ILIGAN City ― John, the collector came over to the office to do, what else, but collect some obligations. From me, of course.
This lending institution, which is a cooperative makes things easier for the borrower. And this makes me remember some jokes about the difference between the borrower and the lender. That the latter has a “better” memory than the borrower.
I asked John whether it was raining outside. He said it had rained an hour ago but it had stopped. “Odette” was still “harmless” then.
“Good,” I said as I went through the process of taking out some money from my bag for the payment to him. “Because when it rains, we might catch a cold and might cough too and then have some fever…and then…”
“And then, go into hiding,” he added in jest.
I knew what he meant and couldn’t help smiling. For it was always joked about that the reason why there are now fewer cases of Covid-19 in this city is that everybody catching a cold or have some cough especially if it’s accompanied by fever is that he or she keeps quiet about it.
And my friend Fely is vocal about it, saying that in her neighborhood, everybody “suffers” silently, meaning nobody goes to a hospital whenever. They just do some “tuob” or drink plenty of water or go to some doctor or small clinic, never to a hospital because if you do so “you can't come home anymore due to Covid.”
As John was issuing me the receipt for my payment, I asked him why he hadn’t come for several collection duties for days. He coughed a little and then said, “I was ― was ―”
“In hiding,” I completed the sentence for him, He didn’t deny or confirm but just smiled a little. Yet it added to that belief by some folks that the “surge” in virus cases including Covid is minimized by keeping quiet about it,
Until it has run its course! That’s what I call “the hidden factor,” Agree or disagree?
(Email: norasorino2@gmail.com)
