The Dream

PanPacific University North Philippines

Urdaneta City, Pangasinan

1^st Semester SY 2011-2012

Danilo C. Siquig Jr.                                                                         August 9, 2011,

AB English IV                                                                                  Creative Writing

                                                                                                                                                            

“The Dream”

(A Short Story inspired from the President’s Second State of the Nation’s Address)

Characters;

Joshua--- a typical young boy who has a great vision in life.

Mang Ambo---grandfather of Joshua who speaks seldom.

Teresa---the mother of Joshua.

Berto---Joshua’s classmate

Setting; In the street

              In the House

The Story

          Joshua is always the boy who is known to his families and friends as a visionary. He is one of a kind idealist and that is maybe the reason why he took up Political Science course in one of the public universities in their town. Joshua belongs to a simple family who keeps on struggling for their everyday welfare. His father died because of pneumonia when he was still a child and his mother works as a vendor in the market where she sells vegetables and fruits. As an only son, Joshua has this dream of uplifting the life of their family, eventhough they are only three in their small nipa hut. With them, is his Amang Ambo, the father of his mother, who is in his last years.

          One afternoon, after a hectic schedule in the school, Joshua decided to go home early to have some rest and after such to cook some food for his mother and grandfather. While walking on the street, he happened to see Berto, one of his classmates who was asking him to go to the nearby town to watch a movie.

“Let’s go Joshua. You will love and enjoy the new movie that is in theater now”, Berto said.

Joshua answered, “I love to go but I have to go home early because I need to cook food for my mother and my lolo. Sorry, maybe next time.”

“Oh, come on, it will just take us an hour. You may come back and cook after watching a movie, come on.” Berto persuaded Joshua.

But Joshua was really consistent with his decision. “I’m really sorry Berto, I will have it next time. Just take good care of yourself and tell me what happen to the movie, okay?”

“Okay, if that’s what you want. Well then, I have to go to catch up with the movie. See ya!” Berto said as he departed Joshua with a snappy wave.  

Joshua continued walking and upon approaching their house, he see his grandfather over the window who was watching TV.

          “Good afternoon Amang, what are you watching?” Joshua asked the old man. But his grandfather did not bother to answer. Joshua was used to him. Whenever, he speaks to his lolo, the latter does not bother to answer or have any signs of reply. But Joshua, upon seeing the television, recognized that it is the replay telecast of the President’s SONA that his grandfather was watching.

          “Oh, Amang, it’s the SONA. It’s a replay telecast. Why don’t you change the channel?” Joshua uttered. Unexpectedly, his grandfather answered in a very soft voice.

          “Shut up and do your things there!”

Joshua was shocked. He did know what to feel whether to be embarrassed or to be happy for that “once in a blue moon” reply of his Amang Ambo.

          “Okay Amang, you enjoy watching it and I’ll start to see if there’s anything there that I could cook for lunch.” Joshua replied.

When Joshua, started to look for something he could cook for lunch, he saw that there is no more rice in their storage. Even their basket has no stocks of vegetables or anything that he may cook for their lunch. He is now starting to be rattled for not knowing what to do. He wanted to go to his mother who is in the market but he found out that he has no more money to go to the market which is ten kilometers from their house. After sometime, he decided to wait for his mother because he could not really do something.

          “Amang, are you hungry? Let’s just wait for nanay because we have no more stocks of food and I could not do anything.” Joshua said.

Amang Ambo did not bother to answer.

          “Let’s just watch the SONA” he continued.

Joshua sat in one of the bamboo chair at the back of his grandfather.

At first, he was listening thoroughly to P-noy’s speech.

          “Padadamihin natin ang imbak na bigas…”

“Gaganda na ang buhay ng bawat Pilipino…”

“Ang panlalamang matapos mangakong maglingkod---iyan po ang utak wang-wang…”

After sometime, Joshua saw his mother preparing the food she had cooked for them. It is a meat dish with a fried chicken on the other plate. He also saw the fruit salad in the cup that will be served for them. There is also a plate of rice that is really white and seems like newly harvest.

          “Joshua, call your Amang now and we will eat.” His mother said.

          “Yes, Mom!” I think you really cook a delicious and lunch this time.” Joshua replied.

Upon standing in his sit, Joshua saw their floor with tiles and he also saw their furnitures dazzling in expensive costs. He also saw his Amang Ambo watching in big flat screen TV. It was really a different life now for them. Joshua was very happy with the comfortable life that they have. When they reach the table and be ready to eat, Aling Teresa asked Joshua.

“Did you already go to the Barangay clinic for the free medicine of your Amang?”

Joshua does not know what to answer because he really does not know if he already went or not. He ignored the question of his mother but instead, he continued enjoying the meal that his mother served.

While they were eating, their telephone rang. Joshua was surprised to find out that they also have a telephone. However, Joshua was the one who answered the phone.

          “Hello, good afternoon, who’s this?”

“Hello Joshua it’s Berto?”

“O Berto, how are you?”

“I’m fine, it was a nice movie. I told you that you should come to see it. It’s your lost bro!”

“I’m glad that you enjoyed the show, anyway, why did you call?”

“I will just ask if you will apply for the scholarship given by the government in our school?”

There was a moment of silence to Joshua because it is only now that he find out that there is a scholarship program being given in their school. For the past years, his mother had a difficulty in acquiring finances for his studies and yet it is only now that he find out that the school is offering scholarship programs.

Joshua was really surprised of what is happening around him.

          “Joshua, are you still there bro”

          “Joshua!”

          “Joshua!”

          “Joshua!!!, Wake up!”

Suddenly, Joshua was awaken. Upon opening his eyes, he saw his mother in front of him. She was very tired.

          “You get up there and cook this camote for our lunch.”

 Joshua, look on the things around him and said,

          “I knew it! It is only a dream”

          “What are you saying there son? Get up and cook this rootcrops” his mother said.

          “Yes Mom, I’ll be there.”

Joshua went to cook the camote for their lunch. He left his grandfather still watching the latter part of the SONA.

          “Mabuhay ang Pilipinas, buhay na buhay na ang Pilipino”, P-noy said.

          “It’s a dream!” Joshua said as he went to the kitchen.

---THE END---