Buhay Alamang
Buhay alamang
Pag lukso ay patay
Maria Went Abraod
Maria dreamed that one day she will go abraod, any country will do, but she thought the best would be to go to the "land of the free and the home of the brave", the United States of America. They said that anybody who has the guts and the will to work hard will soon be rich; the sky is the limit. But she met a German tourist named Heinrich who fell in love with her. Maria agreed to marry him if he will promise to help her family because she had 5 brothers and 5 sisters.
Heinrich kept his promise. Twice a year, they sent a huge carton of food and other goodies to Maria's family and sent cash gifts to everyone come Christmas time. Every other year they went on holiday to Filipinas and each of Maria's siblings vied for the privilege of hosting the couple and their three young children. All of them were poor, but having Maria and Heinrich stay with them is like having Santa Claus for a month. Not only did they eat good food and lots of it, the menfolk had as much beer as they can drink because Heinrich loves San Miguel Beer.
One day Maria was watching a program on Discovery channel and she was shocked to hear that the Philippines would sink into the Pacific in so many years. Agitated and nearly in tears, Maria could hardly wait for Heinrich to come home from work. She told him, "Darling, we should begin getting my brothers and sisters out of the Philippines before the country sinks into the Pacific. We could get them one by one, so they could find a job here and get their families out on time"
"Of course, dear, of course," answered Heinrich as he calmly drank his beer, "but there is one problem, you see."
"Are you saying you don't want them here?" cried Maria and burst into tears.
"No, no, of course not," said Heinrich, getting up for his chair to take Maria into his arms.
Heinrich continued, "How many are there now? Let's see. One of your brothers have 7 children; one sister has 9; three of them have 4 each; and the others are quickly catching up."
"But that is why we should begin now," pouted Maria, "It would take us about 10 years."
"No, it will take us forever," answered Henrich.
"Ten years is not forever!" cried Maria and burst into tears.
"No, no, of course not," said Heinrich, getting up for his chair to take Maria into his arms. "But as we got them one or two at a time, they continue to multiply like rabbits. How many nieces and nephews would you have 10 years from now?"
Maria had no answer. She could not think of any answer. She could only think of Jose who had 6 sons before he got a baby daughter, of Elisa who has 9 children because she is afraid to go to hell if she used contraceptives, and of the others who believe that each child is a blessing from God and that God will provide.
