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It was a regular Friday. After a meeting, I went to SM Foodcourt for a vegetarian dinner at Bodhi. While eating, I turned my laptop on to keep me posted on the things I should do for the rest of the day and plan the things for tomorrow.
Suddenly, I saw a bill I needed to pay. So I hurried finishing my meal, packed my things and rushed to the nearest bank to deposit the money.
I was on a hurry filling-up the deposit slip. I was not worried since I have the account ready with me through my notes on my Blackberry. I slid my hand into my left pocket first, then to the right. Not contended, I checked even my back pockets – still, no sign of my phone.
So, I looked into my bag, still no sign of it. That was the time I got a little worried. I looked at the other pockets and compartments of my bag. Slowly, the thought of losing my phone was starting to sink in. My heart started to pound faster, since all of my contacts, important messages and notes are there.
I was thinking, the worth of the phone, is more than what I paid for when it was bought. It’s half-a-year’s worth of networking with people.
So, started thinking back, I was at least 15 minutes away from the last place I knew I took out my phone – the foodcourt. So, without wasting time anymore, I rushed out of the bank and hurriedly took out my secondary phone.
While dialing of my number, I was thinking that if somebody got my phone, my first instinct was, that the person will turn it off, walk-away with a Blackberry unit and probably insert his or her own SIM.
But, calling my phone is worth the try, even if I wouldn’t think I can get it back.
At first, it rang. Bad due to bad signal, the connection was lost. I ran as fast as I can while trying to call, since I was about five minutes away from the place.
I tried calling again, it rang, once…. twice… thrice… then a strange voice of woman answered, “Hello, hello, naiwan mo ang phone mo dito, balikan mo sa pinananggalingan mo.” (Hello, hello, you left your phone here, Come back from where you came from)
To be honest, I was surprised that somebody from the other end answered, and without hesitation, told me to come back, even without me saying any word at all. All that I was able to say was, “Thank you po, thank you po. Sige, I will be there.”
That moment, I was so excited to see, not my phone, but the person who answered my phone. So I ran faster that I had few minutes back just to make sure I get there on time before she might change her mind. So, after through the guards, and a few side-to-side movements to evade slow moving shoppers, I finally reached my former place.
I was surprised to see the lady behind the voice. Eating goto. Talking to her children. Then, I said, while gasping for air, “Hi, ako po yung tumawag. Thank you very much po. Salamat ng marami.”
At that point, I don’t know how to repay them for the honesty she has extended. I had nothing to offer that she can actually cannot afford. I have no idea whatsoever. Plus, she didn’t want to be repaid. I glanced at her, together with her children, and her husband. They are a family spending their time together in a simple dinner at the foodcourt.
Looking at it now, she got more than what I can offer, and far more than the worth of the phone.
She could have gotten a new-secondhand phone, right at her hands, but refused to give in to that “easy” road of temptation. Rather, she took a higher ground and demonstrated that many people would have “mistaken” for a blessing. Therefore, I believe, with all my heart, that she has imparted to her children the value worth more than billion of dollars’ worth of mobile phones, that’s the value of HONESTY. A value imprinted on the very souls and minds of her children.
No phone can ever compare, even gazillion of iPhones, to the honesty she showed her children. And I’m hoping that when their children grow up, they will look back at that time yesterday and make a bold stand to be honest, during times of great trial of quick gain vs honesty, and decide to stick with the former.
TGIF – Thank God It was a Friday, yesterday and the Antonio Family of Quezon City was there to have a dinner. May God prosper the works of their hands.
About Rey Belen
