Tuesday, August 31, 2004

sulat: basted boy

Bago magdapit-hapon sa isang dalampasigan sa Candelaria, Quezon, parang biglang may artista na dumating sa biglaang paggalaw ng mga taong kani-kanina lang ay natutulog sa ilalim ng mga makukulay na beach umbrellas. Unti-unti na palang umaalis ang mga nag- family outing, nag- team building excursion, nag- org initiation, nag-field trip at pati na rin ang mga palaboy na sa dagat tumatambay kapag Linggo.

Iba't ibang klaseng tao ang matatanaw: may matandang babaeng naka-bikining galing U-Kay, binatilyong lalaking naka two-piece na Speedo, dalagang naka-sunglasses, spag-strap at beach shorts na hindi naligo dahil ayaw maarawan, at sa isang dako sa tabi ng mga alimangong naglalaro sa batuhan ay may dalawang magkaibigang lalaki na siguradong kakaiba na ang kulay ng puwet sa buong katawan nila sa pagkakababad sa init ng araw.

Parehong nakahiga sa isang malaking tipak ng bato na nakaharap sa dagat si Boy at si Moi. Nakatuon ang siko sa bato habang nakatingin lang sa malayo ang mas balingkinitan, mas maputi, mas maliit at mas mukhang seryoso habang umaawit nang nakapikit ang mas patpatin, mas maitim, mas matangkad at mukhang mas masayahin.

"Wouldn't it be nice if we were -- Ay powtah, pare naman walang ganyanan! Sinong may sabi na pwede mong hawakan ang Walkman ko?!?"

"Boy ang baduy mo! Ano ba yang kinakanta mo? Parang panahon pa ng Hapon yan ah? Tsaka di ba sabi ko sayo masisira lang yan dito?"

"Beach Boys 'to dude. Classic 'to! Di ka ba nanood ng 50 First Dates? Tsaka lokohin mo lelang mo, ayun nga si Prof. Jong sa may niyog, CD pa ang dala."

"Bahala ka. Ano yan ulit, Beach Boys? Sino yun?"

Napanganga lang si Boy. Hindi nya lubos maisip na hindi kilala ng kaibigan niya ang kanyang iniidolong Beach Boys.

"Moi, alam mo, hindi ko lubos maisip na hindi mo kilala yung iniidolo kong Beach Boys. As in never heard? Dude you missed half of your life! Sila yung kumanta nung ano... nung..."

Saglit na napatigil sa pananalita si Boy, nag-isip, at bumanat sa pagkanta.

"Mahuma, Mahuga, c'mon pretty mama lu la la la la lu la--
Basta yun! Yun yung may chorus na..."

"Kokomo. Alam ko yun, gago. 'Mahuma'. Bwahahaha! San yun?"

Puno na ng buhangin ang katawan ni Moi pagkatapos niyang magpagulong-gulong sa katatawa. Ito namang si Boy ay parang walang nangyayari na sinuot lang na muli ang headphones at tumitig sa langit; ngunit hindi mapagkakailang hindi maloloko ni Boy ang lelang niya dahil nagugusot na ang kanyang mukha sa kakapigil sa pagtawa.

"Powtah tumahimik ka na... Moi?"

Nakatayo na pala si Moi at ang mga mata nito'y nakapako sa isang grupo ng mga dalagang nakikipagkuwentuhan kay Prof. Jong sa ilalim ng niyog. Palubog na ang araw ng mga oras na iyon at may kakaibang liwanag na bumabalot sa paligid na nagbibigay ng ilusyon na ang isa sa mga dalaga na nakikita ni Moi ay hindi talaga tao kung hindi isang diwatang kaakit-akit. Maya-maya lamang ay napansin na ni Moi na naglalakad papalapit sa kanya ang diwata, walang kurap na magkapako ang kanilang mga mata na parang may dumadaloy na hindi nakikitang enerhiya, at ang mundo niya'y umuuga... umuuga...

"Huy... Basted Boy, pansinin mo nga ako!"

"Bitawan mo nga ako, gago!" Tinaboy ni Moi ang mga kamay na siyang umuuga sa binti niya at nang namalayan niyang nakatingin sa kanila ang diwatang nakasuot ng pulang one-piece suit sa ilalim ng puting T-shirt ay mabilisan siyang umupo at ibinaling ang tingin sa dagat. Narinig ni Moi ang tawanan ng mga dalaga at kita pa rin sa mukha ni Moi na namumula na ito sa hiya.

