Monday, April 04, 2005

Benjie, the cab driver ( second part)

A proud and dedicated father...

Benjie's eldest daughter finished an engineering course recently, being the proud dad that he is, he cheerfully told me that his daughter was a top board passer, placing fifth in a licensure exam for chemical engineers. His daughter Annie, whom he fondly calls 'baby' is currently job hunting. She has been patiently doing it for almost a year now. It makes you think, how is it that oftentimes we grow impatient and unsatisfied with our jobs, grumbling and complaining, itching to grab the next best opportunity that we selfishly believe that we deserve while a top-notch graduate, who is just among the thousands more in this country is left idle, unemployed with no fair choice? How ungrateful I am. I too, as a citizen of this country with a system faltering ceaselessly should be ashamed.
Going back to Benjie, with this situation in his hand ( because he can't help not to) became his daughter's constant companion in her pursuit to get a decent job. Driving her in and around the metro as far as Batangas just to catch an interview. He's even dogged not to get a haircut to save money to pay his mounting debt, one of which was the money borrowed to buy his daughter some new things and new pair of clothes to somehow uplift his girls' esteem.
This loving father is not worn by fatigue, his role need not to be expounded, and his fuel is his genuine desire not to let hope fade in her daughter's eyes no matter how difficult life is.