A Beautiful Image of Marylou (UPDATED 8-6-07)

Feb.23, 2006: Manila Philippines

Olympus E-1, Olympus Zuiko 14-54mm f/2.8-3.5 Digital: 1/60s f/3.0 at 23.0mm iso800

I miss my good friend...I've been looking for some previously unpublished images of her and I found more favorites this evening; I love these images of Marylou.

Olympus E-1, Olympus Zuiko 14-54mm f/2.8-3.5 Digital: 1/50s f/3.0 at 23.0mm iso800

PJAMES

UPDATED:
...the day after the story in Marylou's post below, and after I went shopping for her stock so she'd enjoy a small profit on the items she was selling, I watched her get onto a Jeepney after the long workday, hauling multiple bags of her valuable possessions (the cigs & candies she was vending) and it was clear she was struggling with so many shopping bags to wrangle.

Late in the afternoon of the following day, I was chatting with her at her little spot on the street - I made sure I brought her her meals so she could stand her 12hr post with some energy, and I also made sure she had enough fluids to drink - and I was asking her what else she thought she needed.

Marylou replied: "...a Stroller"

It took me a while to understand what she meant - but she'd seen other vendors with a push-cart type stroller that carried ALL the bags of their stock and had wheels, and with all the bags she was struggling with it made perfect sense, so I surprised her again by getting her to leave early and taking her down the street to the Mall.

She found the perfect stroller, a vertical baggage carrier on wheels at the Handyman store for P1,000 and I knew I had to get it for her.

Along with the stroller, I thought she could benefit by having some Tupperware waterproof type containers for her stock; there was even one that had individual compartments inside, to act like a money tray where she could keep her coins for the sales, and she gave me that sweet smile of hers as I loaded up her shopping cart with necessities - she would have never been able to afford any of these things on her own, and I just wanted her to have a competitive edge, with some quality tools of the trade, so to speak.

We went back to my hotel to sort out all that we'd bought, and she chose the Tupperware containers best suited for her coins, cigarettes & candies we'd gotten earlier that week, and it pleased me to see the smile on her face; her new presents would let her do business a little easier, and it all fit into this perfect stroller that seemed custom made for street vending in Philippines.

It also made it easier for her to get on that last Jeep of the day, with everything neatly packed away, instead of all the stray bags she was used to dragging aboard.

As I watched her get on the back of the Jeep, she didn't struggle at all this time - she had all her items packed away, and I remembered how hard she works in her 12hr shift, and that I was happy I could make her 90minute ride home just a little easier.

I'd also given her my Cebu Pacific Airlines cap (she's wearing it in the photographs in the posts below, where she displays her paintings) - it helped to keep the sun off her head, and I gave her my big golf umbrella so she could stay dry on the sidewalk when it rained, and I loaned her my favorite TaylorMade navy blue golf windproof pullover, because she said she would get cold when it rained - in size XL it was hanging off her petite frame, but she needed it more than I did.

I was very proud of her that day; I learned a lot about the real meaning of hard work, and what it means to be that dedicated to supporting a Family.
PJAMES