From a conversation with my mother

Reposted from Dog Eats Avocado; Jun 22, '08 6:58 PM

------------

Three hours before Kuya Benedict was injured in a taxi to taxi accident that has now damaged his eyesight, he was talking to God.
He was asking Him, "Lord, i don't think i have anything to ask for. Could you help me get close to you?"

Then it happened. On his way to work, the taxi that he was riding in crashed into another (of all vehicles,) after a failed overtake of another vehicle. My mother, who is still taking care of him on his stay at the hospital, had told me these aspects of his accident, the before-thoughts, if such a term exists.

The taxi was cruising along the highway, the driver having another conversation with another passenger who also perhaps saw him as another taxi driver. I imagine kuya making fun of how things work and telling the driver about this. You see, he was the type who was able to mingle with young ones (he was the oldest of our generation of cousins,) rock stars (he was a humble genuine non-poser one,) even uncles in their 40's and 50's.

Then it happened, what my mom and her cousins imagine was an answer from above.

I found out about this in the worst of details. While I was eating my favorite kebab at rizal street by myself, i receive mom's SMS that kuya had just lost his right eye, and that an operation was underway for his left eye.

Kuya's next request to God, as my mother told me, was this: "Lord, if that was your answer," he asked, "pwedeng fifty/fifty na lang tayo?"

Last I heard, his left eye is now beginning to see colors and silhouettes.