the compassionate auntie

there's this small rental/sales book shop at kk hospital. if you want to rent a book, you have to pay and return it within 2 months. otherwise, you could just throw the receipt and keep the book.



last tuesday, i decided to return the book i borrowed last month (grisham's "the summons"). the auntie at the cashier was a local elderly lady. she wasn't the one looking after the store when i first came to the shop last month.



she greeted me with a sweet good morning. ayos. friendly si auntie :) then i handed her the book i was returning. she scribbled something on a paper. apparently, she was computing the number of days. i didn't care much about the mechanics because i had no intention of returning the book. it's just a bonus if i could return it, but i would be happy to keep it too if it was overdue.



she said that i was late by one day and i had to pay $1. then the magic words started to flow like the water from river piedra (maka river piedra lang haha). she said, "i know you did not do it deliberately so i'll let you go this time. my boss will scold me (then she did a pingot-ear motion... so cute!!!) but you know i have to be COMPASSIONATE sometimes." she was just so cute! like a little child.



compassion. i love the word. these are the days i get to sing "what a wonderful world" in my head. :)



i gave my words of gratitude and proceeded to scout for a new book. after a few minutes, she called me and said that she computed again and realized i was late for a month, not a day. so i really had to pay. hahaha! nalusaw ang magic moments, natuyo ang river piedra, that imaginary music inside my ear stopped playing.



then i also realized i can't be late for a month because i got the book just a month ago! after a few talastasan and friendly reasoning, auntie was very apologetic to admit that i was right. and in fact, i didn't have to pay $1 in the first place because i returned the book within 2 months.



auntie was embarrassed :( i want to cuddle her and say, "it's ok, auntie! don't fret!"



to make up for her "mistake", she approached me and recommended a really good book (according to her taste). she gave a summary of the book, with those twinkling eyes and chuckling voice. i love her already! hahaha. this is her choice:

and this is mine:

i bet you could guess which book i'll read first. ;) kk is so far away from where i live, but maybe i'll try to return the books just to see auntie again :)