A few days ago, I had the wonderful chance of being able to buy a simple lunch for two homeless kids. I happened to be waiting for my take-out food (my family's lunch) at this small eatery near my home when these two little brothers with dirty clothes approached the counter to ask how much were the sweets on display. They seemed to be nice kids, and very hungry. Since it was lunchtime and it was as if I could feel their hunger, I took a quick look at the remaining money in my wallet. I had enough to buy them two plates of rice and two viands. They didn't touch the other viand. They requested for a plastic bag after hurriedly eating. They put the other viand in the plastic bag, saying that it was for their mom somewhere. So touching that they remembered their mom at that time.
Then last night, I was at the same small eatery, this time to buy my family's take-out dinner. While waiting for my noodles (pansit) to be cooked, an untidy man carrying a knapsack bag and two big sacks of thing-a-ma-jigs entered the store. He first left behind his two sacks at the store's entrance. He approached the counter where the viands for sale were on display. I couldn't hear him too much because of the other people buying their food and also because of noise from the nearby busy street. But I thought I heard one of the store staff saying to him that they had nothing to sell to him for only PhP20.00 (or about US 50 cents). I think I saw the untidy man holding a 20-peso bill. I was actually eyeing the untidy man all along because he looked so pitiful, with his dirty clothes and thin frame. I had the growing urge to buy him some food as I watched him, knowing that I had still had some money on my wallet.
But I was confused as to whether or not he was able to buy food because I couldn't clearly hear the brief talk between him and the person behind the counter. It was too late for me to realize that he was not able to buy food. His money was not enough for the viands that cost about PhP40 (about US 1 dollar) for each kind. He had hurriedly left the store, picking up his things along the way out.
I felt so guilty at not being able to help him out with my meager resources, I tried to look out from the store if I could still see him. But he was already far away.
Now I wish that I will see him again around the area so that I could give him some food or whatever little help I could give him.
