It was nearly 3 o'clock in the afternoon just after a rain shower that immediately left leaving the marketplace smelling of all sorts of stink and smell. As the sun tries to dry up the slippery gray-black pavement the smell with which most wet markets are remembered makes itself very evident. Two elderly woman manning two market stalls are having the coffee break of their lives while arguing how much hotness or coldness a human body could endure. They are stationed just outside the main market structure but just in the right place as to be benefit from the shade provided by the extended roofing of the structure. Theirs are not actually market stalls by legal definition, a hole in the wall to be exact. They could be said as fly by night merchants on a slippery afternoon.
The thin woman who sells table salt, in between sips of what appears to be coffee with condensed milk as creamier says, "It would not hurt as bad when it is already in your stomach, just swallow it will you..." Her hand trembles as she holds the mug featuring Donald Duck to her mouth. It could be because of the absence of much of her teeth that after every sip there will be traces of coffee with condense milk on the periphery of her thin lips. It is on this countenance when she offered her moral support to her chubby vendor-friend to just swallow the hot liquid. "Not yet, it is just way too hot, you know." said the the chubby vendor who sells rubber slippers.
For one which will happen to pass by their direction and care enough to glance at them will see a thin woman always in all smiles behind her cone-shape hills of rock salt and a fat one with her white hair cut like a man's and whose body shook each time she makes a hearty laugh is standing guard over her field of rubber sandals. If one happens to care enough to take a closer look he or she will find these two mothers perhaps grandmothers are contended and happy. For one which will care enough to ask will find these two mothers perhaps grandmothers do not earn enough. For one who cares enough will agree that these mothers deserves more than just a cup of coffee.
"Sophia, I am almost finish with mine. I bet yours are lukewarm by now.." said the thin woman whose lips are now brownish white after a mouthful sip.
"Maybe we should try Gloria's bibingka tomorrow if my sales improve." she adds.
Aling Sophia pick her cup up bring it near her mouth then she pouted her lips and blow on it in an attempt to scare away whatever excess heat there is left.
"We will get a better sale tomorrow Diana it is Wednesday, market day right? Let us pray for that. I need to earn extra for my husband's court hearing is on Thursday." Aling Sophia said. But her cup of coffee with condensed milk as creamier slip from her hand down to her slippers for sale and the liquid flood the rubbers.
"Here finish mine, but its way too cold now." Aling Diana offers in sympathy to her chubby vendor friend. END.
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