Mercado Pier

As the sun poked its head over the horizon, Gemma’s family buzzed about the house, ready to greet the day. Maria had classes at the University. Pidro was headed to the Dive Shop. Mr. Cruz was headed to the Farmer’s Market to sell his pigs. Mrs. Cruz was headed to Mercado Pier to sell some handicrafts.

.

“What about me?” asked Gemma.

.

"You’re a big girl,” said father, “You will watch yourself."

.

"She’s only nine years old,” said Mrs. Cruz, “That is much too young to stay home alone."

.

"What do you think, Gemma?" asked her father.

.

"When Maria takes care of me, I help cook lunch and clean the dishes."

.

"Yes,” said Maria, “ but remember the time you left a wash cloth on the stove and it caught on fire?"

.

"That was a long time ago."

.

"Another time, you sliced a finger when you tried cutting pineapples.”

.

"I promise, I’ll be careful."

.

Just then, Pidro joined in, "What if you leave Roberto’s cage unlatched and he gets loose again? We spent a whole day searching for him.”

.

Gemma shrunk in her seat.

.

"I just don’t think you’re mature enough to watch over yourself," said mother.

.

"So, who will take Gemma?" asked father.

.

"She will come with me to the Pier.”

.

"But mom..."

.

Gemma did not like the idea of going to Mercado Pier one bit, because she’d have to stay at the Nursery while her mother shopped.

.

With that settled, Maria went to University and Pidro headed to the Dive Shop. Before he left, however, Pidro kissed his little sister on the forehead.

.

“It’ll be alright,” he said.

.

Pidro hopped on his motorcycle and sped to the beach. Meanwhile, Mr. Cruz went to the piggery and rounded up his pigs. He strung them together in one long leash and began the long walk to the Farmer’s Market.

.

"Alright Gemma,” said mother, “clean yourself up, we’re catching a bus to Mercado Pier."

.

Gemma marched to her room and grabbed her daypack, a handful of rubber bands, and a hairbrush. When she emerged from her bedroom, her mother was all business, making peanut butter sandwiches and filling a daypack with handicrafts to sell at the pier.

.

“Get us some fruit from the tree,” she ordered.

,

Gemma quickly plucked several of the orange santol fruit, collecting them in the flounce of her dress. Then,  returned to the kitchen. Mrs. Cruz peeled off the tough outer skin and cut it into bite-sized pieces.

.

"Now let’s get to that mess on top of your head,” said as she undid Gemma’s ponytail and ran a hairbrush through her hair.

.

"Ouch!" cried Gemma.

.

"Stay still!"

.

"But it hurts."

.

"Gemma, you’re being awfully difficult today."

.

Gemma sat silently as her mother yanked the brush through her tangled hair. Gemma was relieved when Mrs. Cruz pulled Gemma’s hair into a ponytail and fixed it with several colored rubber bands. As Mrs. Cruz straightened the hem on Gemma’s dress, she kissed her daughter lightly on the cheek.

"We’ve gotten off to a bad start today, but it’s for the best if you go with me, okay?"

.

“Okay.”

.

They walked to the bus stop where Mrs. Cruz flagged down a bus. When they arrived at Mercado Pier, they noticed it was bustling with activity. Street vendors were everywhere. Some sold handicrafts while others sold fresh fruits and vegetables. Gemma’s mother stopped at a little shop filled with colorful clothes and jewelry. An elderly woman came out to greet them.

.

“Good morning, Rizelle!” said Mrs. Cruz.

.

"Good morning, Mary Magdalena," said the woman. It was a rare occasion when someone called Gemma’s mother by her full name, but it always made Gemma smile. Usually, her friends just called her Mary or Elena. Rizelle always greeted everyone more formally and that included Gemma.

.

“…and good morning to you, too, Miss Cruz.”

.

“Good morning, ma’am,” replied Gemma.

.

