Alicia Anecdotes and Antidotes

The Pajero

When I was in prep, that annoying year between preschool and grade school, I was sent to the principal's office but let me tell you now that it was not my fault.

I have this classmate, I forgot his first name but I will never forget his last name, Paredes. He is a bully. He got bitter when our other classmate gave me an eraser when he did not get any. He ended up poking a pencil tip on the space between my pointing and middle fingers and I cried in pain.

When I got home, my mother noticed that I was shivering and I have fever. Having been prone to seizures, she got worried when my fever never dropped after giving me paracetamol syrup.

Our neighbor advised my mother to take me to Mang Domeng, a quack doctor in Santa Ana. There, he did the tawas using the melted wax candle in a basin of water. He saw that it looks like a cat with whiskers and it is in school. Then I realize he was referring to Paredes since he has this weird whiskers for mustache. Yeah! Mang Domeng was that good!

I admitted my problem to my mother and I asked if she can have me transferred in the afternoon class instead of the morning so that I will never see Paredes anymore.

The next day, mother stormed to the principal's office and demand to call the bully's parents. Earlier, I told her not to pursue as the parents of Paredes have Pajero or they are rich and we are not. After the principal said that there was no significant harm done and we can reconciliate. Mother stood up while holding my hand and said out loud to the principal as well as to the parents of Paredes, "wala akong pakialam kung naka-Pajero kayo at kami nag-tricycle lang papunta dito, pare-pareho tayong nagbabayad ng tuition fee dito at kung nagkamali yung anak ninyo dapat pinaparusahan." After that, we walked out and we went home.

The next day, Paredes was transferred to the afternoon class and eventually transferred to another school.