Love Alfie: The Life of a Happy Picker

As far as I can remember, finding treasures in the most unlikely of places had always been a hobby to me. The hobby of finding something cheap has turned  into an instant gratification that I would find myself just scrolling through the internet to find odd looking objects or items (which someday I would place in my own home). Right now, it's merely a virtual window shopping experience since I have nowhere to put my stuff.

I however, go around Dumaguete City, my hometown, where a bunch of small businesses could be found. One of my personal favorites are thrift shops and junk shops.  I would love to talk about thrifting but I am reserving that for another blog post which I would elaborate very well.

This is a creative use of old wine bottles and dried leaf. © An Lui Teves

Everyone always says that, "One man's trash is another man's treasure" when they find something that someone left behind. I always believed in those words and I think it's appropriate now that my country's state of economic crisis has led everyone to tighten their belts and to try to make ends meet without actually compromising comfortability.

An old truck interior that doubles as a beach float hanged alongside several bicycle and motor bike spare parts.
© An Lui Teves

It's no wonder that the sale of second hand goods has become one of the largest market in the Philippines. There's some technicality to it, but as far as I'm concerned, if you learn to find stuff you like you are bound to find something good. Just like one of my old time buddy and classmate, Emmanuel or Doods, as he'd like to be called, who found this amazing place by the side of the road in Buntis, Bacong, Negros Oriental. The place is a small Junk Shop/ Vulcanizing owned by Mr. Alfie Yosores, a retired military.

Doods Tecson, who is an environment and alternative transportation activist looks at Alfie's collection of scrap with so much awe. © An Lui Teves

Life After The Military

This is Mr. Alfie Yosores who gleefully accomodated us for a quick interview and tour into his humble abode.
© An Lui Teves

Alfie looks from afar as he reminisces the bittersweet memories of the past. © An Lui Teves

Alfie had been in service for a good 14 years until he was forced to retire due to delinquency towards one superior. Incidentally, it made him realize how he wanted to live his life as a civilian. With this in mind, he later married a woman from Siaton, Negros Oriental who agreed that they both wanted to live somewhere accessible to people. Alfie built a home that not only gave him shelter, but also provided his family food for the table.

A mere drawing to some but a reminiscent of Alfie's work as a soldier in the '80s. © An Lui Teves

Cereal boxes and old advertising tarpaulins are used to form makeshift walls and columns. © An Lui Teves

Seen along Negros Oriental's South National Highway, everyone in his house / shop were busy with regular work that involved fixing motorcycles and bikes. © An Lui Teves

Alfie's wife was busy with her morning routine. © An Lui Teves

The Services They Offer

Simultaneously, his automotive skills paved the way for an  additional source of income. He fixes and assembles motorcycles aside from providing people with vulcanizing service 24/7. Not only that, his shop is filled to the brim with bicycles, motorcycle parts, tires, and many others. He even rents out huge beach floats (salbabida) for a cheap amount of 50 pesos for an entire day's use.

One of Alfie's assistants fixing a customer's flat tire. © An Lui Teves

A sign proving that Alfie stands by his word of opening his shop to those in need of a vulcanizing 24/7.
© An Lui Teves

Here's one of the few truck interior turned beach float that he rents out for only 50 pesos. © An Lui Teves

(Top) Alfie sells second hand and brand new motorcyle body spare parts. (Bottom) Alternatively, some bicycles are also available and will be furnished completely once paid. Psst. It's also negotiable. © An Lui Teves

Quest for the Offroad Scooter

Anyway, my friend, Doods had always been looking for an off road scooter ever since he saw my scooter. Lo and behold, here's an actual junk shop who carries a similar kind.

(From Top) Alfie removes the scooter's frame of of his display. (Middle) The scooter itself which only needs a few adjustments, repaint and some accessories. (Bottom) Alfie installs the off road tire for the scooter. © An Lui Teves

A Peek into his Home

Alfie, unlike the majority of men of his nature of work, rarely bother decorating their homes or shop. However to this man, decorating is not merely an expression of his artistic side, it is a way of life.

A styro ball with trail lights that doubles as a make-shift disco ball. © An Lui Teves

Having lived a life of military discipline and rigid training, however a nonfullfillment towards retirement, has led him to purposefully discover the light in being a civilian. It was this realization, even with the numerous years of conformity, that led him to conclude that one cannot bend a person to become something apart from what he was destined to do with his life.

The succeeding photographs were taken inside his house. I would like to call it "Alfie's Tree House" as the mere foundation of the house lies within the strength of the enormous mango tree that stands amid the bamboo walls.

The mandatory men's working shop posters which are in fact sexy models plastered in corporate calendars.
© An Lui Teves

© An Lui Teves

© An Lui Teves

Grandma is making a stick broom. © An Lui Teves

© An Lui Teves

Pots well lined together in what Visayans call a "dapogan" or a furnace for cooking food. © An Lui Teves

Like I said previously, Alfie's house is kept stable by this Mango Tree. Oh a tiny branch of young leaves are peeking through. Can it get any more natural than this? © An Lui Teves

© An Lui Teves

Here are more empty beer bottles used as decorative. © An Lui Teves

© An Lui Teves

I never got to ask Alfie if he used this trench coat. It looks like it belongs to Hell Boy. Great for cosplay, huh?
© An Lui Teves

Alfie and the Animals

When we entered his house, it wasn't difficult to see that he was also raising ducks, chickens, turkeys---and a cat. He loves these animals and he even talks to them while feeding them.

A common household pet in the Philippines would have to be the moggie cat. © An Lui Teves

Here's a duck, along with her ducklings, eating some grains. © An Lui Teves

Also seen outside is Alfie feeding his turkeys. © An Lui Teves

The moment I was snapping away with my camera, a humongous chicken suddenly came out of nowhere. I know for a fact that it was a Kabir chicken since my neighbor had one of those in the early 2000s. It scared the bejesus out of me as I secretly fear anything with a beak and scaly feet.

The Kabir chicken with its enormous feet. © An Lui Teves

A closer look at how intimidating this Kabir chicken is. © An Lui Teves

The turkey suddenly looks smaller beside this Kabir chicken. © An Lui Teves

The black chicken (common breed) pales in comparison to the size of this Kabir chicken. Alfie says it will still grow bigger. © An Lui Teves

Fittingly, I conquered my fear since I was here for a purpose. Alfie showed us that the Kabir chicken was a friendly one. He even posed with it without the chicken feeling the need to scamper away or claw him. 

 © An Lui Teves

 © An Lui Teves

Blessed are the Meek

Alfie Yosores and his Kabir chicken. © An Lui Teves

This is a translated  quote (originally in Visayan dialect) of what Mr. Alfie Yosores said when asked what he thought of his life,

"I never felt the need to cheat in business and in life. We do not earn blessings that way. Whatever comes in front of your doorstep, you take it as an opportunity because blessings will simply arrive on its own. We must learn to sacrifice to be a truly humbled person. If we are at the pink of health and have food at our table, that's more than enough---and also a few shots of liquor every now and then after a hard day's work." 

 It has been a truly humbling experience to be with honest and hardworking people like Mr. Alfie Yosores. Each person you meet along the way has something you don't know and a story you may want to hear. I hope you enjoyed reading this special article.

How about you? Are there locals in your place whose story deserves to be heard? Let us know by commenting below.