Si Inday

Merienda

Inday couldn't afford to be stupid.

She didn't have time to grapple with strengths and weaknesses. She needed to be good at things, and so she was.

Some people could, though.

Some people could afford to take their time learning things. Some people spend thousands to shift courses in college. Some people could afford re-dos. Some people could afford rest.

Inday was not one of those people.

She had to grow up fast, and able. There was nobody to support the security of her future except for her. If Inday wanted a roof over her head, she needed to afford it. If she needed safety from the elements, she had to afford it. If she wanted the luxury of a soft bed, she had to afford it.

So growing up in the orphanage, Inday made sure to find out where she was on the playing field. And she knew she had to even-out her chances.

So Inday cooked. She cleaned. She read books as much as her province's library could offer her. She needed to be able to adapt whether she gets thrown into the kitchen, or on a boat out to sea. There was no luxury of choice, only the will to survive.

Before she left the orphanage, the role that she played was the Ate, one of them at least. It was a big family, and she wanted to secure the other kids' futures as much as she could her own. She took her time to teach them math and science, and tried to get the more active kids to start reading comics - it was the best way to get them to want to sit down and read, she found out.

So when she did have to leave her barrio spontaneously one evening, she assured herself that it would be for the best. Maybe not for her, but for the rest of the kids.

Inday never hunted the kids.

She doesn't think all kids are great. Based on her experience, some of them deserve to get humbled every once in a while. Children can be terrible.

But Inday had a line she wouldn't cross. Yes, she was a monster. And yes, she needed human flesh every once in a while. But there are so many other adults in this world who deserve to have their limbs ripped apart from their torso, alive.

Besides, kids cry all the time. They cry the moment they're born into the world, and cry at every little inconvenience. It was much more enjoyable to Inday to hear a grown man whimper and beg for his life. It's refreshing, and cathartic. And Inday would be lying if she told you she didn't enjoy the meal better like that.

Inday had a soft spot for kids. She would never admit it, but her soft spot is obvious when you see her interacting with kids around the block.

In her short time in Maharlika, she made sure to remember their names, their parents' names, and the subject they were having the most difficulty with. She'd never say it, but she cared.

"He's having a hard time with Algebra, is that something you're capable of ba?" Aling Gina asked from their living room.

"Opo," Inday supplied "High school lang po yung diploma ko, pero kung gusto niyo po akong bigyan ng Exam para maassess ang kakayahan ko bilang tutor, ok lang naman po."

Inday tried to be confident, not arrogant, when dealing with parents. Parents are interesting. Because they know they don't know much about things, but at the same time they never want to be wrong.

So Inday always made sure that she never made her clients' parents feel stupid. But at the same time, she needed to have them feel that she herself is competent enough to tutor their child.

Aling Gina discussed her preferred rates, and Inday managed the would-be class schedule: two hours on the weekends. Aling Gina was adamant on her son being able to rest after school. That was nice, Inday thought. At least this way, she could work on the weekdays elsewhere.