I witnessed a fight
I was waiting for a ride when I saw a married couple, I assume they are married, fighting. The father was gripping the small hand of her daughter, dragging her far from the mother. The mother was walking as fast while dragging their son to keep up from her big steps. Normally, I wouldn’t even care because I was busy trying to spot my service but the father started shouting.
“You keep on taking drugs, you son of a bitch! This is why I don’t wanna go out with you!” He shouted. He spoke in Filipino, reason why it comes out more intense. His forehead creased from anger. His daughter looked up at him but her expression remained unbothered. Like she’s already used to it.
“YES!” She screamed. Her small but high pitched voice made me flinch. “Puñeta! Why do you even care?!” She pulled her son to her side and dragged him even more to go near the father. “Give me back my daughter, motherfucker!”
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They walked past one establishment yet I can still hear them shouting at each other. The tricycle drivers beside me clucking their tongue of how unfortunate the kids are for witnessing their parents acting like that. I sighed for how true it is. One of the drivers even said they’re too young for that kind of fight.
They are too young. Probably in their mid twenties. The age where I see myself getting my dream job. For others, it’s the age of exploration, but for them it’s different. For them, it’s the age of survival. I fear they are not well-off. One of the drivers, the one that kept on talking about how unfortunate the kids are, even mentioned how people have the money for drugs but not enough money to take care of their children properly.
I can’t seem to grasp how many more children are experiencing the same thing. It could be worse than that. That short scene I witnessed made me wonder how many people had kids unprepared. It happens a lot. Too many teenagers posting on Facebook how blessed they are to have the kid. Some have this long caption of how the baby changed her life. “She’s a miracle.” is the worst caption I saw. No, she’s not. She’s a huge responsibility you can’t manage yet so you will pass it to your parents and let them carry the burden of your mistake.
I know a lot of batchmates that experienced the same thing. One of them is someone whom I know to have dreams so high it might appear ridiculous to others. I’m not saying she won’t achieve the dream just because of the baby, but I know that her mother who only earns enough for a day and her father who can’t work because of stroke and only wishes her to get a scholarship in college will be a huge setback.
It appears differently to every family. Those with the capability to afford the baby are lucky, while those who do not are unfortunate. Parents who are not emotionally ready, no matter how much money they have, should not have a baby. It is common sense to not have something you can’t sustain. It is the most basic rule yet often forgotten.
Sex education is important. Education in itself is important. Awareness can knock the head of the majority of people to know and apply what is right. If sex education was implemented years ago, maybe no children would witness their parents shouting in public about how their mother is taking drugs. Maybe no hope of the parents who just want their daughter to get a scholarship will be crushed, and no dreams will be discarded whether for a while or for good.
