2

I worked in a bank for almost ten years. I grew up - well, almost - in that place.

I was very shy then. My friends at the bank taught me how to shake that thing off. Willy fooled me and told me how intelligent I was, and that I am better than almost everybody.

He taught me how to handle all kinds of clients. They taught me how to conquer my own shy self. I am still shy at times. But I am not as shy as I was in college and high school.

In our branch, I became the youngest officer. I became an accountant although I did not finish accounting. My course was Math. But I learned accounting stuff pretty easily. My supervisor Boss Mags (that's how we call him) taught me in one day what professors taught their students in four years. When I learned how to prepare the balance sheet and income statement of our branch, I knew I was ready to become an accountant.

I thought I would stay there forever. I loved my branch. I learned a lot in banking, in business and in dealing with people. I met a lot of people who later became contacts. I learned about investing, and I invested in the stock market starting with the IPO of Petron.

I loved that place. I did not bother to take up master's in those ten years because it seemed unneeded. Also, we do a lot of work. Sometimes, even on Saturdays. And I earned a lot because of overtime. For a young bachelor in the 90s, I was doing pretty well.

However, something bad happened, and that made me left the bank. One officemate of mine, borrowed a check from me, to be used as collateral on a clean loan. This is outside the bank. She promised to replace it with her own. However, I learned later that she did not pay the loan. And this, after years of interests and penalties. In the end, I was forced to pay for all that. There was already a case filed, and it involved me. Since the loan company knows that they cannot squeeze anything from her, they squeezed me instead. They even had me picked up by NBI people. That was a sad day, one of the saddest of my life.

I was all alone. I had to post bond, else, I would stay in jail. It's good I have money. I could not call my parents (they are already in Laguna then) because I don't want them to worry for me. I also know my father. He would be very pissed about it and he might do something that will be more regretful.

Hence, I chose to suffer alone. In those hours, while in the custody of NBI, I felt so helpless. I mean, all the intelligence in the world and all the knowledge of the law. I knew I was screwed the moment I read the case filed at me. The mere issuance of a bouncing check is a criminal case under the BP 22. And 22 is my favorite number. Because it was my birthday.

What really aches me is that this officemate of mine did not bother to call me or anything. In fact, no one did. Not even my boss. Not even one of my officemates. I was all alone.

I remember calling my girlfriend then. She told me a homily over the phone. At a time like that.

So, after that, I decided to pay for everything. I got paid for the bond by the aunt of my officemate, who happened to be a vice president of the bank.

But no one paid me for the damages that I had to undergo.

No one paid for the anguish and the sleepless nights I had to wrestle with.

No one paid me for the P136,000.00 I withdrew from my bank account, to pay Alabang Lending.

No one paid me.

And what pisses me is that life in the bank seemed normal. Everyone was still laughing the day after. Everyone was still posting transactions, exchanging lunches.

No one said anything. I know that they are afraid of the vice president I was talking to you about.

I still had high hopes for myself back then. And my soul was intact. I did not do anything bad. I deserve recompense. But instead, I awarded myself with the knowledge that no one really cares about you wholly. That bank does not care for me. Immediately, flashes of long hours of work flooded my mind.

I do not deserve that kind of treatment.

And so, I resigned. And this, in order to pay for my housing loan. The same money I borrowed from my mother's retirement money, so that I can pay for that loan.

Life is bad at times.

Shit happens.

But after all the fucking things clear, one man is left standing. The one who conquered himself and the situation.