My favorite place to walk is UP Sunken Garden, not more than fifteen minutes away by car. It’s the first place I take my kid when I want some fresh air and quiet time. Some people may not associate Quezon City with nature but there are still some decent places to go to if you want a dose of greenery.

I don’t know why but in that place, the sky gets bigger and brighter. On any given afternoon without rain, people sit on the grass talking, reading books, having a picnic, or just lazing around. The sunset unrolls light on the school buildings signaling that the day is about to end. I like this time of day and I always try to keep this memory for as long as I can.

As I walk, I always try to keep an eye on the ground. Some irresponsible dog owners just leave dog poo without even thinking that others might step on it. I just wish they wouldn’t do that. And some irresponsible government officials just leave people sleeping on benches along this park, sometimes they sleep on the building steps. I wish that these officials would do something about them. They must provide a home for these people. So they wouldn’t be left out in the cold. It’s December and it’s getting colder by the day.

Just a thought…

I don’t have a nanny. Some people may find this odd because here in our part of the world, hiring a nanny is a common thing. But don’t get me wrong. I have nothing against this practice. I am not someone who is bothered for any reason, by the idea of hiring people to work in my household. In fact, I welcome it.

For example, I have a person who comes and cleans the entire house once a week. He’s been working here for the past two years, and I don’t even know how old he is. We don’t have a close relationship. I don’t ask him about his personal life and I find it better that way. All I know is that he keeps to himself and always rides his bike going to our place. Even though I know he lives very far. He shows up when he’s supposed to and that’s the most important thing.

We seem to have a decent enough relationship. We have never had an argument. We don’t ask each other’s problems or things that irritate or make us happy. In short, the perfect working relationship.

But the nanny is different. For instance, my last nanny Neng. I know that her family is from Negros in a city called Bago. She has 3 sisters older than her. She has been in Manila for the past five years and has worked in a series of odd jobs before she even got to me. She used to be thin and her classmates would often tease her about her weight. She stayed in school only until the third grade. And she knew more about where my things were than anyone else and that includes me. She knew more about my sister and brother because she got juicy details about them from my siblings’ maids.

In our own way, we had more than a working realtionship. Still, I was supposed to be the boss. And this was where things got a bit crazy. There were instances that I raised my voice to her and she would get hurt. I would get silent treatment from her for how many days. I wanted her to be my friend and someone I could trust, but I also wanted her to do what I needed her to do. And it was just hard to have her do things when she won’t even talk or acknowledge me.

That’s why I don’t have a nanny. I’m not ready for a serious relationship.