"Hi Rhona!", ang sigaw ni Boy habang iwinawagayway ang kanyang kamay na parang nangangampanya. Pilit na sinasagi ni Boy ng kanyang siko ang mga braso ni Moi na matigas na tumititig pa rin sa kawalan.

"Oi Boy! Alis na raw tayo in 15 minutes! Nagmamadali na kasi tong si Prof. Jong eh, baka raw di tayo makabalik ng maaga. Ang selfish no? Oops! Peace lang tayo sir."

"Sige, sige, maya-maya! Oi Rhona, hi daw sabi ni Moi."

At nagtawanang muli ang mga kinikilig na dalaga. Ngumiti lang si Rhona at nagsabing mag-iimpake kung kaya't naglakad itong patungo sa kubong kinalalagyan ng kanilang mga gamit.

"Moi, huy! Ayun na si Rhona o? pagkakataon mo na to dude! Para ka namang hindi kabilang sa Basted Boys niyan eh. Tandaan mo yung motto natin..."

"Oo alam ko tol. 'Hindi Palulupig'", ang malamyang pagkabigkas ni Moi.

"Hindi ganyan tol. Tigasan mo. Dapat, 'HINDI PALULUPIG!"

Madaling tinakpan ni Moi ang bibig ng kanyang kaibigan. "Tumahimik ka nga! Ang ingay mo, nakakahiya. Tsaka tigilan mo nga yan kagaguhan mo, hindi ako Basted Boy."

"Dude naman kasi eh. Ano ba talagang meron sa inyo ni Rhona? Sabi mo wala pero halos araw-araw naman kayong magkasama. Nung minsan nga nilibre mo siya ng sampung pirasong pishbol tapos pag-alis niya yung lima pinaghatian lang natin. Sayo pa yung tatlo."

"Wala nga, wala. Magkaibigan lang kami. Ilang beses ko bang uulitin--"

"Hangga't di mo matanggap na Basted Boy ka, uulitin ko ng uulitin. Wala raw... eh ano yung nabalitaan ko kay Atan na nakita daw niya kayo na magkasabay sumakay sa dyip tapos inaalalayan mo pa siya pag-akyat? Sinong babae lang ang ginanon mo dude? Wala! Bastos ka nga sa girls eh."

"Gago. Hindi ako bastos, baka ikaw. Tsaka wag kang magpapaniwala sa Atan na yun, bulaan yun."

"Ulol. Bahala ka na nga. Basta itong tatandaan mo, 'Hindi Palulupig!' Oi, mag-aayos na ako ng gamit tol, sunod ka"

"Maya-maya"

Lumalamig na ang paligid habang unti-unti nang parang lumulubog sa dagat ang araw. Sa saliw ng hangin at hampas ng alon sa bato na kinahihigaan ni Moi, ipinikit niya ang kanyang mga mata at ginalugad ang kanyang isip para sa alaala ng isang hapon sa loob ng dyip na ilang beses na niyang pinaulit-ulit sa sarili.

Minsan nang naiparamdam ni Moi sa sinisinta ang kanyang saloobin nang binigyan niya ito ng aklat na "A Walk To Remember" noong kaarawan nito. Bilang pasalamat, binigyan naman ni Rhona si Moi ng isang pink Post-It note na may nakasulat na "Thank you" na may puso sa dulo ng "u". Akala ni Moi na hanggang pink Post-It note na lang siya, pero sa hindi inaasahang pagkakataon ay pinagkalooban siya ni Lord ng isang hapon sa loob ng dyip, mga ilang buwan na rin ang nakaraan.

"Hoy Basted Boy! Lalarga na tayo!"

Natauhan si Moi sa sigaw at dali-dali itong nagtungo sa kubo. Siya na lang pala ang hindi nakakapag-ayos ng gamit na nagkalat na sa sahig. "Ay powtah, sino naman kayang nagkalat nitong gamit ko?"

Mabilisang pinagsasaksak ni Moi sa kanyang pulang bag ang kanyang tuwalya, baong Tortillos, sabon na Dial at shampoo na Head and Shoulders, ang baon niyang komiks, at nang matanaw niya ang isang maliit na bag na kulay pink sa ilalim ng mesa ay yumuko siya at pupulutin na sana iyon nang...

