodded, fully aware that Chris was resolute and wouldn’t back down.

“Hold on, I want to ask one more thing. Jay, you have a PhD, Mario is a skilled engineer, and I hold degrees in IT and an MBA. What about you, Mon? What did you major in?”

With a playful grin, I replied, “I earned a Bachelor of Science in Driving and Farming.”

“Huh? Is there such a degree?” Chris asked, puzzled.

“Oh, absolutely… it’s offered at the University of Hard Knocks,” Jay chimed in, clearly enjoying the moment.

I recognized Jay’s humor and appreciated how he was helping me make fun of Chris.

“University of Hard Knocks? Where can I sign up for that?” Chris joked, clearly intrigued.

Chris looked even more confused.

“Listen, we realize that the best lessons often come from real-life experiences. That’s what Jay was getting at with the idea of the ‘University of Hard Knocks,'” I said, emphasizing my point.

“Keep in mind that Mon didn’t attend college,” Jay chimed in, wrapping his arm around my shoulders. “But if memory serves, Mon’s grades were actually higher than yours and Mario’s. Just saying.”

“Alright, I get it. You were excellent students. You were good at English. Mario and I were scraping the bottom of the barrel,” Chris said.

“Honestly, you two were just being lazy back then. Mon and I spent countless hours in the library, immersed in books and tackling assignments,” Jay pointed out.

“Hold on!” Chris suddenly cut in. “I can already see where this is going, bro… you’re about to say Mon was the only one who didn’t copy off you during tests.”

“And yet, you don’t really grasp what ‘University of Hard Knocks’ means,” Jay added with a smirk.

“Okay, okay, I’ll concede… you really are the smart ones.”

“You said it, not me,” Jay chuckled, his laughter echoing the light-hearted teasing among us. I couldn’t help but smile at the camaraderie shared between my friends. It crossed my mind to remind them that I had consistently ranked in the top 10 of our class throughout all four years and had even achieved the highest score on the NSAT among the four of us. However, the thought of bringing it up felt a bit awkward.

“Honestly, if you had taken the scholarship exam with us back then, I have no doubt you would have aced it. After all, even Chris passed, and you would have certainly done better,” Jay confidently asserted.

“I just got lucky,” Chris interjected, downplaying his success.

Back then, my dream was to attend college, and I was determined to take the scholarship exam to study in Manila. However, I chose to put my aspirations on hold to support my father on our farm. Farming was not just our livelihood; it was our way of life. As my father grew older, he needed my help more than ever. Meanwhile, my mother worked hard selling fish and vegetables in the market.

As the eldest of four siblings and the only son, I felt a deep sense of duty to my family. I understood that our parents couldn’t possibly afford to send all of us to college at the same time. So, I made the difficult decision to prioritize my siblings’ education over my own. Two of them successfully graduated, marking a proud achievement for our family.

However, life took an unexpected turn for my youngest sister. She became pregnant by her seaman boyfriend just a year before her graduation. Despite the challenges, they got married and have built a good life together. This journey has taught me the importance of sacrifice and the lasting impact of family.

“Oh, by the way… What do you do now, Mon?” Chris asked.

“I drive a jeep and manage the farm that was passed down to me from my father. How about you?” 

“I work as a systems supervisor at a BPO in Ortigas, and on top of that, I’m a freelance website developer. I purchased this car using the profits from the websites I’ve created and maintained.” 

“Wow, Chris has hit it big! He even has two condo units in Quezon City,” Jay commented. 

“You’re the real success story here, Doc Jay. The lady guard in your school  mentioned that she heard that your salary grade is 23 as dean of that local college.” 

“Did you buy into that? That was just hearsay!” 

“Absolutely! Besides, you’re always broadcasting live on Facebook whenever you’re speaking at seminars. I can only imagine how well you’re compensated for that. I also checked on the Internet how much the equivalent of that salary grade is.” 

“Wow! Looks like we have a Marites in our midst Mon.”  

“Hey, Mon, don’t mind Jay. Check this out—Jay’s Facebook cover showcasing his delightful little nipa hut!”

I turned to see what Chris was excited about. To my surprise, Jay’s house was not just charming, but also impressively large and beautiful.

“I’m still making payments on that,” Jay added with a hint of pride.

It filled me with joy to see how far Jay and Chris had come. Their dedication and hard work have truly paid off.

“How about you, Mon? Where’s home for you now?” Chris inquired.

“I’m still in the same place.”

“Really? You mean that old house? The one we used to hang out in?”

“Yes, Chris. Along with the farm, the house, and the land were passed down to me from my late parents.”

“That’s a relief that your siblings didn’t contest it,” Jay commented.

“Absolutely. They’ve all built great lives for themselves—married well, have their own properties, and good careers. I’ve offered them help, but they’ve graciously declined. Instead, they’re the ones showering me and my family with gifts whenever they come to visit.” I replied, feeling a mix of pride and nostalgia.

“You’re fortunate. You have great sisters. My siblings and I are still embroiled in a bitter struggle over the land and house our parents left us.”

“Chris, it’s time to move on. You have more than enough money now, plus you own two condos.”

“Jay, my siblings are significantly wealthier than I am. Ideally, the house and land should have been left to me. We could really end up in a legal battle over this.”

I wasn’t shocked to hear Chris discussing the turmoil surrounding family inheritances. It’s tragic how some families can become so divided that they resort to extreme measures, even violence, over property. I consider myself lucky that my siblings have allowed me to keep our share. Regardless, I make it a point to share my harvest of rice and vegetables with them.

Our conversation was abruptly interrupted when we spotted a sleek black Mercedes-Benz pulling up in front of us. Mario had finally arrived.

To be continued…

What Matters – Part 1

What Matters – Part 2