Mario

by sabaw

Mario still remembers the bitter past.

The Spanish regime may be over but memories of the bitter past are still haunting him. One of the most painful things to witness for a son is probably the death of his father. The Spanish whipped his father which caused that death. His brother Jose was there with him when that happened, Jose was there to hold his brother’s hand… but nonetheless the pain is undivided. They cannot share the pain among themselves. It was whole, excruciating, painful.

Mario still remains in San Diego. He is older now, and the Spanish are no longer around. Finally, after 333 years, the country can claim independence. Well, not really. A new group of foreigners which we now call as Americans have invaded the country after a mock battle that happened between the Spanish and the Americans. We were made to believe that the Americans are the liberators of the country.

Well, for some sort, they are. They introduced education with a system that is different from that of Spain’s. Everyone has the right to be educated. They also introduced different forms of entertainment, brought other technological advances.

Not everyone believes that Americans are liberators or icons of our freedom though. Jose is one of those people. And when the conflict arose between an American soldier and a Filipino he shot in some bridge, Jose was among those who fought against the Americans. However, Mario can no longer afford another death in his family.

Jose was held captive by the Americans for his “rebellion” and Mario was summoned at his brother’s expense. The Americans came to know of what happened to their father and did the same to Jose. Mario no longer had Jose’s hand to hold unlike when he first saw a scene like this. He only had the wall to hold on to.

After several beatings, Jose dropped to the floor. Mario couldn’t make himself approach Jose. He just wept… beside the wall.

What he just saw proves that no foreigner should colonize the country, ever again.