PASSING THROUGH

"Kumusta na? Been quite some time ah. How's the family?", Aaron asked his friend Mike. "Ok lang kami pare. Ikaw ba kumusta na?", as Mike responded, he likewise asked the same question. It was still raining that afternoon, well, actually for nine straight days already. In fact practically 60 to 70 persent of Metro Manila had been under water and a state of calamity was declared in several affected areas.

"Naku, our friend Bert and another, Ben have just died one after another." Aaron obviously and naturally forming a sad face as he broke the news. Mike was surprised, "Ano?! Grabe naman. Ano na ba nangyayari? Di ba kailan lang, kamamatay lang ni Owee."

"Oo nga pare. Mukhang iniisa-isa na tayo. Kaya pakabait ka na." quipped Aaron, to which Mike said "Pare, ikaw ang dapat mag reality check, mas marami kang kasalanan sa akin."

Joe another friend arrived and joined Aaron and Mike. "Wow pare looking good and signs of progress ka ah. Kumusta ang monsson rains? Oo nga, ano balita", Mike and Aaron asked Joe. "Eto, for sure alam na ninyo tungkol kay Bert at Ben?"

Mike replied "Pinaguusapan nga namin si Kamatayan eh." He added, "ayan si Aaron, worried, kailangan daw niya ng time to think it over, if h he can postpone a little bit his death." Everyone laughed, and Aaron can only smile, but Joe was quick to add, "guys, all of us will go through the same ritual of dying from this life and living once again in another. All of us are passing through this world, like transient passengers on a short journey."

Stunned, Aaron staring at Joe, while Mike could hardly gulped down the soda he was drinking. "Oh come on! What is the matter with you guys?! Have you not heard of the afterlife?"

"Look Joe, it's not that we don't know anything about afterlife, or whatever. But you see, it is quite un-Joe of you to be talking about these things." Aaron continued, "Besides, just last month, were talking about Bert Ben and Owee."

"Ok, ok, eh ano naman ang connect? Hindi naman natin pinaguusapan kung ano mangyayari sa kanila. Besides ang usapan natin eh puro good memories." Mike nodding and who seems to approve what Aaron has said.

Thea coming from out of nowhere greeted everyone, "Mukhang seryoso yata mga tao rito ngayon ah. Kumain na ba kayo?" "Thea, saan ka ba galing? Kanina pa kami rito." Joe was quick to asked when he himself was late too.

"After keeping his silence for over an hour, Ton blurted, "Hay naku, walang pinagusapan mga yan kung di puro walang saysay na problemahin sa ngayon. Tama, in this life, we are on a short journey. We are passing through. Kaya naman anything you can do to make life better, hindi lamang buhay mo but also those of others, aba eh gawin na. Huwag pasaway. Huwag abusado. Dapat maging mabait. Ewan ko ba. Bakit ganyan ang tao, gagawa ng masama tapos later on puro regrets. Pwede naman gumawa ng mabuti, eh parang hirap na hirap. Tulad na lang ng graft and corruption, aba eh kinamulatan na natinyan ah. Hanggang ngayon ba naman nariyan pa yan. Nagiging biktima na nga tayo eh. Tulad ng baha. Kung tama ba naman ang paggamit ng salapi ng gobyerno para sa flood control at rehabilitation ng mga sirang facilities or equipments, magkakaroon ba naman ng Ondoy? Kung tayo ba ay susunod lang sa tamang pagtatapon ng basura, o kaya ang batas ang talagang ipapatupad, e di kahit papaano, medyo mababawasan ang sana'y hindi naman dapat problema. Hirap kasi sa buhay nating ito, pagka-walang eleksiyon, ayun, tahimik at solve na solve sa kung ano mang bagong sasakyan, bahay, gadgets, and take note, jetsetting sprees si pulitiko. Magkano lang naman ang sweldo pero buhay milyonaryo. Ganyan din naman mga iba sa gobyerno. At eto namang nasa private sector, mga negosyante, tinotolerate naman. Tapos ang madlang people, tahimik, nagmumukmok and at the same time, entertained."

"O ayan ang iniwan sa atin ni Ton bago siya tuluyang nag pass through sa mundong ito." Aaron reminding everyone what Ton said to everyone before he met an accident that claimed his life at the age of 27. "Oo nga", Joe and Mike in unison. Thea was still in a state of bewilderment and ignorance, not knowing still what was happening with the group that led them to such profound discussion about life.

Which of the roles would you fit in? Aaron, Mike, Joe or Thea? Bert, Owee or Ben? Ton?