GOtcha!

WAY back in college years and years ago, I worked at the farm department of the college I was enrolled in Bukidnon to comply with the work education requirement the school implemented.Since we did not own a farm, I had no knowledge about planting or weeding or anything about the farm.Being a neophyte however gave me no other choice because the farm was the only department open for student applicants.One day our supervisor asked us to harvest mongo.

Armed with small sacks, we went to the farm and marched back and forth, frantically looking for the mongo plants. When we could not find it, we went back to our supervisor and told him we could not locate the mongo plants.The supervisor looked at us incredulously as though we had just asked where the school building was. Without saying a single word, he motioned us to follow him and he proceeded to the field.There, right under our very nose, beside the road we had been marching to and fro earlier were the mongo plants.I knew I just could not complete the required 90 hours work program in the field. Already my skin had grown several shades darker than its original color but only my roommate Leah's encouragements kept me going on.

The following week, I had my first experience in planting corn. At first it was exciting. Three seeds three paces, three seeds three paces. However, as the sun went higher, the corn seeds in my pail seemed to multiply instead.I was at a disadvantage over my roommate Leah because she grew up exposed in similar work.After a few minutes I decided enough was enough and I convinced Leah that we go take a dip in the river nearby."After we finish sowing these," she said, pointing to the still half pail of corn seeds."Yuks," was my only reply and went back to my job. Three seeds, one step forward. Finally, I got impatient and started to dump five seeds in one hole to empty my pail faster. Each line seemed several kilometers long and you can see the end of the line far away. Under the infernal heat, my inexperienced body screamed for rest but I have to disobey it.To make things worse, the casual workers overtook us, reached the end of the line, started over and overtook as again.

I began to dump more seeds in one hole, until I dumped by the handfuls."There! that's it!," I cried triumphantly after dumping the last handful of corn seeds and covering it with earth. I had to wait for Leah for some time before her pail was finally empty. She must have guessed what I did but she said nothing.Needless to say, we had a grand time at the river. Our boss was not there when we returned the pails, otherwise he might have doubted something was amiss.I thought nothing more about the incident until a few days later when Leah and I received summons to report to the farm office immediately.Even before he spoke a word, the stern face of our supervisor was enough for me to know that he discovered what I did. In my rush to empty the pail of corn seeds, I did not stop to think that the corn plants would all grow from the ground and expose what I did.