TONIO AND THE BLUE LIGHT

Entry No. 2

When he was around 16-years old, he decided to step outside the orphanage. Being used to the hardships of life, Tonio entered odd jobs from being a janitor to messenger to a newspaper vendor. Being taught the religious ways, he did not engage in any illegal activities though he gambled a little. He was desperate. He wanted a better life when he discovered the lottery.

Playing the lottery provided him more than just a chance to win. For him, it also gave him a sense of freedom to dream. Like what would he do if he won this amount? He would spend countless hours daydreaming of that day. He wanted so much in life. He figured that he could get these things if he had money.

Tonio met a young girl at one of the offices he had worked for. He quickly fell in love with her, though knowing that it would be next to impossible for her to take his love seriously. He started courting the girl by leaving flowers at her desk every morning; much to her pleasant surprise. He would also try to write love letters though the grammar is not that good. He was content with just doing these things. But one day, the girl found out who he really was. He was turned down right away. The boss, fearing that he might do something stupid like stalk the young girl, fired him at once.

And this was not the first time he was turned down. In fact, it was a series of heartbreaks that almost made him crazy.

Then there was Sonia.

Sonia gave him hope that he is capable of loving and being loved. She was different from the rest of the girls she knew. She works at the place where Tonio was the janitor. It may sound unbelievable but she accepted Tonio for what he was. In fact, she did more than that. She reciprocated the love he gave her. For Tonio, it was the happiest moment of his life. With this feeling at hand, he believed that nothing could go wrong.

But this is not so.

After more than three months of a rather blissful relationship, Sonia was sent by her parents abroad refusing to accept Tonio. He was poor. They said that he was not worthy of the love Sonia would give. He was poor. They said that their daughter has no future being with him. He was poor.

They simply couldn't accept him.