One Thousand Peso Bill

How I came to the world was a wonder from the technology of man. In the beginning I was a gigantic tree always looking to God the Almighty. My branches were so long and my roots were so deep. I thought nothing could separate me with the heavens above, but men came one day and cut me off from where I stood.

I was brought into various machineries, and my appearance changed. I became what they call a paper. As far as I have heard, I was special for I will be brought to Central Bank. Again, I underwent some hot processing which made me sleep for a while. When it was cold already, I began to open my eyes. There I saw rectangular papers like myself, but with different hues of green, orange, brown, red, and violet. Their envious eyes were all fixed upon me which made me so uneasy. Then the violet named one hundred pesos came forward and said, “so you’re the priced one! They have painted you as beautifully like the blue sky. I’m sure you’ll have great adventures out there like me before, but I had lost value already. How I wish to be like you.” I did not understand what he meant but all I can see was that I have more zeros than him.

Suddenly I was carried off from my bed and handed me over to a savings account of a certain Mr. Jack. I was withdrawn and slipped hastily inside his wallet. While in his car, I heard him said excitedly to his companion that for sure, they would really have a good time. The car stopped in a nearby inn where they entered as I could peep little out from his handling. He came to meet a mother with her 7 year old girl. “So this is she!” I heard him said with delight as I saw him led the girl with a lollipop away from her mother who waited outside while puffin and inhaling deeply her cigarette.

Later there was darkness and then I heard shouts of the little one until her voice was unable to do so. The girl’s cries of “mama…mama” still echoes in my heart until now as the two satisfied the hunger of their flesh. When the whole tragic scene was over, I was pulled out in my hiding and given to the child’s helpless hand. I was crumple so hard and inside her little fist and felt deeply her anger with me as she wiped her tears away. She looked at me in disbelief and questioned my existence why she was the reason why she will never be the same again. She handled me sadly to her mother as a blind obedience. The unworthy one crumpled me in her pocket and later exchanged me for a small box of shabu. They walked away together leaving me alone into Mrs. Cathy’s hand.

In a golden shoulder bag I was kept by Cathy and was carried along with her inside a big and fabulous building named casino. She tossed me on the table for her bet and incidents were very fast. I was folded and pressed by those heavy dices, and squandered from here and there while noise of excitements were in the atmosphere. Then out of nowhere, I was fished out by Mr. Black before Cathy could get me back. Arguments of the two were so loud as I was grabbed from one hand to the next. I saw her walked away so fiercely avenging death to the person holding me. With a grin and sheepish laughter, Mr. Black paid me for a bottle of hard liquor which made him walk like a jerk away from me.

The cashier shook her head as she looked at me in my worn out state saying, “I have to deposit you again to the bank.”

I’m back once more in my bed her in Central Bank. As I reminisce the past, I could only wish for the good old days. Before, I was the giver of life, but now I am the source of all evil. If only man would seek the real truth in me and bring back the meaning I had before, then life will still be worth living. If man will no longer be concerned on what they can buy out of me but to be more concerned on how they will spend me then… I will already stop wishing back of being a tree. (Rowena M. Diente, MATRE | Contributor)