The Man with a Dream


by Quency C. De Castro 

               The sun was begun to goes below the horizon; the people are starting to go outside because the mass was ended. I hear the sound of the vehicle and the irritating voice of the driver because of the traffic. In the other side there are vendors shouting in the street and I hear the murmuring of the people, the smell of the smoke of Ihaw-Ihaw makes me feel hungrier. I am Harry a seven year old boy who always sitting in front of the cathedral, I am asking for a small amount of money and a food from the people who pass on front of me. I don’t have any relatives either parents my mother and my father are separated and they have their own family. I live my life alone I am only surviving because of the food and money that I’ve got from different people. I have an abnormal increasing amount of fluid in my cranial cavity or the skull enlargement the doctor called it hydrocephalus. There was a time that some people hurt me and they sometimes push me especially when I am asking them for money. If I can’t get money the night will pass without any food on my stomach. I’m only seven years old and I supporting my own need, instead of staying home it’s my responsibility to fulfill my need but my parents not thinking what I will feel. They let me to suffer from this, I’m always have a teary eye when I saw a complete happy family which I do not have and I feel jealous when I saw a children wearing a white polo shirt, a clean pants and a nice bag that their parents buys for them. I want to study but I’m not able to do it because of my condition, every afternoon after class when the student went home and they saw me they throwing a stone and a crumpled paper over me but I don’t have anything to do on it, I just reminding myself to be strong and I will surpass all of that. I do all the kind of work just to survive, I guiding the driver to park their car and they give money in exchange of that. One day while I’m sitting under the tree I’m counting the money that I collected. I’m glad because I got 100 pesos just in one day it was unusual because sometime I only got fifty pesos in a day, when I am trying to stand up I saw two beggar closer to me while looking on my hand with the money I continue to stand up then suddenly they took my money and ran away from me. 

              “Hey give back my money, It’s mine” I shouted loudly, but my happiness is just for a short time 

            “It’s already a  money but it turns into a stone” I trying to ask for a help from the people walking but no one approach me, the one hundred pesos that I have a while ago is now gone. I want to cry and follow them to get my money back but I can’t. The money that I have was lost just in a minute, until I saw a man approaching towards me holding the two beggars who took my money.

             “Here’s your one hundred peso bill I saw this two beggars running away from you a while ago, so I follow them and get your money back” Jack said. The two beggars apologize to Harry.

              “Sir Thank you for helping me”

                It’s my pleasure; by the way what is your name?

               “I’m Harry Sir” I answered

             “What are you doing here? In your condition you should be at home your parents must be taking care of you”.

             “My parents are separated and they abandoned me, for me to survive I’m waiting for the good hearted people who are willing to help me”.

             I’m Sir Jack, who wants to be a famous photographer I think I am the one who you are looking for. I love to take a picture especially if the subject is an exceptional story behind it, and I saw this on you. I will be having an exhibit next month portraying special people like you. Can I take you a picture?

              “Yes Sir, you can. But what if your viewer doesn’t like it?”

            “No, they will like it because once they read your story everyone will be interested on you and no one knows they can lend help for you. But anyway where’s your home?

             “This place is actually my home Sir Jack”.

             Sir Jack helps me a lot, he let me to stay on his home and provides the things that I need and the love that I was asking for my biological parents that they can’t give. Until Sir Jack adopted me and he became my legal parents. After a month, now I’m here at the exhibit this is the day where in Sir Jack will show the entire picture that he took. There are a lot of famous people went to the said exhibit, many famous photographer came to the event and they admire Sir Jack because of those awesome picture that he took. I’m the focus of the exhibit because Sir Jack was impressed on my story and he knows that everybody can relate to it.  After the exhibit Sir Jack became famous, he has a lot of guesting on the television, in the radio and some famous interviewer wants to talk to him. Everybody was amazed on my story that he show during the exhibit. Sir Jack thanks me because I’m the reason why those are happening to him but I think I’m the one who need to be thankful because he also the reason where I’ am now.

 After that break Sir Jack brings me to the doctor, he decided that I need to undergo on operation but the doctor said that we need a big amount of money for the operation, it is quiet dangerous because it is possible that I die or either can effect on my brain function. Sir Jack lose hope during the operation, after the operation the doctor said that it is complicated I need to be in Intensive Care Unit so they know what is the changes that is happening to me and watch how my recovery is going. I stay five months in the hospital and Sir Jack took care of me and paid all the expenses, he give all his time and effort to make me feel that I was loved. On the day that Sir Jack already give up a miracle was happened, I fully recovered after five months of staying in hospital God hear all the prayer since I know that God is always there for me.

  We went back home and there is a welcome party for me, I saw a lot of foods on the table.  I’m surprised that there are several people on our cribs waiting for me. As I saw their eyes and presence it makes my heart blissful, now I know that I’m so blessed and I don’t have anything to ask for. It makes me realize that even though I don’t have my real family however there are some people who will treat me like I’ am part of the family. Sir Jack builds a foundation that helps those children who are suffering from a condition like mine and he give a free lesson to the people who want to be a professional photographer. I’m so proud to be his son and for the reason that he is so generous. He is an inspiration to me and a great motivator to continue my life and became stronger to become like him. I do not choose to have hydrocephalus but somehow it makes me realize that everything happens for a reason. Sir Jack dreams is an instrument to help other people so that he can make a change on our life and ease the pain we suffer. 

           Now I’ am a professional photographer. “Your physical appearance is not a hindrance to achieve your dreams instead make it as your asset”

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