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Bargains

MONEY begets money, sure.

Second thoughts sa monay can be pesky.

Napasama minsan sa lupon na sasala sa mga isasagupang kandidato laban sa mga nakaluklok sa isang siyudad ng Metro Manila… kabilang sa mga kinaliskisan ang isang tumama daw sa lotto, P30 milyon… naubos lang daw… ipagkakatiwala ba ang kaban ng bayan sa tulad nitong hindi matuos kung saan nalustay ang sariling salapi?

Sa isang panig ng Antipolo, tumipak naman ang isang tsuper ng aabot sa P50 milyon… dalawang sunod na jackpot… nilooban ang pamamahay, patay na walang kalaban-laban…

Fu Hao ang ipinangalan sa kuting ni Toyang… “mayaman na, makapangyarihan pa” ang supling ng “sibasib-dragon ng patalim”—‘yun ang katuturan sa pangalan ng mag-ina. Inilapat para hindi mawaglit sa isip ang mga inaarugang pagpapahalaga sa buhay.

“Seek—and you shall find-- and all these things shall be added unto you…” ang inuusal na awit bago dumulog sa hapag-kainan…

Kahit baratilyo lang, kani-kaniyang tawaran pa kasi, ‘Tol…

At dalawang halimbawa lang ang pinakamatinding mauungkat sa nakalipas na kasaysayan. Bargaining models.

There’s the bargain hammered out between the devil and Faustus the Magus— the human soul for eternal knowledge. The devil threw in Helen of Troy as aperitif but he still couldn’t deliver his end of the bargain.

Faustian bargains for a pittance are forged every hour on the hour, 24/7…

So there’s the bargain between Solomon and Yahweh, something which totally devastates notions on how money begets money.

It turned out wisdom begets material possessions including legal tender with a few fringe benefits thrown into the deal, say, political and military clout plus a queue of beauties— over 300 of them, a damsel a day for a year-round romp in the boudoir that can only be possible for one initiated in the praxis of Shunamitism… talagang kailangan ang ganitong kakaibang paraan para may itagal sa kama at kunsumisyon sa sangkatutak na biyenan…

So wisdom begets money and a lot more… “Seek ye first… and all these things shall be added unto you.”

Simple lang ang buhay… kahit madalas na dumadayo sa Mandaue para lumapang ng taklobo, sumimsim ng suman at sikulate sa Dumaguete… o manginain ng kansi at kilaw sa Bacolod… o lumantak ng inasin at pinikpikan sa Benguet… sarap ng tinimtim na saluyot at tagunton sa La Union, iba ang lasa ng pinapaitan sa Tagudin…

Hindi nga malaman kung saan magmumula ang panggastos sa ganitong nakagawian pero laging may dumarating—walang humpay.

Pero saanman maisipang lumantak ng masarap, lagi’t laging uusal muna ng awit na natutunan noon pa sa Sunday school-- “Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you… hey, Allelu--alleluia.”

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