Charleze

The truth is, I have a cynical view of the new...this new...generation. (By my definition, the high school up to the college people.) They are uncouth and they lack the breeding that my generation has (my generation defined as everybody 40 and up). I'm not saying that the majority of the young people of today are rude and ill-mannered, not that. What I'm saying is, if the boorish and rude comprise 20 or 25% of my generation, this new crop has an even higher number. Probably 40% at worst, 30% at best. Why is this my conviction? That folks, merits another article in itself.

Anyway, just the other day, I was in a McDonald's store. Drinking coffee. Alone. Then a middle-aged woman and a little cute girl (I assumed was her daughter) came in and went to the table beside mine. The lady admonished her not to stand up so that the seat would not be taken by others, and for her not to go with anybody else. Then the lady went to the counter to order (counter was out of the line of sight from our position.)

So there. The girl was so cute that I spent five full minutes thinking whether I should talk to her or not. Believe me, I am the kind of person who does not make small talk to people- be it old, my age, or cute little kids. Particularly ugly kids, those who look like they'll bite you at the slightest provocation. Finally, I asked her with a smile, "What is your name?"

She answered in that tiny voice, "Charleze". I first heard it as "Charlene" but later on when the lady called her, I realized my mistake, but that's for later. We were still alone. The mother (which turned out to be an aunt) took all of 20 minutes ordering fries, burgers and shakes.

"How old are you?", I asked again. She said four. That should have been the end of it, for silence ensued for about 3 to 4 minutes. From out of the blue, she smiled and asked me, "What is your name?". It was not the words, but how she said it. Other 4 (or 5 or 6) year-olds have asked me that in varying circumstances, and the queries always came across as rude. Not this girl.

The manner in which she asked was respectful, sweet and so heavenly. I gave her my name (putting the "Kuya" in front). Then she asked if I lived far from that mall (I said yes). She asked if my house is tall or short. (I answered tall, for the dorm is a two-storey unit.) She even asked if I have kids. (Of course I said no. I sometimes say yes to strangers just to shut them up, but never to kids.)

She even asked a couple more questions that could only come from four-year olds directed to strangers. I am confident that two decades from now, this sweet angel would be a good lawyer or one hell of a homicide detective. Maybe even a writer such as myself. I asked her if she has siblings, the answer was yes, one sister. Abroad at the moment. I asked, "Do you talk to her everyday on the Net?". She smiled again and nodded.

Finally, the elder came back with the food. I told her how inquisitive and nice her daughter was. She corrected me, saying that the girl was her niece.

It was such a mundane event. In a scale of 1 to 10 (1 being the most trivial and 10 as an earth-shattering event), it should have been a 4 or 5. Five at best. However, the cynic in me...well...I had to review the cynical side of myself. There is HOPE for this generation after all. This little girl could not be alone. If she was there, conversing with me as though we were already friends, then others would be there as well. In her own little way, at the age of four, she was already educated, prim and proper. Capable of civilized small talk too, more than I can say for some adults I know.

I made small talk with the aunt for a few minutes, then wiped my lips, and stood. I said goodbye to the elder and faced the little angel. "Bye Charleze" I said with as much warmth as I could muster. She smiled again and waved a little cherubic hand.

As I was on the bus on the way back to the dorm, I remembered the biblical part where Christ was being approached by little kids and the apostles tried to prevent them. Well, that and my little conversation with the kid has no real similarity, but Christ's point there to his disciples was (among other lessons) that kids are a treasure. They are proof that no matter how bad or skewed our world becomes, hope lingers on. For as long as kids are there, we can stop being too hard on ourselves with the sins we are doing- "we" as in we, adults. That MEANINGFUL conversation was not exactly a wake-up call to me, more like a reminder from a Higher Being. A reminder that even the worst of society (criminals, terrorists, name it), started out as pure, sinless and innocent beings. All of us adults just got corrupted as we grew up- of course, in differing degrees and differing manners. If you dwell on that thought long enough, you'll recognize a lot of substantial and significant philosophy (and theology) in it. You may even find Zen in it.


I am still of the opinion that my generation possesses more decorum than the youth of today, but it has become- less magnified. I am looking forward to chatting with another little kid anytime in the future, be it boy or girl. That next one may in fact be a brat, someone who would stick his/her tongue out and then turn his back on me. Treating me as if I were a giant cockroach disturbing his solitude. (Believe me, that had happened, many years ago.)

But then again, it may be another Charleze- one that would make me smile. One that would affirm in me the basic goodness of humans. Thank you Charleze, it was a chat that was both ordinary and extraordinary. Vaya con Dios, young lady.