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I didn’t know her name. We didn’t know her name. But it felt like we really knew her.

She was this sweet woman who would instantly entertain us when we arrived at where she worked. At first I even thought that she was the owner of that canteen. It was not like she owned the place and showed everyone so. It was in such a way that when we would arrive, she would welcome us. She was just that. She was sincere.

We all did not know that she was sick. We just did our usual thing. Come to that canteen, eat our favorite batchoy, smoke some ciggies, share stories, and then leave. Oh. We did not forget to pay our bill though. And during all those days that we would come and go, she was just there. Waiting to serve us. Waiting to cook whatever we would order.

During the time when we had just lost our jobs, we would troop to this canteen and stay there for hours despite the mosquitoes pestering us all around. There seemed not to be a day that we did not stay there. There were even times when the gates would already be closed and we were still inside. She would tell us that it was okay if we stayed even longer even if the gates were closed.

We just learned about her condition last Friday. After weeks of not going there, we went back to that canteen. We talked of stuff and ate our favorite batchoy. One of my companions was told of her condition. Of course we felt sad for her. She had cancer. She had to go home and home for her was a couple of towns away from Legazpi City. We were also told that the best we could do was offer her prayers.

Yesterday, we went back to that canteen. I was looking for some viands because I wanted to eat some rice. One of the help there told us that they weren’t cooking viands for the meantime. When I asked why, we were told that she had already passed away. That very Friday that we were told of her condition. Her wake was being held in that town, Tiwi, and that is also where she would be laid to rest.

I never really knew her name. I never really got to thank her for accommodating us even when they were already closed and even when we were too loud. I never really knew if she had a family or if she had kids of her own. She will remain to be that really friendly person who would sincerely welcome us each time we arrived there. Though I may not have known her name, she will be Tiya to me… to all of us.

May you rest in peace, Tiya.

*Tiya is one of the people you would see in RCT.

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