Gemma watched as the two women talked business. Gemma’s mother displayed her hand-made plant hangers and beaded jewelry. Soon, Rizelle purchased all of the crafts and said goodbye. Mrs. Cruz grabbed Gemma by the hand and led her toward the Nursery.

.

"I need you to stay here while I run errands."

.

"Why can’t I go with you?"

.

"Because I said so."

.

Gemma walked onto the patio where a teacher greeted her.

.

"Hello, Gemma, I’m Miss Gutierrez. What would you like to do today?"

.

Gemma looked around at all the children. One table was filled with kids playing with building blocks.

.

“I will play with them.”

.

Gemma found a seat and began stacking blocks. Immediately, a young Filipino boy greeted her.

.

"My name is Gabriel. What’s yours?"

.

"I’m Gemma."

.

"Can I play, too?"

.

"Of course!"

.

Gemma and Gabriel stacked blocks until a girl came by and knocked them down. Gemma built another tower, only to have that same girl knock it down again. Gemma got up and walked over to the edge of the patio. Gabriel joined her.

.

"Why don’t you tell on her?" asked Gabriel.

.

Gemma shrugged her shoulders. "It doesn’t matter anyway. I’d rather not play with her."

.

"But now she has all the building blocks," said Gabriel.

.

"We don’t need building blocks to play."

.

Gemma stretched her hands around to the back of her head and unfastened her ponytail. Her mother had used five rubber bands, which was always enough for rubber band games. She tossed them in a pile between her and Gabriel.

.

"Do you know how to play ‘magingisda’?" said Gemma..

.

"The fisherman game? Is that where you fish rubber bands out of a pile with a straw?"

"Yes. We can use the drinking straw from my juice box as the fishing pole."

.

Gemma took the straw and carefully angled it downward, attempting to catch the blue rubber band with the hooked end of her straw. As she did, Gabriel and the others watched.

.

“Can I try?” asked Gabriel.

.

"Of course."

Each child had a turn  and when it was time for lunch, they stopped playing and ate their meals. Gemma sat with Gabriel and his friends. After lunch, they played more rubber band games.

.

"Gemma, could you let other children play, too?" asked the teacher.

.

"We don’t have enough rubber bands."

.

"I know where some are," said the girl who toppled Gemma’s building block towers. She went to her desk and quickly returned with a handful of rubber bands..

.

"Now everyone can play," said Gabriel.

.

"Not her," said Gemma.

.

"Why not?" asked the teacher.

.

"She knocked over my building block tower earlier."

.

"Is this true, Mary?"

.

Mary nodded.

.

"You owe her an apology."

.

"I’m sorry," said Mary.

.

"Gemma, please accept her apology."

.

Gemma held out a hand and the girl took it and gave it a hand shake.

.

"You can play magingisda, but only if you follow the rules," said Gemma. The girl agreed and the children huddled around the fishing hole, fishing rubber bands out of the pile.

.

After a while, Gemma led everyone in playing Takyan, juggling the ball in the air with their feet. Finally, several of the parents returned from work or their assorted errands and picked up their children. "Maria Magdalena!" one lady called out. Mary got up from her place in the circle and ran over to her mother.

.

Gemma realized that the little girl had the same name as her very own mother. Gemma smiled and waved to Mary as she left the Nursery. .

.

Gemma continued playing rubber band games with Gabriel and the other children until her mother picked her up. Gemma gathered up her rubber bands and tied them into her ponytail. Before she left, Gemma introduced her newfound friend Gabriel to her mother.

.

"Gabriel, I think I know your mother. Do you go to Santo Domingo Church?"

.

“Yes, ma’am.”

.

"I thought so. I guess you and Gemma can spend time together in the nursery at church, too. .

Would you two like that?"

.

The children nodded enthusiastically.

.

“Then it’s a deal. We’ll see you at church.”

.

After they said their goodbyes, Gemma and her mother returned to the bus stop and loaded everything onto the bus. Gemma told her mother about Maria Magdalena and the rubber band games she played with the other children. Gemma was glad she went to the pier, but she was glad to be back home, too.

.