October 18, 2004
justice
Justice is when, after waking up at 730 in the morning (a time you're not accustomed to), and after doing some errands a roommate has given you, you are able to catch that breakfast meal you've been craving to eat in McDonald's or Jollibee. Injustice is when, after waking up at 730 in the morning (a time you're not accustomed to), and after doing some errands a roommate has given you, you still have to search the entire Katipunan block for a functioning ATM, and upon finding none, you thereby miss those delicious pancakes you've been craving all night last night and you have to settle for a lousy Burger Steak breakfast instead.
Justice is when, upon realizing that lunchtime is near, you go to the nearest ATM to withdraw money and you get it, thereby enabling you to partake of a very sumptuous meal. Injustice is when, upon realizing that lunchtime is near, you realize that you have not yet been able to withdraw money, and when you do go to a nearby ATM, you see that it doesn't want to have a transaction with you, and when you go to the next, you see that it still doesn't want to have a transaction with you, and so on and so forth, and finally you have to ask your friend to lend you money, which makes you indebted to so many people that both you and they have lost count.
Justice is when, after getting an invitation for dinner, you walk a long distance from your dorm towards your meeting place, glad to find a working ATM and finally having a taste of that elusive homecooked meal. Injustice is when, after walking a long distance from your dorm towards your meeting place, you find that the ATM is OFF-LINE, and now you have to ask your blockmate to walk with you as you search the entire Katipunan block for a working ATM, and still you find none, thereby forcing you to ask your blockmate to lend you money again, which makes you indebted to an additional person, and since you have lost count of the number of people you owe money to, it might as well be adding one to infinity.
Justice is when, upon hearing that your computer is so slow that it can be mistaken for a turtle, your roommate immediately installs his extra 128 MB RAM in your computer and presto! Your computer's sluggishness is no more. Injustice is when, upon trying to fit that long slender thing in the slot in vain, you and your roommate realize that what your computer needs is a DDRAM, not an SDRAM which his is, and when he bolts the CPU back into place, the monitor suddenly won't show a goddamn thing.
Justice is when, after packing up the clothes you wish to bring to Zambales tomorrow, you look for one of your most favorite shirts, and you see it lying neatly inside the cabinet, all washed and fragrant. Injustice is when, after packing up the clothes you wish to bring to Zambales, you look for one of your favorite shirts and find it missing, prompting you to search high and low for it, spoiling your day further, and making you lose a teeny little bit of excitement for the whole vacation thing.
Justice is when you have money for the trip to Zambales tomorrow. Injustice is when you have none.
But what is justice really? Is it really what I'm looking for? I think what I just want to have is 1) a functioning ATM, 2) an extra 128 MB DDRAM, and 3) a cool outfit to wear. Is that justice? What is justice?
Justice is having to eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Justice is having clothes to wear.
Justice is having to study on a vacation and enjoying it.
Justice is having a wonderful friend who's always going to be there for you, no matter what.
Justice is having a blockmate to help you when you're in need, even when things happen in the spur of the moment.
Justice is having a roommate whom you can rely on.
Justice is having a bosom buddy whose ears are always attentive, whose mind is always open, and whose heart always stays in the right place.
To the defenders of justice. To justice.
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