Where is Philip?

       “Wake up sleepy head; you might miss your flight”

“But I want to sleep some more, mom.”

Philip, an obviously spoilt and arrogant boy but wealthy. He’s just good at one thing – bad mouthing others especially those below his class. He always teases them and this causes them to feel intimidated. His friend, Jimmy was really good at playing pranks and at the end accuses someone below his class and Philip would enjoy the drama. Philip is a young guy his twenties, his parents decided to send him away for some time. They had this intention of changing his way of seeing things and lifestyle. They sent him to a small village alone and would be staying for a month. That’s was supposed to be his holiday but if he hadn’t gone, he won’t be going to abroad and his wish ever since he was a child was to go abroad and study, this was his chance and he wouldn’t want to miss it. He had this mindset that a month was nothing less than a year and he would not change, he’s just going to pretend.

          He was now in the village with an accommodation that doesn’t suit his personality as he said; he complained all the time either about mosquitoes, dust or spiders webs to his parents. His parents assigned an old man to him as his coach. The old man took him to his farm and made him work but as usual, he worked only for fifteen minutes and behaved as if he was going to die at that second. The old man as well as other farmers looked at him and shook their head, some smiled and some insulted him, he sent words to them but still pretended he was in pain. One night after work, he said to the old man –“How are you old people able to work on your own and comfortably feed yourself?”

“Dear, work is not prohibited for any adult. I don’t have anybody except my lovely granddaughter; she would come back after tomorrow. She has been in the city for some months studying, she sends some foodstuffs but I can’t be dependent on these as he pointed to the food stuffs. I need to work to earn some more money. Our small village isn’t like your big city where everyone has to depend on their machines and labor for money; we strive and work hard with our bare hands to provide durable food for our family. We work with all hearts because there’s no one to do it for us and that’s our happiness because it has made us more strong and hardworking not lazy and weak” the old man laughed and slept, Philip became a bit conscious about what he said and tried to think about it but he got interrupted by his phone. It was his friend, Jimmy calling but he didn’t answer. He knew if he had answered Jimmy would taunt him non-stop so he slept off.

Mirabel is back, she is the granddaughter of the old man. She surprised her grandpa at the early dawn, she bought a lot of things most especially his favorites’, he was so happy with her and so, blessed her. He introduced Philip to his granddaughter because she was anxious about who he was. They weren’t really good friends right from time and Mirabel enjoyed playing pranks on him since she heard his history. He planned on leaving so many times but it seems as if the whole village was against him.

                        They were going to the Farm on a Sunday and usually Philip goes to club. On his bed he thought he had the whole day to sleep and no working but suddenly, a loud knock was heard on his door. Philip usually in his comfort zone was never disturbed on Sunday. He didn’t want to respond but as he used his pillow to cover his ear he recalled he isn’t in his home so he stood up and walked towards the door but fell down due to the fact he was still feeling sleepy. He got himself and finally opened the door and for the first time he got his morning lectures on a Sunday.

“Oh no! my knuckles ache.” She looked at him angrily

“What is it? Can’t you see I’m still sleeping? Now leave” Trying to close his door.

“Hey Mr. I am not here to listen to your rubbish, we are going to the farm grandpa sent me to call you. Don’t waste our time”

“This witch won’t let me sleep in peace today, I’m meant to rest not suffer all day” he whispered

“You should not sleep in peace, I have a better suggestion; Rest in peace and you will feel better. Now hurry and get dressed” she left.

“Get lost. She thinks I will leave my lovely sleep for their nonstop disturbances, I won’t” he said to himself.

He went back to sleep. He finally got up and dressed, he came out of his room and saw that the old man as well as his granddaughter was back and he was seriously starving. He asked for food but Mirabel refused giving him food, he went to the old man but he ignored him.

“Remember, my parents put you in charge of my safety and everything that concerns me, I need food so tell your arrogant daughter to give me some food.”

He didn’t get a reply…

He tried again….

“I hate being snubbed. Hey Mirabel, get me some food”

No one’s paying attention, he was about leaving in anger when the old man said to him;

“It’s impossible for a lazy man to eat food comfortably while the hardworking work all day without getting food. Learn to work and you’ll get your perfect share. I don’t look like your maid, I’m your father for the mean time and I will teach you what is right. You won’t be given food throughout today, maybe you will learn to work to get your food”

He wasn’t finding this funny anymore.

