Tired

Before he landed a life insurance sales gig, Crisanto first worked as a door-to-door book salesman and as an agent for the national tax bureau. All his life he knew nothing but work; in the time of his youth people believed you were what you did--one's job or profession was not just a source of income but pride and dignity, as well. Having brought up with this ethic, the only way, even in his young mind, to get anywhere or anything was through hard work. If he needed a bit of extra money, he asked his father to let him take one their jeepneys out and ply the San Juan-Divisoria route, or he would offer to assist the neighborhood mechanic for a day or two. To stretch his meager allowance, he cleaned garages, washed cars, and even bathed dogs. When came his 44th year, Cristano Soriano Rosales was one tired man.