Sometimes, we tend to forgot how a pair of shoe can change our lives forever.

I'm on the 6th on my elementary school then, when one my classmate poke fun at my imitation shoe. I called it an imitation shoe because it look like the real deal but it's not. The misspelling of the brand name tells that it's not genuine. You know back then, when your mom has no job and your father is a jeepney driver you can't really buy all the things that you want. We're four siblings, so having a new pair of rubber shoes, is already a good thing for us. Because normally shoes and school uniform is just pass-on to the younger sibling in our family. My school uniform back then, is just always 'pinaglumaan' of my older brother. Primarily because it's still usable and our parents can save a lot of money on it.


This classmate of mine, who is 2 years older than me is sitting at the back of my seat. He keeps on reading what is written on my shoes, and asked sarcastically where did i bought those shoes loudly enough to hear by nearby classmate, with a big grin on her face.

"It's just a gift so I don't know", I replied. After I got home, I immediately got the blade & removed the part where the brand is written. That shoes is black overall, but it has an orange thread stitches for the brand. After that I used a pentel pen so the part where I scraped the brand is not that noticeable.

I don't know, I just dont like to be the subject of ridicule among classmate so I tend to follow the norm even I can't. I just think that without the brand name he wouldn't make a fool out of me just like the other day.

But not, this classmate's hobby is to make fun of other classmate just to feel good about himself. He always asked what is the brand of my sando, or if my socks are branded or what. His stuffs are branded, which is considered a luxury for me. He always boast to us that his father is a film director and all of his brothers are studying at Mapua. He always bring all her Bone Thugs & Harmony CD just to show-off.

After that year, he is my classmate again when I am a sophomore student at a public high school in Caloocan. I just don't know what happened to him the year after.


I just saw him a few years ago in Sangandaan, Caloocan when I am going home. He is waiting for passenger & riding a pedicab. Yup, he is a pedicab driver now. I asked him what happen and if he still remembers me, he says he got her girlfriend pregnant and ran away from home. I feel his awkwardness on our conversation, so I don't bother to continue.

He don't wear any shoes at all, instead it's a tsinelas. The devil in me, want to ask what is the brand of his slippers, but I don't think that is appropriate. Lessons learned: BE HUMBLE. You may have the most expensive kind of shoes today, but that's not permanent.

Having all the luxury in the world, doesn't give you right to ridicule others.

pictures are not related to the story, it's for representation purpose  only :)
Credits:
http://katcarneo.files.wordpress.com/2009/06/pedicab.jpg
http://i.ehow.com/images/GlobalPhoto/Articles/5328339/bully-main_Full.jpg
http://www.okdunks.com/images/nike-dunk-sb-high/nike-dunk-sb-high-16.jpg