A young man named Frank was our neighbor a playmate of my youngest brother. Mel, me and my brother was always arguing even in a petty things. One day we argue over a piece of bread so I told him to go away.
" Why don't you play with Frank? that''s much better , more peaceful and there's no one to argue with me ";, I'm trying to send my brother away to play with his friend.
. " I can't he had been sick for a week , he has a fever ", my brother reasoned.
""That's why you're home pestering us?";, I told my brother.
" Of course not, but I'm also wondering because he seldom got sick, he has rashes all over his body";, my brother said.
"That might be cause by a mosquito bite ", my mom said. Dengue is unknown in the Philippines yet by that time but moms really knows .
The next day my mom told my brother to bring chicken soup for his friend but he said he need to go to the comfort room..
" Tekya, please can you bring this to your Aunt Terrie ", ,my mom ask me, giving me the bowl of chicken soup ,Aunt Terrie, aside from being our neighbor is one of the many second cousin of my mother.
"Yes mom! and I will borrow some comics from her " , I said, television isn't a trend by that time, comics is the famous source of entertainment . I willingly brought the soup to our neighbor Aunt Terrie expecting to be able to borrow some comics.
"Thanks Tekya ", Aunt Terrie said, she gladly accepted the bowl full of chicken soup.
" How's Frank, Aunt Terrie?",I asked, after closing the door, lookiing at him lying in the sofa . Obviously, I can't directly ask her to let me borrow some of her latest collection of comics.
" He is still sick, which is very unusual of him because he seldom got sick" , Aunt Terrie said , sleeplessness and worries is visible in her eyes.
;"We had been very worried of his condition he has high fever and no appetite for foods ";, Aunt Terrie told me. They always prepared soft foods for him, like porridge and soups according to her.
" Son, try this soup it looks delicious and smell good, please eat even a little so you'll have renewed energy"; his mom persuade Frank.
" Sorry mom, I don't have appetite for food now." Frank replied.
" Okay, what would you like to eat? I'll gladly cook and prepare for you, anything that will enhance your appetite ", his mom trying to convince him.
"Thanks mom, but I really don't have appetite for food right now , I swear " , Frank answered.
" Mom said that might be because of mosquito bite ", I said.
" Really? that might be true because there's a lot of mosquito lately ", Aunt Terrie agreed. We are in that conversation when both me and Aunt Terrie are surprise when Frank get up from the sofa and swiftly kicked the closed door.
" Leave me alone, I don't want to go with you!", he hysterically said as if talking to somebody in the door while kicking them angrily.
" Frank! what's wrong with you? why you're kicking our door?", surprise at his action Aunt Terrie asked.
" There's two men in white who wants me to go with them mom!", Frank said.
" Please son stop that! you might hurt yourself", " Aunt Terrie said trying to calm him down, she check her temperature by her hand.
" I don't see anybody!", I whisper to Aunt Terrie.
" I know, but he no longer have high temperature to assume he is hallucinating", Aunt Terrie whispered back to me.
" Huh? really? ", I asked. I started to pick some comics inside her comics collection box before I forget my purpose for coming over.
" You want to borrow some?, at the top is the newest I purchased",, she ask me the obvious, I just nod my head in agreement.
The next days that follow Frank no longer have fever or flu, but Frank can no longer walk , everybody were wondering why he suddenly lose his ability to walk. Sometimes we hear him crying because his legs has no strength.
" I want to be able to walk again mom! ", he is screaming in frustration, tears streamed down his skinny face because of loss of nutrient in his body for eating less than required of his eleven years age for more than a week.
'" Please be patient son, you'll get back in shape just do some legs exercises , that might be the effect of your high fever", crying Aunt Terrie trying to console him.
" I will help you in practicing your legs so you can be able to walk again ", his father assured him. Everyday we saw him practicing to walk by the help of his father and his older brother step by step. Then he started walking with a cane and It takes almost five months of practice that sometimes frustrate him but later on his efforts had been rewarded , he had been able to walk again normally as before in the sixth month .
" Are you okay now?", I asked him when he passby in our house to fetch my brother to play.
" Yes, I'm fine now", he answered smiling.
." Good for you, I was surprised when I saw you kick the door ferociously, that might be the reason you nearly got crippled.", I told him my own observation.
" My mom thought the same, she said they might be an angel ,they punish me because I kicked them", Frank agreed..
" Really,? I thought I am just assuming things, but because Aunt Terrie had the same assumption, I guess we're right", I told him.
" I saw them pass through without opening the door, imagine, then they want me to go with them,? I was so scared I won't be able to walk again ", Frank said.
" At least you had been able to walk again, you had a very strong determination and you had been very tough in facing your disability", I am trying to be honest with my opinion copying what i've read in comics.
" Thanks God, i'd been able to surpass my trials", he proudly said just the way Aunt Terrie say.
" I 'm so happy for you because you had been strong and you got what you wish", I said clapping my hands.
" Thanks ", Frank said smiling and so proud of his latest achievement.
" Don't ever do that again kicking an angel because hmm, you know what will happened to you", I am trying to be funny..
" Yes, I will nevet do that again, I swear", he said.