Utter Humiliation

Petunia half-opened her eyes due to the loud sound of her alarm clock. She stood up reluctantly and went to her desk to turn it off. As she went back to her bed, she was scratching her head realizing that she couldn't be late again due to an important exam on her first period class.

"Pepay, gumising ka na nga diyan. Tatanghaliin ka nanaman." Her mom screamed from the outside of her room.

"Opo 'nay, gising na 'ho ako!" She replied petulantly.

Petunia opened her door and came out with a dreary disposition. She lifted her feet indolenty making her way to the bathroom. She reached for the shower knob and twisted it until droplets of water started to come out. After finishing her shower, she toweled herself dry, wrapped the towel around her body and approached the breakfast table. She grabbed a big piece of pandesal, snapped it open from the middle and stuffed it with fried scrambled egg. She drank her milk hastily while still chewing on her food. She then hurriedly went back to her room to get dressed after finishing her breakfast.

"'Ma, pasok na 'ho ako." She told her mother and avoided her sight.

"Oy, oy, oy, Pepay, sandali nga. Anong kalokohan yang nasa mukha mo? 'Bat ang kapal kapal ng make-up mo. Gusto mo bang pagtawanan ka sa klase niyo?"

"'Ma naman. Dalaga na 'ho ako 'no."

"Bahala ka. Basta sinabihan kita. Hala cge pumasok ka na."

She reached for her small mirror inside her shoulder bag while waiting for a jeepney to arrive. She checked her face and thought about what her mom told her.

"Di naman makapal e. Si 'nay talaga, ayaw nakikitang maganda ako." Petunia facetiously told herself.

When the jeepney came, she returned the mirror inside her bag and replaced it with a reviewer for her exam. She chose to be seated at the far back-end so she could concentrate with the review. After waiting for a few minutes, she glanced outside through the jeepney's window and saw the traffic light change from yellow to red.

"Para 'ho sa tabi!", Petunia told the driver.

"Anong para-para! 'Di ka pa nagbabayad!" The driver yelled attracting other passengers to stare at her.

"'Wag naman 'ho kayong manigaw. May barya 'ho ba kayo sa isang libo?" Petunia arrogantly asked.

"Asan ang isang libo mo?" asked the driver.

"Teka lang po. Eksayted kayo masyado e." She replied telling the driver to wait while she looks for the bill. Unable to find one, she returned to the driver grinning and said in a humble tone,

"Nagastos ko na 'ho ata. Eto na lang 'ho palang bente."

Copyright (c) 2005 Nick Vargas