“Hey rich brat, I just wanted to say that this is still 9am and you won’t be eating throughout the whole day. What will you do now? Hahahaha” Mirabel added.

Philip was so furious and went to his room. He called his parents but none of their phones were reachable and his account was freeze, no money. It’s already a bad day for him. He decided to go out to the hills in this village. He went on a bicycle; he looked at the beautiful nature of life. In that moment, he received a message from Jimmy saying that ‘It is just five days to go, can ‘t wait.’ He was already feeling lonely and of course hungry. He’s actually a good guy but ever since he lost his real mom in a poor village just like this one, he vowed never to show humanity love, concern or respect. He only respected and loved his parents and would do anything for them but he needed to go abroad that has always been his dream and he would obviously sacrifice anything including him starving all day long..

“Hello, I don’t think starving is involved, my stomach doesn’t need to get involved with my personal activities, come on….”

LOL…

A small girl ran to him and gave him a snack and some water, before he could ask who sent her she ran away. He looked around and saw a lady who waved at him smiling, afterwards, she left. Philip thought about it but he ate the food to his satisfaction.

“Hi, I see ya really hungry”

“Yeah, obviously how did you know?”

“I saw you and your family. By the way, I’m Ana.”

“Philip”

This is the first time someone is being nice to him as in his situation of life currently. They talked and Ana showed him other places around the village, they had ice-cream and good food. They played around and finally, Ana took him to her house, she introduced him to her family and her younger brother, Michael whom is eight years old. He was fun to play with and jovial too, he was known in his family for making silly jokes, he said some jokes to Philip and this made him laugh so well. It was already getting late and he needed to hurry back home, he ate dinner with them due to their constant insist, Ana escorted him out and continued his journey back home. It wasn’t hard for him to find his way back home, he knocked a few times but no one responded, he knocked harder and then his ‘every time lecturer’ came out. She didn’t open the door fully for him, she stood beside the door blocking his entrance.

“ Can you let me in? I’m very tired.”

“ Look who is talking, do you know how I waited for you to come back before I could lock the door?”

“But it’s just 7:30, it’s not that late. Please open the door”

“ Hahahahahaha, rich guy, you never stop amazing me. This is not your big city, this is a small town so consider it your prison yard”

“ What? Prison yard? I don’t want to get into an argument with you, we’ll continue tomorrow just let me in”

“ You are so rude, now say please or else you won’t sleep tonight”

There was silence for some time because Mirabel wanted to hear the word –‘Please’ but would he say it? Let’s see

“Okay…. Mirabel”

“Yes”

“Look there’s a snake beneath!!”

“Where? Where is it?”

“Hahahahahahaha”

This got Mirabel scared and released her hand from wedging the door; this made Philip easily open the door and ran inside, he laughed at Mirabel because of her facial expression. She became furious and chased him but he ran to his room and locked the door, finally had a nice sleep.

                          In the Early dawn, Philip woke ready to go the farm, he didn’t want to go but when he heard that Ana would be going to the farm too, he readily agreed and dressed up quickly. This got the old man surprised and also, Mirabel. She knew his intentions weren’t ordinary and she vowed to find out its root, Philip decided to behave like a good boy and put his mind to work. While they were working, Mirabel found Philip smiling and staring at Ana, it was surprising at how Philip worked. Well, she didn’t know that he could work so hard all because of a lady. She bad mouthed him but he didn’t respond only to impress Ana, Mirabel had to stop because she knew once she gets home she’s going to be doomed for life. The old man said to Mirabel;

“If it were possible, Philip would live with Ana because he’s obviously in love with her and would do anything including changing his wrong impression about life.”

“Grandpa do you think he will change? He couldn’t even say please last night, how would he change his attitude?”

They stared at Philip for some time and he suddenly said – “Hey Bubu, please pass the cutlass for me”.

“Do you see dear? Change isn’t automatic, he gradually understands the meaning of those words, he may have not said please to you but he’s surely going to ‘thank you’ some day and that’s when you too change your character”

“Let’s finish our work, Grandpa”

It wasn’t really true about the way things work concerning Philip. Life hasn’t been so easy for him in childhood; he elaborated more when he was telling Ana about his childhood. Gradually he began to understand that if life can sometimes switch sides, he too can make amendment and change his mind set about humanity.

