Efren and I

         I saw him sitting alone inside the classroom. He was looking beyond unaware of his surroundings. He didn’t notice my presence when I approached him and so there was a surprise in his eyes when I offered him a snack. But then, slowly, he looked down sheepishly and answered, “No thanks, I am fine.”

         I sat beside him and tried to start a conversation but he wasn’t looking at me whenever he answered. Why was I compelled to approach him? Because...I was wondering of his manners in our morning classes. He was always found sleeping in the class and seemed to be so tired whenever a teacher would try to wake him up. And if in the end he was kept awake, he would be the laughing stock of the class. He has this odd mannerism of placing the side of his opened palm before his face and using it like a fan. Then, he would close his palm and put it near his nose and sniff on it as if there was something in it and then an ecstatic expression. He would open his palm again repeating the gestures.

         “You know what? I don’t have a father. He left us for another woman.” I didn’t know why I suddenly told him something personal about me. Maybe because I could sense that we both have the same family trouble.

         “Then, how do you feel about it? Who provides for you and your mother?” I got his attention! He looked at me with honest concern. We started to have a good conversation.

         I finally found out that he was working at night to provide for his mother and siblings and his drunkard father. The work was up until 5 am. However, he has to attend classes that start at 7 am. Without any sleep, a friend told him that sniffing Rugby (brand of all-purpose contact cement) would help to keep him awake. But it didn’t work for his very tired body. It only made him the clown of the class and eventually, dangerously addicted to that chemical.

         “What kept you coming to school despite your situation?”

         “I wanted to finish studying. I know that this would help me take out my mother and siblings from a difficult life.”

         Without second thought, I laid out to him the plan that I had been conceiving while listening to his story. I became his instant ally for his goal. I could empathize with him. I know how difficult it was to live without a responsible father around. I was an inch luckier than him because of the relatives who voluntarily took care of my educational needs and so I was spared from working like him.

         The next day, Efren was sitting at the back of the class, sleeping soundly; while the class was going on.

         Upon knowing Efren’s plight, the teachers considered my suggestion of helping him: that he can sleep in the class with a condition that he would stop inhaling the chemical; that after resting he would study with my tutelage. On this part, our Math teacher, to which subject I excelled, assured the other teachers that I can do the job and they agreed.

         So, it had become a usual routine to see us studying together in the afternoon during our break time. I tutored him all the morning lessons he missed and then before going home, the respective teachers would give him quizzes to check out what he learned. This was successful. As a result, the whole class had asked me tutor them also.

         I remember the day I enrolled in that school. It was the third school that I went to enroll. The other high schools were already filled in. I came late for freshmen’s enrollment because there wasn’t enough money. However, it was when the classes started that the relative had got enough funds. Luckily, this school accepted me but was placed in section 8. For me, it was both good and bad news. Good news because I was spared from waiting for the next school year. Bad news because I promised myself to get the first place of the freshmen’s batch but lost the chance. In the school’s grading system the selected students are gathered in section 1 where the possible candidates for top ten would come out. How my heart had sunk!

         What I thought as an unfortunate situation was turned into my most important achievement. The once gloomy classroom discussion had become alive because of everyone’s preparedness. The result was unprecedented. In all examinations, we got a higher average score as a class.

         Eventually, tutoring my classmates was developed into beautiful friendship that even other sections had even wanted to join in.

         I remember, in one of our periodical examination, while at home preparing for school, my aunt saw a group of 10 male students coming to our place. She exclaimed, “Who are they? Aren’t they supposed to be in school in this hour?” When I looked out of the window, I was surprised! They were my classmates and in unison they shouted, “Cornelia! Are you ready now? We are here to escort you making it certain that you are safe on your way to school.” It made me laughed. I commented that they shouldn’t have done it but answered, “This isn’t enough to what you have given us.”

         Near the end of school year, Efren was not attending classes. Everyone wondered. Until, there was one student from the other section who’d seen him alone at the back of the school and informed me. I found him there sniffing the chemical. He noticed me and said, “Oh! I’m so sorry for this…but I have to. I’m here to say goodbye to you. My father said that studying will not do me better than finding another work with higher earnings. If I will not comply he will hurt my mother and siblings. Thank you for everything but I’m so sorry! I can’t make it until the end.”

         That was the last time I saw him. I never thought that we would reach our crossroad that early. He was forced to take the other way. At 13, I couldn’t understand why it has to happen. It saddened me but continued on with the rest of the class.

         Days before the end of school year, I got sick. According to my classmates, those were the days that the faculty teachers were in a series of deliberations regarding the upcoming recognition day. On the day I returned, one of our teachers called on me and told me the news I never expected. I got the first honour of the batch!

         My encounter with Efren had become an important landmark in my life’s journey. I thought I was his ally to reach his goal but it turned out that it was he who had become my ally to reach mine. My encounter with him had also taught me the best life’s lesson that happiness is in making others happy with the share of oneself and talents. The happiness and its fruit of friendship that I never thought would be the way to the top.

         As for Efren, after stating that he would not make it until the end he said, “But don’t worry about me, having met a good friend as you is the best gift I’ve ever had in my life. You have made me happy and that’s enough.”