The Lady Of Villa Bayot

My name is not important, I'm a 77-year-old retired accountant living a quiet life with my wife here in Makati. I am blessed with 4 children and 8 beautiful grandchildren. Needless to say, I am in the twilight of my life and have nothing to ask for. But let me tell you a story, a story I have never told anyone— a secret I kept for 60 years. It's a story of love that began at the closing of the second world war. I was born on October 8, 1945 in Masbate, Masbate. I was one of the first post war babies in the island. My father, was an engineer who served as a guerilla under the command of the legendary Commander Dimen. After the war, my father worked in Masbate Capitol in the Treasury Office, life was difficult in Masbate, we lived with my grandparents in one of the old houses in Danao street, until I was 7 years old. In 1952, my father received an offer at a power company here in Manila, so he took his family with him and lived in Pasig. It took 10 years before me and my siblings to go back to Masbate, it was the summer vacation of 1962 just before I entered college that I was able to return to my hometown. It was April, and me and my two older sisters were excited to join the Holy Week procession, dressed in our nice clothes, we eagerly participated in the event. So we walked the streets of Masbate, reminiscing the time of our childhood. As we were strolling, holding our candles among the multitude of devotees, my sister Anastasha dropped her handkerchief, so I said "I'll get it." when I looked up, I saw a girl, probably my age looking out the window of an old house in Zurbito street. I stared at her and thought to myself "What a beautiful lady." a mestiza wearing a filipiñana dress, with brown eyes and brown hair, I thought she was Mama Marry for a second. I stared at her and she saw me captivated by her beauty, then she gave the most beautiful smile. Time stood still as I lingered at her smile, I could stand there forever and watch her for eternity. "Hey..come on , let's go" Ate Anastasha said. The next day, I told my grandmother about what happened. She said the mansion was Villa Bayot, the owner was an old lady named Doña Victorina, and the girl was most probably one the great grandchildren of Don Bayot, a rich mestizo whose wealth span back to the Spanish times. Eager to see the girl again and know her name, I went back to Villa Bayot the next day. Like a stalker, I watched her window waiting for her, under the shade of a tree, I waited for hours. Until finally, I got too tired of waiting and went to the gate of Villa Bayot. I "Tao po... tao po..." and then a middle aged man came out. "Who is it?" he said. "Uhm... good afternoon, I- I-I saw a girl about my age yesterday, does she live here?" "Ha? No girl lives here." he said. "Well I saw a girl here yesterday, I swear she was looking out the window" I said. "Oh...iho, I have a lot of chores to do, no one lives here like that. Why don't you go home?" the man said. "Who's that?" an old lady said. She descended from the stairs, to get a closer look at me. "Good afternoon ma'am, I saw a girl here yesterday, she's about my age and she was looking outside the window." I was desperate, judge me. But to my surprise this is the answer of the old lady. She laughed and said "Ah.. Rosa, so you're the boy she's telling me about." "Rosa! Her name." I thought. My heart was pumping with butterflies and all I could say was "I hope so." the old lady laughed some more. "She's my granddaughter. She went home to Aroroy. She studies in Cebu, she just came here for a vacation." she said. I wanted to go to Aroroy that very moment, wherever that was. Near, far— didn't matter. "Uhm.. so, is it all right, if I visit her?" I said "Huh..visit her? Well, that depends, how's this. Write her a letter and let's see if she replies. All right?" her grandma answered. So I did, I wrote Rosa and confessed what I felt when I saw her— a foolish boy's admiration. Months flew by and it was time for me to go back to Manila with no reply from Rosa, disappointed and broken hearted I went back to enroll in University of Sto Tomas. I was busy with school but the thought of Rosa's smile remained in my mind. In the middle of the semester, I received two letters, one from grandmother and one unexpected reply. At last, a letter from her, Rosa. At first I couldn't open the letter, my heart pounded ten times faster. "I can't". I said to myself, as I attempted to open her letter, but my courage prevailed, I opened the letter. "..Of course we can be friends, it's amazing I also just entered college here in Cebu. Where do you study? Tell me about Manila, I heard there are large buildings there and beautiful places..." Our letters went back and forth for months, though I usually sent two letters a month...other times three , she only sent one. But that one letter, was a piece of heaven. Her writing style was a little "odd" though I thought, but I didn't mind perhaps it was how the Visayans wrote. We agreed to meet in December 22, of 1962 in Masbate at her home Villa Bayot. After months of waiting, heartache and the roller coaster ride of waiting for her letters. We will finally meet. So I put on my best looking suit, polished my shoes until I could see my reflection. "Saturday evening, 6pm . Moment of truth" I said, I dashed towards her house from grandma's home flowers at hand, I looked like an i***t "Where's the wedding pogi?" the lady selling bananacue said jokingly. My heart was beating like a drum, while walking on Danao street. Every step felt like walking on ice barefoot. And there I was, standing in front of Villa Bayot's window, waiting for her. "Good afternoon!" I said. It seemed that no one heard me, so I said it louder "Good afternoon po!!"" then the caretaker looked out the window "I heard you the first time! This is a window, not a gate!" "What an angry caretaker" I thought to myself. So I went to the gate of Villa Bayot and for the first time entered the compound. Up the old stairs I went, feet heavy as logs. And... she was there, my dream girl, Rosa. More beautiful than in my dreams, wearing her filipiñana dress. "You're taller than I imagined." she said as she giggled. That night, I told her about my life in university. About the old large building in my school, about my classmates and my funny professor, she enjoyed and laughed at all my silly jokes, while I showed her the latest dance craze in Manila. Her grandmother Doña Victorina, knitted in her room, door half opened, she occasionally glanced at us and smiled. Time went by like a swift wind, it was already 9 o'çlock. "Maybe your friend can go home now Rosa, I have chores to do." the caretaker said. Then the grandmother said "Ay...you, leave them alone, will you?" Spiteful old man, Doña Victorina didn't even mind, he's just a caretaker! "But he is right, it is quite late iho." Doña Victorina said. "Can I see you again?" I asked Rosa. "Maybe, if you teach me Twist. Tomorrow?" she said. I felt like I won 10 lotteries while walking on the moon. Yes, I can see her again. Maybe, just maybe, she can be my girlfriend. I went back to Villa Bayot the next morning but she wasn't there. Though it was very sad, she left a letter that mended my heart. "I'm sorry, I went back to Aroroy and on my way to Cebu, but I would still like for you to teach me how to dance . Is it possible for you to teach me when we see each other again? I hope you're not mad..." She wanted to see me again, that's all my young mind could comprehend. Christmas vacation ended and I went back to Manila, I sent her a letter and it was already February when I got an answer. Time wasn't an issue, in the letter she told me that we could see each other in April again, during Holy Week. It has had been almost a year since I first saw her but it felt like two minutes. She also wanted me to bring my portable radio, so we can finally dance.