The Best Hand

Ella is a grade five elementary student. Her father (Dindo)is a tricycle driver and her mother(Delia) is a laundry woman for almost 4 years. Maricar and Lizza were Ella's sisters. Ella is 11 years old while Maricar and lizza were 8 and 7 years old. Their parents love them very much as they want them to study their lessons instead to help in their work.

They went to school with their father Dindo who's a tricycle driver. When they arrived in school Dindo immediately went back finding for passengers when a person illegally crosses the road and he accidentally hit it on. Delia never expects that it would happen. She was sad for Dindo and for the family. She believes that Dindo was innocent and that it was victim's fault jaywalking on the street. When the hearing was finish they sadly do not win. Dindo was imprisoned for 30 years. Delia cried hard and she was so emotional after the session.

Two weeks laer, Delia visited Dindo in the jail. She gave him a snack. She asked him how is she and he replied that they must not be worry because he's fine. Dindo ask they same but Delia cried, she said: “I decided to stop Maricar and Lizza for the next year of study.”

“sorry, it's all my fault”-Dindo replied.

Everyday Delia never stops to work for the sake of her 3 children. She wanted her daughter Ella to finish college and help her sister to study. One time when Delia went back home from her work sick. Ella immediately get coins from her piggy bank and buy medicine. An hour later, Delia felt better when she went back to her work. Her children stop her but he continued to walk out the house.

Nine years later............

Delia was 48 years old when her daughter Ella finally graduated in college and the rest of her children still on elementary level. Delia was still a laundry woman for her dream for her children to finish study. Ella was now a licensed teacher and applied for as a teacxher in an elementary school in the city.

He passed the first interview; the director did the last interview.

The director asked, “Did you obtain any scholarships in school?”
She answered, “None“.

The director asked, “Was it your father who paid for your school fees?”

She answered, “My father was imprisoned when I was 11 years old, it was my mother who paid for my school fees.”

The director asked, “Where did your mother work?”
She answered, “My mother worked as laundry woman.”
The director requested her to show his hands. She showed a pair of hands that were smooth and perfect.

The director asked, “Have you ever helped your mother wash the clothes before?”

She answered, “Never, my mother always wanted me to study and read more books. Furthermore, my mother can wash clothes faster than me.”

The director said, “I have a request. When you go back today, go and clean your mother’s hands, and then see me tomorrow morning.”

She felt that her chance of landing the job was high. When she went back, she happily requested her mother to let her clean her hands.

Her mother felt strange, happy but with mixed feelings, she showed her hands to her.

She cleaned her mother’s hands slowly. Her tear fell as she did that. It was the first time she noticed that her mother’s hands were so wrinkled, and there were so many bruises in her hands.

Some bruises were so painful that her mother shivered when they were cleaned with water.

This was the first time she realized that it was this pair of hands that washed the clothes everyday to enable her to pay the school fees.