I was just walking at the downtown area just here in the city with my son, Jared too. We saw a kid (might be around 11-13 years old) coming towards us, as soon as he was a few feet from us. He opened his hands, inside his hand was a small box. I think he was really offering it for me thinking I’m the one that would pay if ever. When he opened the box it shows a gold chain with pendant in it. It looks real. He was offering for me to buy the jewelry. I turned around and told him I’m not interested. I think he was shocked that I didn’t even try to see the jewelry and also I refused to buy the item. Immediately played in my head where did this kid get this nice piece of jewelry and offering around. Of course it went through my mind that, that piece of jewelry could be stolen, snatched or taken from the jewelry store. I don’t really know. Everything was just playing my head.
Just then a lady was looking at the kid and she seems interested. As soon as she got out from the bank the kid offered it to her. She was checking it and brought the kid to her car. She also had 3 other ladies inside the car and they were really checking the item. I think the first lady were negotiating with the kid. I just didn’t bother to checked them out. To be honest that really shocked me that she’s thinking of buying the item.
Street Vendors are common in the Philippines
While those people negotiating with the kid. I asked my son, Jared if he will buy any kind of items offered to him like that. He said immediately “No Way, I’m not buying anything like that, I’m not sure where those items comes from. It could be stolen or being snatched from somebody else. I don’t want to be involved with that kind of stuff”. Wow, that answers from my kid really made me happy.
That incident reminds me of what I witnessed in Manila almost a decade ago. I went there for a business. My friends brother (Jun) was my tour guide. He was taking me to the place for my meeting and other areas there that I needed to shop. Somewhere in Greenhills we were waiting for the stop light. Jun reminded me to be very careful with my purse and my cell phone. He told me to hugged tight my purse and put my cell phone away inside the secret pocket in my purse. Which I obliged. He knows Manila than I do. While waiting a teenager approached us and offered a cell phone. I didn’t even pay attention that much to the kid, plus I don’t intend to buy cell phone on the street. I guess Jun was asked by these kind of people a thousand times while his traveling the city. Just for me to see, and to proved to me why he said to be careful and pay attention. He asked the kid: Where’s the cell phone that that person was talking about? The teen’s lips pointed to the person just a few feet away from us. He said that cell phone. It was the newest phone model at that time. I guess what the kid would do, if we said yes he will snatched the cell phone and sell that to us. My mouthed just went wide open and my eyeballs just about to pop out hearing the kid. I said “What?”. I was gonna say some bad words. Jun knows that I’m like his sister will say what’s in our mind. He pinched my arm and his making a gesture for me to shut up. Which I did. Jun was scared those people might hurt us if ever I said too much.
Jun then turned towards me and said see what the snatcher will do here. That’s why you have to be very careful here. Just then I was thinking, why would people buy such items if offered to them that you know that those people took it from somebody else for you to have them? Are you not feeling guilty about it?
Anyway, just some thoughts. I know too that those kid will do anything out of desperation. Especially if living with irresponsible parents or other family members. Felt sorry for the kids, they were manipulated and used. Some are being force to do for them to have a better life and to have lots of stuff. Really as the saying goes in America “Just to keep up with the JONES or in the Philippines to keep up with the AYALA’S “. 
Cheers!!!