The sun was blazing overhead, but Jayden hardly noticed. This was the day of his graduation as Summa Cum Laude from a prestigious university. Beside him stood his parents—Mang Karyo and Aling Ising—holding a worn woven bag and a small hand fan.
They had come all the way from the province. The wrinkles on their hands showed the hardship of a lifetime spent farming. Mang Karyo wore his favorite faded polo shirt, while Aling Ising wore an old dress that had clearly seen better days.
But what stood out the most—both of them were wearing simple rubber slippers.
“Mom, Dad, let’s go inside,” Jayden said, filled with pride.
However, when they reached the gate of the auditorium, they were stopped by a strict coordinator, Mrs. Villaflor. She looked at them from head to toe with clear disgust.
“Excuse me,” Mrs. Villaflor said sharply.
“People wearing slippers are not allowed inside. This is a formal event. It represents the image of our institution. You’ll have to stay outside.”
“Ma’am,” Jayden pleaded, “they are my parents. They came from very far away.”
“Rules are rules, Mr. Santos,” the coordinator insisted while fanning herself impatiently. “We can’t allow the graduation ceremony to look like a public market. It would be embarrassing in front of the sponsors and donors who will be arriving.”
Jayden’s face turned red with anger and shame for what his parents were experiencing. He was about to respond when Mang Karyo gently held his arm.
“It’s alright, son,” his father whispered, though sadness filled his eyes. “We’ll just stay here outside the gate. What matters is that we can see you walk up the stage. Don’t worry about us.”
Jayden’s voice trembled.
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