“How can I answer that silly question ‘What can you contribute to the company?’ I'm not hired yet and they want me to contribute as soon as possible? How can I contribute something when I am just starting to look for a job? That's so hilarious!”
Randell kicked the trash bin placed on the side of the company’s building. He applied there for the 8th or 9th time, he can’t remember the exact times that he failed just because he was consistently rejected by the HR Manager. The job interview was done earlier than he expected. This is his dream company because he recently filed a resignation to his current employer. Whenever he notices something wrong with the system, bosses or even his colleagues, he immediately files a resignation. He hates office politics at all but he applied again for a clerical position at this company because he thought that it’s a perfect company that can appreciate his skills as an employee.
He doesn’t have a hard time when he’s looking for a job because he’s just undeniably handsome. That’s his privilege and advantage among the rest. With just a simple glare, he can catch someone’s attention. He is also tall and has a good physique though he doesn’t go to the gym. Maybe having good looks was a blessing since he’s not rich. If only good looks can trade into money in a decent way. He could be a varsity player but he's not a sporty guy. He was fond of music and arts but his parents didn't support him in that craft. At the end, he fell for a course that has no relation to his passion. He became an associate degree holder of a computer science course and immediately found a job because of some chaotic events regarding his family. His parents separated ten years ago and he was only 19 that time. He witnessed how his parents fought against each other and he even heard those hurtful words that lead them to separation. But the most hurtful part was when he found out that his father had a child from the other woman and of course, his mother, Nanay Della doesn’t accept that. But years later, Nanay Della also found a new lover that is younger than her.
Randell was stressed out because of his parent’s decisions, that's why he tried to live away from them. He rented a small space at the tenement in Quezon City. The rent was cheaper but the facility is not that good. He’s like a mouse trapped inside of it but he has to endure that instead of living with his toxic mom and dad.
Within ten years, he survived being on his own. But unfortunately, he did not have enough savings even though he worked hard for ten years. But he was used to that, he was like a robot moving without emotions. He has to be tough because there’s no one he could depend on.
His lovelife? He had a girlfriend before, for about five years but he and his girlfriend separated when she went on abroad. After that he found out that his girlfriend will be marrying her other boyfriend in Ukraine. Randell didn't mind that, he didn't feel hurt. For him,a cheater is not a loss. He knows that he deserves better and having a new love is not his priority because it’s expensive. He decided to take care of a stray cat that adores him so much. He guessed that his cat named Molly was attracted to him.
“I love my cat so much, she’s my only companion and she’s the only one who appreciates me unlike anybody else.”
He sighed when he felt a raindrop on his skin.
“This is such a hassle. I’m wearing a suit and it's raining! Where do I go after this?”
He rushed running at the nearby convenience store just to wait for the rain to stop. And when he passed by, he noticed a kid who’s littering at the same place where he stayed. Maybe he’s meticulous but Randell doesn’t like trash being displaced to improper places. He couldn’t take it so he called the kid out.
“Psst… Boy, you threw a piece of trash. Do you know what will happen to the trash if it is clogged with manholes? A flood will happen during typhoons or heavy rains. So you better pick your trash up!” he politely yelled at the kid. But the kid was stubborn and just measured a glare with Randell.
”Did I say something wrong? Ridiculous, kids are stubborn nowadays. I’m not like that when I was a kid.”
Suddenly, the kid whimpered. He picked up the trash and put it inside the pocket of his jumper.
”What have I done?”
"Mama, mama!" the kid yelled while embracing his mom. “This man shouted at me!”
The mother of the kid approached Randell with a deadly glare. “What have you done to my son?” she angrily asked.
“Nothing Ma’am. I just asked him to pick up his trash,” Randell explained.
“That guy told me that a flood will occur in our house and our things will float there,” the kid added that’s why his mother’s reaction got even worse.
“You can just simply pick the trash, you don’t have to scare my son, Mister,” the mother uttered with disgust on her face.
Randell chuckled. “Kids should be taught basic disciplines in our society. And if you don’t do that at an early age, then you failed as a parent.”
“Disciplined? Who are you to tell me that?” the mother asked with her louder voice. “I bet you still have nothing to prove in your life. Are you an elite?”
“Whether you are rich or not, you shouldn’t leave your common sense,” Randell calmly insisted. He kept that attitude to end this conversation. At the end, the mother and his son left with a disgrace on their faces. Randell laughed a bit. He won, probably. Most people in the privileged life status are arrogant and rude. He thought that he served them a lesson before they left.
When the rain finally stopped, Randell continued to walk his way home. Every Time he arrives at the tenement, people are simply hypnotized by his looks. His gorgeousness is sort of “scene stealer”. Probably because his parents have foreign blood too. It was unfortunate for him that he was only able to inherit the good looks because they are poor, since then.
“Oh my gosh! Randell is so handsome! He looks like the guy who sells insurance at the mall! I can even sell myself to him if he allows me!” Aling Ising jokes. Her daughter, Diday, flirtily laughed. “When I grow up, I will look for a handsome guy like Randell.”
Randell responded Diday with a hilarious laugh. “You will find him soon, just allow your mother to pick those lice on your head.”
He passed by and another familiar old woman interrupted him. “Son, are you still not willing to buy sampaguita from me?”
Randell frowned, that woman was the cause of his misfortunes in life. Since he met that old woman, he started to believe that bad luck exists. He refused and the old woman didn't stop bothering him. She placed the sampaguita flowers on Randell’s face. Good thing, the flower smells good.
“I’m very sorry, I don't have statues in my house and I’m not religious either,” he apologized.
“That’s why you’re not lucky in life, you don’t have faith in God,” the old woman explained.
Randell heaved a sigh out of his frustration. “I’m having bad luck because of you. Do you understand?”
He was about to walk out but the woman was so determined to talk to him. “Son, please buy those flowers. I’m begging you.”
Randell put a grimace on his face. “Right, that’s the same thing you told me when I first met you. That’s when my bad luck started.”
He clearly remembered, when he was in third year of college, he met the old lady who asked him to buy sampaguita flowers but he refused for the third time. He was a graduating student that time and currently fixing his clearance requirements to get his diploma in college.
“Nay, I’m very sorry. I don’t have money right now. Maybe you can try to sell it from others,” Randell politely answered. But when he’s about to walk away from the lady, he heard him cry. “Don’t you have mercy left for an old woman like me? If you don’t buy my flowers, something bad will happen to you.”
Honestly, Randell was moved by the lady's words but he ignored her because he was excited about going home to tell his parents that he’s about to have a job after graduating. But something bad happened when he arrived, he found out that his parents were fighting and cursing at each other. Things inside their house are already broken, even their family picture frame.
That's his first devastation. All those years, he thought that he had a perfect family but it turns out that his parents are just waiting for the perfect timing to get separated. He lived with those lies.
Maybe that’s a curse from that lady. Since then, he believes that bad luck really exists.