"Akin yan! Buti nahanap mo!"

Napatayong bigla si Moi sa gulat at napaupong muli nang tumama ang kanyang ulo sa gilid ng mesa.

"Ow. Shit."

"Sorry! Oh no... Sorry talaga!"

"Hindi ok lang ako... ow... Rhona?"

Natigilan si Moi. Hawak na ni Rhona ang batok ni Moi at hinahaplos ang bukol sa ulo nito nang namalayan ni Moi ang nangyayari.

"Er, ok lang ako.", ang sabi ni Moi na nagpupumilit nang tumayo. "Wala ito... Ow! Masakit! Wag mong hawakan!"

"Sorry! Shucks, crybaby. Sorry na."
Halos natatawa na si Rhona nang nagtagpo ang mga mata nila; nagkatitigan silang sandali at napatawa ng sabay.

"Halika, I'll help you up."

Tinulungang tumayo ni Rhona si Moi na mukha namang hindi nasugatan sa naganap na aksidente. Matagal din silang nakatayo lang at nagtitinginan nang namalayan ni Moi na hindi pa pala niya binibitawan ang kamay ni Rhona.

"Er... Salamat."

"Wala yun. Tara na... maiiwan na yata tayo."

"Sige". Nakita ni Moi ang hawak niyang maliit na pink na bag at iniabot ito kay Rhona.

"Yung kikay kit mo."

"Haha... sige, salamat."

Sabay na lumabas ng kubo at naglakad papalayo sa dagat ang dalawa. Pareho nilang pinapanood ang kani-kanilang mga hakbang nang nagkaroon ng lakas ng loob si Moi na hawakan ang braso ni Rhona.

"Rhona, sandali lang."

"Hmm?" ang sabi ni Rhona na nakatingin sa kanya na parang may hinihintay itong mga salita na nais nitong marinig.

"Er..."

"Ey, Moi, kung ito yung tungkol dun sa pinag-usapan natin sa jeep..."

"Hindi, hindi yun... um..."

"Teka lang. Moi, makapaghihintay ka naman di ba? Makapaghihintay din naman ako eh."

Natigilan at napatitig lang si Moi kay Rhona.

"Ha? Ah, anong..."

"'Lam mo na yun. 'Lika na."

Ngumiti lang si Rhona at maya-maya'y tumakbo na pasunod sa kanilang grupo na papalabas na patungo sa entrance ng resort. Hinabol lang ni Moi nang tingin ang tumatakbong diwata nang bumaling si Rhona at sumigaw.

"Basted Boy! Bilis!"

Napatawai si Moi at nang mapansin nitong hindi na umalis si Rhona sa kinatatayuan nito ay humarap siya sa dagat at nagtatalon sa tuwa. Pagtalikod niya, ipininta naman niya sa isip ang nakikita bago tumakbo patungo sa naghihintay pa rin na Rhona. Nang medyo malapit na siya sa grupo ni Prof. Jong, narinig niya ang nagsisisigaw na boses ni Boy na umaawit...

"Wouldn't it be nice if we were older
Then we wouldn't have to wait so long"

***

finally! weird ng blogger, couldn't access this for 4 straight days! laki tuloy ng utang ko kay Ariel Atienza kasi di ko pa naa-update yung Filipino Comics.

grr... oh well.

comments naman kayo o. :D Click on Growl! or Howls! basta sa baba nito.

Salamat nga pala sa pagbasa.

Monday, August 23, 2004

sulat: samuel's loss

Samuel had only a second to appreciate the breath-taking view of the sea that his glass-walled room offered when he woke up to the midday sun in his work clothes. He reeked of smoke, sex and spirits but he was not aware of that. In fact even with the phone ringing, his pet ferret named Quirky making quite a ruckus, his two heads throbbing from last night's encounter with a sex deity, and the sea threatening to topple down the cliff where his house stood, Samuel seemed so unattached with the world that if it wasn't for the fact that he kept his feet from going through the missing floorboards he forgot to replace, you would think he was one of those mindless zombies that recently wreaked havoc at the city of Desire.

Well, he was sort of like a mindless zombie except that at that day, he had a mind filled with only a single thought: that he lost something very precious and he can't seem to remember what it was.

