The Stranger

I sit and wait for you, nothing new. I'm getting bored watching people eat. Why did I choose the food court to wait? I started thinking about the poem I was paid to write. I could try and get started while I was waiting, but alas, I am a writer with no paper. And I was too lazy to pull out my laptop or cellphone to type my thoughts down. I was so lost in thought, that I didn't realize that someone sat in the chair next to me.

"You have the time?" He invaded my train of thought. "huh? oh, it's half past three." "Thanks" I didn't think much of him. Thought he was just some random guy waiting for his friends to see a movie or something, after all, it was a saturday.

We both sat waiting for the next 30 minutes or so. "Hey, is this the only food court in this mall?" "Yeah it is." I was starting to get uncomfortable. I hated talking to strangers. "Man, I've been here all day." "You waiting for someone?" I cautiously asked. "Yeah. but I'm starting to lose hope here." Hugging my back pack, I continued the conversation. "Who you waiting for?" "I'm lost. See, I'm from Bulacan. and this is my first time in Manila...." He continued on, and told me how a recruiter his father met brought him here in Manila, and stole everything he had. He had nothing left except the clothes on his back. He said that he called via pay phone a friend living in Caloocan,  the friend promised to pick him up. It was almost sunset and he hasn't seen eye nor tail of the friend.

"You shouldn't trust people so easily. Everyone has a tendency to screw you over." "Yeah, that's the only thing I learned from all of this. Now look at me, I'm broke and I can't even pay the bus fare home." "How much is it to get to Bulacan from Cubao?" "About 63php."

I thought about giving him some of my money, but then again, I was taking my own advice. I didn't trust this guy, and I have been tricked before. What if he's just some con artist playing with my emotions? We talked for some time. He told me how he hasn't eaten since last night and how hungry he was. I wasn't sure I believed him. But I offered him my bottled water. It was still almost full. He drank the entire thing in one gulp. He was indeed thirsty.

"Thanks." "No problem. If that friend of yours don't show up, what are you going to do?" He shrugs. "I don't know..." I was starting to feel sorry for this guy. Part of me believed his story, the other just didn't. My friend showed up and we ate a late lunch. She was also a little skeptical of the character of our acquaintance. But I spent the last hour and a half talking to him, and was a little ready to trust him. "Hey buddy, take this." "What? I-I couldn't..." "Go ahead. It's fine." I was offering him half my lunch. He gladly ate it. Man, he was hungry.

My friend and I discussed the poem she wanted done. We discussed my deadline and pay. And how she expected it to come out. Man, she is one tough client! But she pays generously, so if I pull this job off, I can buy that new video game I've been wanting. When we were done, I looked back to the stranger to find him gone. He left a note under his plate,

Thanks for your time and for the food. You are a good man and robbing you would be too shameful. But everything I told you was real. Thank you for giving me money. I will never forget your kindness..

May God Bless You. 

signed,

**********

Damn, so he WAS out to rob me! At most, I only gave him 20. And if he was telling the truth about him being robbed, well, whatever. May God have mercy on his soul.

I went home that night and got to work, still thinking about the strange man. I wonder if he made it back home? 

It felt good that I helped out a man in need, but I was a bit unsure about the fact that he tried to rob me. But I'm glad he didn't. He still had a heart. I hope he's okay....