Act of Kindness || Supporting an Elderly Balut Vendor

The chaos that the pandemic brings is totally beyond the control of all of us. With the economic activities put on halt, families that lost their livelihoods are left starving. It is no wonder that the start of the pandemic is also the rise of small time businesses. Selling of balut in the streets of the Philippines during the night is one the businesses that becomes the resort of most of those who are left unemployed or desperately needs a source of income.

Balut is a Filipino delicacy which is a fertilized developing egg embryo usually that of a duck that is boiled and eaten from the shell.

Balut is traditionally sold on the streets of the Philippines during the night.

Balut vendors usually stays on one particular place while some are peddling balut on a bicycle. In any ways, selling balut could be a difficult and challenging job. During the rainy season, finding a place to hide during a sudden downpour while securing your balut could be frustrating for a vendor. There is no guarantee that a vendor can sell all his balut during the night and usually the profit is very minimal.

Every time I go home from work, I always see "Manang" (in the Philippines, this is how we call a woman in her late 40’s as a sign of respect) tending her balut in her usual place. I am a fan of balut and during my younger days I eat balut three to four times a month. Balut is a good source of nutrients but due to its significant level of cholesterol it is good to consume it moderately. Tonight, I decided to drop by Manang's place to dig in to some balut.

I remembered the first time I tried to eat balut. Visually, balut is not appealing so anyone not familiar with it will hesitate to try one. My friends tease me that eating balut is a passage from boyhood to manhood, to show them that I am already a man, I reluctantly try some. It does not taste that awful actually and that is the start of my balut eating journey.

We enjoyed our balut that night. I guess it is always good to share a good food with a good company.

I am happy that I consume two baluts and most of all happy to know that somehow I am able to encourage Manang to continue to hope for better days to come.

As long as your job is clean and honest, always be proud of it!

Best regard to @steem.amal, @steem.sea, @steemseacurator, @anroja, @nazarul and @el-nailul. Thank you for the better life program.
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Yours Truly,

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