She's got it in her blood

Ate M. She gave me permission to take a photo of her. She said, take a picture of my butt, jokingly. I complied. But as you can see, it's not too bad. And I actually didn't take a picture of her back. I don't have the slightest idea on how to shoot a photo better. Or I am still in the process of learning. But a photo taken is still a photo, right?

Anyway... Ate M's cleaning her front yard. She does that from time to time. We all do it. But she does it more frequently. That door you see on the photo is the door to her sari-sari store. So she really also need to clean every now and then.

She is so diligent, has a lot to sell, not only groceries but also perishable goods including food. Cakes, turon, Shanghai lumpia, pizza pie, fish all, barbecue, are among the things that she sell.

However, due to shortage of manpower, she only sells fewer kinds of perishables at a time. Oh, burger, she also sells that and it is one of my favorites!

This morning, I ate two burgers I ordered from her.

She owns a lot of chicken and she is raising pigs. While we go to her frontyard to unwind she takes advantage and does what she can while we are there. Once she is done with her chores, she comes back to us and entertain us.

It's quite different when she's not around. The usually packed front yard with customers becomes empty as if customers have vanished.

But her daughter is good in cooking as well. Even though she still has a lot to learn like creating a more pleasant face. She makes face always. Even so, she is so much like her mother. Their store will have a future.

I thought of writing this while I was approaching their house when I thought of getting some fresh air for a while before continuing on with my preparation. Rest day but not a rest day.

I asked permission from her that I will write a short article while waiting for her to be done with cleaning and she readily agreed. Just don't show my face, she said.

I was laughing while I was recounting to her the first few times I saw her. I commented, you were so serious back then. As in serious. I was a little afraid of you.

Then she retorted, why were you afraid, would I have eaten you back then?

But I repeated, you were so serious as if you've experienced the realest of life.

My writing kept being interrupted by other neighbor friends who also come to unwind at Ate M's store. So when my children followed me to make me buy their requests, I took it as a chance to exit the scene. I took my kids and we went home.

I am finishing this at the comfort of my chair on my workspace here at home.

Do you also know characters like Ate M? Diligent, resourceful, draws a lot of people to her house, has a lot of pets and has a lot to cook and sell?