Picture

 by Cristina V. Arco 

    It is already six o’clock in the evening , few people are still going in and out of San Sebastian Cathedral. This scenario is giving Jack (a freelance photographer ) an opportunity to earn enough  money for  the day. He offers photography service to random people. Photography was his job for almost six years since he graduated from High School. He developed passion for it in the long run.

               

After a long day of work ,he sat down on his portable chair  and put down the camera on his lap. He get one piece of cloth from his backpack and carefully cleaned it. He unconsciously dropped the photos of his previous clients on the ground , he pick it one by one.

One picture caught his attention, the photo of two young girls standing in front of a car. What’s uncommon in this picture is the presence of a young boy with hydrocephalus sitting in an old wheelchair positioned in the entrance of the Cathedral’s compound, near the banana cue vendors ,just two meters away from them .It seems to be a simple picture but to look at it differently, he was looking at the other side of the place where there are many children playing around .He opened his camera to take a closer look and he saw that the boy is smiling. In the next set of pictures he saw that the boy is being bullied by the other kids, they are getting his food and they throw the purse of coins in his hand .He felt guilty for not being able to notice it and help the kid. He look around but he only saw few people passing by .

               

He got curious about the boy, he knew that people with that condition should be given proper care. Why does this boy living alone in a public place? Where  is his family ?Why are they letting this young boy to suffer? Those are the questions in his mind , so he decided to ask the people if they knew where to find the boy but no one has given him an answer. He looked around hoping to see him but there were no signs that the boy is there.

He was about to leave  when he heard a noise of a wheel rolling towards the chapel inside the church .“A wheel chair” ,he thought .

Following the noise, he end up seeing the boy trying to reach the foot of the statue of Mama Mary on the other side of the chapel. Then suddenly he uttered some words ”Thank …you…Mama…Mama  …Mary for this….ahh  (moans)…day.”  he said smiling .

He turned his wheel chair to Jack’s side without looking at the latter. Jack is still staring at him and before the boy could leave the chapel he go after him and hold the handle of his wheel chair.

 The boy was shocked and asked him in a trembling voice. ”Who…. are ….you? ..I .do.. don’t have …money…please…don’t…hu..hurt me!!,he pleaded while crying. ”No! no! ,Please don’t cry ,I am not going to hurt you .In fact ,I am going to give you this” ,he hand him the burger which he bought earlier.

Though confused and afraid from the stranger, he get the food and ate because he is already starving. Jack pulled his wheel chair back to the chapel. Jack sit on the chair at the back just beside the wheel chair. He stared at the boy for a while  then smiled, and the latter smiled back at him.

So he got that chance to ask him. ”What’s your name, young man? ”.Though having a hard time speaking ,he politely answered. ”I am…..Harry…Harry cep…cepha..lus”

.Jack was shocked with his answer .”What?, HARRY CEPHALUS!!!”,he asked loudly ,”Seriously! what kind of name is that?”, he added still not believing what he heard. The boy nodded innocently.

 ”Is that the name given to you by your parents? ”,he asked again. Harry nodded again. ”Harry ..is the ..name… given to me… by my mother … but ..other ..people.. call me.. Harry… Ce..cephalus”he said.

”Oh ,Harry, that was insult to call you Harry Cephalus because they are making fun of you because of this”(pointing to his head).

This time the boy is holding his neck ,and seems to feel uneasy.”Wat..water…sir?”he asked in a low voice. Jack  immediately gave him water.

”I know that you are having a hard time speaking but I need you to answer me so that I know how to help you” ,Jack said in a calm voice.” Just answer me through uttering some words ,I will be the one to analyze  it ,is it okay with you?” ,he asked waiting for Harry’s answer. ”Okay, If I get it right, just nod ,if  it’s wrong shake your head, Do you understand?” .Then Harry nodded.

 ”Where are your parents? Why are you alone here?” Jack started.”My mother…is ..dead…my father …left…me …in my relatives ,they…sold …me …in a syn..di..cate..I ..beg..money for..them” ,Harry told him with teary-eyes.

”Are you doing this for them? I mean , are you still begging alms for that syndicate” he felt uneasy to ask that but he still did. Harry shake his head and  he felt a breathe of relief.

”So, you are living all by yourself now? ,how about those syndicates?  Where  are they?” Jack trying  to hide his nervousness. Harry wipe his tears before he spoke again, ”They are…caught. .by the po..lice,I  was..gi..ven to the D.S.W.D.. but bullies…hurt …me…When we…go here…they left…me ”his shaking voice is accompanied with tears.

He symphatized   with him ,he stopped asking questions because what he heard is enough. He don’t want to add more pain to his misfortune. He hugged the boy and promised to help him. Harry told him also that he has nowhere to sleep. He slept inside the chapel. After that night, he offered him to be his assistant in arranging and giving the photos to his customers  instead of begging for alms .He also gave him the unoccupied room in his house so he’ll not sleep in the church again. As time goes by, Harry becomes cheerful and seems to be enjoying, the customers  grew fond of him. Despite his condition ,he still managed to smile and inspire others with his positivity .He posted Harry’s story in the internet. The public loved it, everyone wants to meet Harry and they extended their help through him. He even organized monthly auction on his Photographs which shows the battle of people with Hydrocephalus. When he earned enough money, he used it for Harry’s surgery, and it succeeded .After many years, Harry has become a doctor and his specialization is on treating congenital diseases just like Hrdrocephalus .Jack and Harry has both become successful in their careers. This only proof that their kindness were paid off though they did not ask for it.