Out of frustration, Samuel headed out to the back of his cottage to take in the sea breeze that beckoned him. He walked slowly towards the edge of the cliff while trying to piece the broken memories he had of the last twenty-four hours. By the time he sat down on the edge of the cliff and looked at the jagged rocks jutting from the sea below, Samuel still could not picture the events that transpired before. He gave out a long sigh and as if mesmerized by the beauty of the sea, he fell into something like a trance; a state where he was almost asleep that he started "dreaming" about the things that happened in his life and at the same time, kept himself balanced enough to not topple over to his doom.

The surrounding sea faded into a blur and Samuel was twenty one again. He was already a brilliant engineer by then, but after three years working for the government, he wanted something more than a high-paying job so he thought of pursuing his childhood dream. He always wanted to be an archaeologist and join the futile hunt for the lost city of Dreams but midway through the three year apprenticeship, he got bored of sifting through rocks and dirt that he felt it was time to pursue yet another career.

Samuel then followed the footsteps of his late father who was the doctor of the mayor of some desirable city. This time around he was able to finish through three years of medicine school but after a year and a half or so of working, he felt he was giving too much and getting too little that he wanted to live life and enjoy it while he still can.

And so he lived and loved living. For the next six years, Samuel went around the world to fulfill his heart's desire, to try out everything he never tried before, and to look for that one place that felt just right. And it was on this cliff at the edge of Desire that he found the place where he will eventually settle down and have peace.

Despite finding the place where he always wanted to be and experiencing everything that the world and life had to offer, Samuel still felt like there was something missing in his life. Then on one fateful night, while hanging around the pub some two miles from his house, he found himself listening to the story of a girl who so wanted to find the most wonderful thing her insatiable heart ever desired. Her name was Sarah, and Samuel kept the drinks flowing as she retold how she searched even the uncharted lands and seas that until then still remain uncharted and yet she never did find her heart's desire. Disappointed, she wandered around until she found herself in Desire and telling her strange story in a strange pub to a total stranger. Feeling quite sorry for her, Samuel told her that maybe it was there that she will find what she wanted. So he offered her a room over at his house and there at the house on the cliff with the glass-wall facing the sea, Sarah spent the next five years living happily with the man of her dreams.

Samuel fell out of his trance when a seagull landed by his side as if wanting to watch the horizon with him. The picture of utter joy in Sarah's face on the day he gave her Quirky was still on his mind when he finally realized what the thing he lost was. It took him three years to realize it; three whole years and all those years, he was also wasting away everything: his money, his health, and his life.

For it was three years since he last saw Sarah on her deathbed, fighting off a rare disease she picked up from some uncharted soil, and even in her last moments, she was smiling. Her last wish was for Samuel to take care of Quirky in her absence and took care of Quirky he did; but other than the loyal ferret, Samuel took care of nothing else.

With wide and teary eyes, Samuel told the seagull by his side what he lost and what he wanted to do and the seagull nodded as if it understood. The seagull spread his wings as Samuel stretched out his arms; it was as if both of them were reaching for both sides of the world. Together, Samuel and the seagull took to the skies towards the horizon and neither Samuel nor the seagull was ever seen again.
...

i had the idea for this story one day when hanging out at my parent's clinic in the province. i was thinking about my options after taking the board exams; it's because right now, i really don't know if i still want to pursue being a chemical engineer. i asked my dad about taking medicine after the board exams and he had no objections... kung saan ako masaya. then there's the option of migrating to the US. hay... so many things to think about.

hey, i'd appreciate the comments... click on Growl, it's on the second line after this. thanks in advance!

nagbabalik

inspired akong magsulat...

actually hindi talaga pero masyado na kasi akong nagiging stalker ng mga taong parte ng ating sariling comics industry na hanep sa galing magsulat kaya't eto ako't nagpapaka-"writer".

may kumpyansa naman ako sa abilidad ko pero ako yun eh...

kaya't naisip ko na buhayin na lang muli itong inaamag nang mansyon at gawing malikhaing kuwaderno na lang dito sa isang sulok sa Blogger.

siyempre, kailangan ko ng tulong nyo. aminado akong baguhan ako at mayabang pero kung meron kayong batikos o papuri o gusto nyo lang bumati at mag-dedicate ay sige lang, gawin nyo lang. trabaho niyo yun eh.

basta ako magsusulat. pero nakikinig naman ako sa mambabasa... pangit naman kung manunulat ka tapos wala kang mambabasa.

yun lang, sana masiyahan kayo sa mga kwento ko.