“Philip, do you know your story about life is not pitiful? But there are some people out there who after going through such pain still didn’t get rich just like you but still embraced life as it is and lived above the expectation of life with surprising positive attitude. If they had bad experience about life up till this day but saw its good side and lived for it and you are enjoying good things but still live in your world of remembrance about your bad childhood, how does that make you better than them even now that you are rich?”

“I get your point. I’ll try to see its good side.”

“Nice. I hope we will still be good friends even when you live”

“That’s the problem”

“How’s that?”

Phones ringing...

Ana left because she had to attend to an urgent call from her mom. Jimmy is always spoiling his mood but he sent a text to him.

‘Dude pick up your calls, it’s been long’

Philip ignored it. He went home quiet and worried, Mirabel wondered why the troublemaker was so quiet and this time on his own. She went to seat with him

“ What did Mirabel do now?”

“Nothing, just go away.”

“Hahahaha, I would’ve but I can’t, seeing ya in such mood breaks my heart. You said we are like family to you so don’t I have the right to ask you what the problem is?”

“Well, ya right about one thing, do you what that is?”

“no.”

“You are my sister. Its just that I would be lea…..” he got interrupted by the call of grandpa.

He was resting in his room but suddenly, he called Mirabel while coughing. This got Mirabel really distressed and she rushed to answer him as well as Philip. He was not feeling too good, he got ill due to the hard work he always did in the farm. Philip rushed to get some drugs for him, he knew what drugs to give since that was his field of study. He gave him drugs and food. They both took good care of him and stayed with him in his room till dusk, while they were in there, they teased each other, said some stories to ease grandpa’s mind and said some jokes to also make him laugh and finally, left for him to have good sleep. Mirabel covered him a thick blanket to avoid him from getting cold at midnight. Grandpa called Philip to stay with him for some time and have a brief talk with him.

“Son, you are a blessed child so please change your arrogant behavior for my sake. It won’t do you any good. Look, there are several chances in life, there’s a vacant chance for change don’t let someone else fill up this chance now that it wants you. I heard you would be leaving soon for your continuation in your studies, when will you leave?”

“I would be leaving in two days time”

“ Well then, goodbye”

“We’ll say it on that day not now, Goodnight”

He saw Ana outside his house, he went to meet her.

“Its late why are you here?”

He got a text from Jimmy ‘Two days left’. He thought of telling Ana about his departure in two days time.

“Let’s talk.” He said

“Okay, what is bothering you?”

“I wanted to say that the reason I came to this village is not fun or something else. My parents sent me here for a change in my lifestyle and for nothing else but it was under an agreement that I would study abroad after coming here”

“So when will you leave?”

“Ehmmm…in two….”

“Philip!!!” Mirabel’s calling..

“I’ll be right back..” he left to answer Mirabel.

“What is the problem?”

“what medicine should I give Grandpa?”

“give him the medicine with the red color, calling its name would be hard for you so take this. Give it to him twice a day and make sure he eats before taking the medicine”

“Don’t insult me”

“whatever, get going”

He turned but he didn’t see Ana and thought he may have wasted her time and he left to sleep. On his bed, he thought that his departure from this village was destined to be a surprise. He obviously, didn’t know what to do. He took up his phone and checked his emails; he stood up from his bed shocked.

“Shit!!!”

He rushed to Mirabel’s room but for the first time, she was sleeping peacefully, he stepped back and closed the door gently. As if grandpa knew that he would be leaving for city tomorrow, he didn’t know what to do but he was on the verge of leaving his beautiful family and loved ones and going abroad to continue his studies. He was in fact confused and wasn’t sure of what to do, his phone rang and he answered with annoyance

“ What is it Jimmy?”

“I just called to inform you that we would be leaving tomorrow.”

“why aren’t you replying? Dude, we can’t miss this chance, you know that right? We have waited for this all our life”

“Yeah, I know. Goodnight”

He took out his box, packed some clothes inside. He tore a piece of paper and wrote some hurtful words. He left. In the early morning everyone woke up and found out Philip has gone. Ana wasn’t happy after reading the letter. Philip was in the plane but he remembered his wonderful memories with his new people and then ran out of the plane to his people. For the very first time, he sacrificed his dream for others and changed his bad ways. He wasn’t able to say goodbye the first time but this time he’s going to say a better farewell and make sure he doesn’t lose his contact with them. His parents were happy with his new way of life.

                      Change is a choice but it just happens especially from bad to good.