The PlanIt was a rainy night. Three homeless men sat huddled closer together, searching comfort from each other’s warmth. Someone started a bonfire using old newspapers in an empty can of powdered milk. Somehow, the fire made the place bearable. By midnight, the rain stopped but the three men kept the fire burning, the alley warm and well-lighted.
“If you win today’s lottery,” asked the oldest in the company. “What would you buy first?”
“I’ll buy hot pan de sal,” replied the younger one. “I’ll buy a dozen. Or three.”
“I’ll buy new clothes,” said the other. “If you haven’t noticed we’re all wet. I’ll buy for us, or we’ll be dead from this cold.”
The men became quiet for a moment. They were thinking of nothing, of just surviving each moment not thinking of anything. One of them stood up, the oldest one, and began looking for dry cartons for shelter. Clouds shifted westward, clearing the nightsky visible with stars.
“I’ll buy a big house,” spoke the old man suddenly. “A mansion with many rooms. And I’ll find me a wife, and fill the rooms with food, children and laughter.”
“Ambisyoso,” blurted the youngest of the three. Both lads laughed mockingly. They were laughing, thought the old man, because they are young.
Finding his own cardboard, his own dry place for the night, the old man rested his head on the cold pavement, staring sullenly at the stars. Yes, he thought mumbling to himself, if ever I become a millionaire, I’ll buy myself a house--- no, a cottage swept by white sands facing the great oceans of the world. I’ll make sand castles all day, and watch the sunsets for the rest of my life. When I grow stronger, more older, I’ll retire and become a fisherman. But I will not eat the fishes, he said smiling at the thought, I will return them to the sea one by one, for they too are my brothers. Then the old man closed his eyes and slept soundly with peace on his lips.
“Grandpa here has money,” whispered the youngest man.
“You want me to check it,” replied the other conspiringly.
“No, we’ll do it before dawn.”
“But he’d seen our faces.”
“Don’t worry I’ll break his head so he won’t remember.”
“Don’t forget to kick his front teeth.”
“Oh yeah, one of them is gold-coated. They could sell for a couple hundreds.”
“We can break his knees too, if you want.”
“So he can’t chase us, good idea.”
