Sunday, October 08, 2006

Alternative Career No. 4

Miko came up with this one. He wanted me to come out and play with him and his Kuya Luigi but I wasn’t feeling well due to flu and cramps. Luigi, who had just recovered from a long bout with fever, said, “You should drink lots of fluids, Tita Ella”. As he was wearing a white shirt and a white pair of shorts and looking very much the part, I told him, “Thanks, Doctor Luigi.”

They were playing outside my bedroom window. Miko came closer, still dribbling a tiny basketball, and said, “I don’t want to be a doctor. I don’t like doctors. How about you, Tita Ella what do you want to be when you grow up?

There was a long answer to that, as it appeared like I wasn’t grown up yet to them, which was great, but I was also asking some questions in my head, along those lines. Due to my headache and state of being drugged, however, I just gave the simplest answer and declared, “I already am a lawyer.”

Miko replied, “What?! I didn’t know that! I thought you were a church choir singer!”

I laughed so loud that Luigi approached my window as well on his scooter to ask what we were laughing about. Miko told him that I was a lawyer, and then turned to me and asked, “What’s a lawyer anyway?”

More laughter from me. I couldn’t think of how to explain that. I wanted to say, ”Bukas pa yata ang Enchanted Kingdom!” Luigi said, “My friend Andre wants to be a lawyer.

I told them, “Better ask Lolo what a lawyer is. He is one, too, and he’s been a lawyer longer.”

The mokong replied, “But Lolo isn’t here. Can’t you just tell me?”

I sat up properly on my bed to think. He was peering through the jalousies of my window, impatiently waiting for my answer. Finally I said, “A lawyer is someone who helps people with their problems. For example if Daddy has clients who don’t want to pay, a lawyer could help daddy make his clients pay.”

His curiosity satisfied, he simply said, “Oh. Thanks. But I still thought you were a church singer.”

Where in the world did he get that idea? Maybe to them I’m just their aunt whose world revolves around them whenever they are here at Lolo and Lola’s house. They knew I always went to church and they heard me singing with the Lingkod QC music ministry during our anniversary.

Who knows, these could be prophetic words from my little nephew. Maybe I’ve really shed off my lawyer image successfully. I never wore it fittingly in the first place. I just miss the suits. And the shoes.

The quest continues.

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