Harry and the Viral Photo

by Anjelyn  Reana

It was Sunday afternoon and the cathedral church was crowded “Mam, sir please buy sampaguita its only ten pesos” Harry said to every person who are coming in and out from the Cathedral church. The little boy was patiently selling the remaining ten pieces of sampaguita on his hand. 

After thirty minutes he sold three pieces of sampaguita, the little boy was full of sweat after he walks back and forth to the church he looks so tired but he cannot go home yet because he needs to sold all of his sampaguita, so he sit on the bench to get rest for a while. He saw one happy family coming out from the church “ Papa please buy me those cute toys” Harry heard the voice of a child “ Yes son I will buy you that toys , you can choose whatever you want” the father said while smiling to his son. Harry felt jealous while listening to their conversation because he was thinking what if his parents are still alive maybe he can also buy the toys that he wants. His sad reminiscence of the past stopped when he saw the groups of badjao children are coming near to him.  

“Hey big head how are you, why are you ugly? “ One of the badjao said they laugh so hard and continue to tease him. Harry cried silently, this is not the first time that they tease and laugh at him. Every time that they do that he was only crying, he never had a chance to fight back because he was afraid and he was also alone.  

“Guys lets go big head is crying. Im scared because I think his head is going to explode and a lot of monster will come out on his head’. The grubby kid said and they left while laughing. 

Harry didn’t know that a guy took a picture of him while he was sitting on the bench and crying. The guy named Jack a twenty four years old guy and he was a photographer. Jack was amazed to Harry because he seems a good kid. When Harry was about to stand up Jack came and sit beside him.  

“ Totoy how much is your sampaguita?” Jack said “Ten pesos sir “Harry answered “ I will buy all of that if you stop crying ok?” Jack smiled while saying that, so Harry wipes all the tears on his face and just like Jack said he bought all of Harry’s sampaguita. “Thank you so much kuya !” Harry said “ You’re welcome you can call me kuya Jack, by the way if that group of children come back and they bully you again don’t cry and tell to the security guards here that they are bullying you ok?”. Jack said that because he felt pity for Harry.  

“I’m sorry sir but you are not the person that we are looking for and I think this job will not be suited for you” that was the text message that Jack receives that day. He felt so sad and tired because that was the third time he got rejected for the job that day. It was always happening to him every time he was applying for the job maybe because he was only a high school graduate that’s why it was hard for him to find a job or maybe because of his height because he was  only 4’9. Even though he was a freelance photographer he wants to have a stable job because he was not a famous photographer and he only has a few costumers.  

When afternoon came Jack went to the church and he saw Jack again. They talked for a while Harry told to Jack that he was alone and his parents died on car accident when he was six years old. Jack felt so sad

and pity for the kid because he was so young to experience those things and also he was an illness which is hydrocephalus that’s why a lot of people was bullying him. When Jack comeback home that day he checked his camera and he suddenly saw the picture of Harry who’s crying while the group of badjao children is bullying him. Jack posted it on his facebook account he put a caption “Children should be able to live a life free from bullying and harassment and it is time that we all took a stand against this” because he wants other people to know that bullying is really bad.  

After a week Jack was surprise because he didn’t expect that his post will become a viral, a lot of people shared and commented on his post they want to help Harry and what surprised him more was one doctor commented on his post, the doctor said that he will help Harry on his medical needs. The next day he went to the church and when he saw Harry he told to the little boy that someone wants to help him. Harry was very happy when he heard what Jack said. They went to the hospital where the doctor who commented on Jack’s post was working, the doctor was a neurologist. The doctor was very happy when he met Harry. They run some test on Jack.  

Because of Jack’s kindness to Harry it seems that God awarded him for having a good heart, it was the start of his career a lot of people want him to be their photographer on their special day. 

Three years later Jack became a famous photographer and Harry was in a good condition now. Jack survived on a brain surgery and Jack adopted him since he was also alone in life. Harry was very thankful to Jack for being a good brother to him. Harry stopped selling sampaguita because he was studying now but he and Jack didn’t stop to go to church every Sunday. They are always praying and thankful for all that they have received.