All Over Again

CHAPTER 23: Strangers Like Me

Jerwin's POV

Venice: Ha... That's so weird..

Tumingin sya dun sa hawak nyang map.. I just stared at the place we ended up in....

It's a somewhat small town, the epitome of rural living.

There are no tall buildings..

There are no cemented roads..

The "roads" are almost enveloped by the darkness..

The houses are small and made of mostly wood..

There's a stray GOAT over there. I don't understand how the artificial sources of light in the houses are sufficient enough for a whole family to see in the dark..

Well, at least may kuryente sila... I guess growing up in a brightly-lit city..

I'm just not used to this kind of sight...

It's so.. so.. provincial.....

Venice: I wonder where we are...

Ako: This is like Venice in Wonderland.. We entered some sort of hole in the ground, and we ended up in another world--

O__O

Venice: Eh??

Ako: Honestly, I've never read the story. But I'm thinking it'd be something like this....

Venice: That's nice.. But.. right now... Ihavesomethingreallyimportanttotellyou.

Ano raw? O_o

Her face is just a few inches away from mine.. Her eyes shine with intensity. Seryosong-seryoso ung mukha nya.

Ako: Uh.. Are you going to apologize for getting us lost?

Venice: Why would I do that? This is much more important. Listen very carefully dahil matagal ko nang kinikimkim toh..

I nodded. I wonder what's going on..

My paparazzi ba? It doesn't look like may susulpot na paparazzi dito..

Terorista? O_O

May nakita ba syang may baril?!? O_O

Oh crap, maybe we should make a run for it.

Venice: Jerwin...

Ako: Y-yea?

Venice: Naiihi na ko.

...

......

.......

-___-

Ako: Can't you hold it in?

Venice: What do you think have I been doing the past few hours?!?!

O___O

Oh. Crap.

Ako: Well.. Uh.. O__O

Napatingin kagad ako sa paligid.

May portable comfort room ba dito!??

Restaurant?!?

Hotel?!?

Gasolinahan?!?

Ako: Uh.. Dun! Sa likod nung puno na yun! Dun na lang!

Venice started doing the wee-wee dance and I admit, kahit na medyo napapanic ako, I find it amusing na nagtatalon siya, alternating between her two feet..

Venice: Adik ka ba?!? I'm not peeing behind a tree!

Ako: Ngayon ka pa umarte!

I grabbed her hand and pulled her towards dun sa pinakamalapit na bahay..

I know this is gonna sound really rude, not to mention embarrassing, pero anoh pa bang magagawa namin?!?

I knocked on the door a couple of times, and a young kid -- about 6 or 7 -- opened it. He looked at me -- well, actually, it was more of a stare than a look...

Then his face went like this ? OoO

"Jose! Sino ba iyang nasa pinto?"

An elder man appeared behind the boy. Upon seeing me and Venice, he immediately ran over to the door and hid the little boy behind him. I know.. strangers who appear out of nowhere, looking like they just came tumbling out of the woods which we kinda did and one of them vigorously squirming. Yeah, we don't look very reliable.

Ako: We're sooo sorry to intrude.. Pero, my girlfriend here, kailangan nya po kasi mag-CR...

Jose: Tay.. Di ga si Jerwin Santos ya-an?

The father squinted at me, and after a while, realization clouded his face. Oh ang mga advantages ng kilala ka ng halos lahat ng tao. He immediately ushered us papasok sa bahay nya, and the little boy, whose name is Jose, showed Venice to the bathroom.

The father, who introduced himself as Manong Ben, led me to the small dining room. His wife, Aling Marie, was just finishing up cooking their dinner.

Manong Ben: Nako, di ko naman akalain na artista pala ung kumakatok sa pinto!

Aling Marie: Bakit naman ho kayo napadpad dito sa baryo namin Mis-terr Santos?

Ako: Jerwin na lang po. Eh, umakyat poh kasi kami nang bundok. Binigay ko po yung mapa kay Venice, ung girlfriend ko po.. Uhmm.. We ended up here..

Manong Ben: Iho, hindi ga naituro sa iyo, wag mong hahayaan na babae ang maghawak ng mapa? Aba'y, mawawala nga talaga kayo nyan!

Aling Marie: At nagsalita naman ang taong laging nawawala..

Napangiti ako sa sagutan nila.

Aling Marie put a glass of water in front of me, at halos tinungga ko un.. Naalala ko bigla kung gano na ko ka-uhaw.. Inutusan ni Aling Marie ung asawa nya na kumuha pa ng malunggay dun daw sa puno sa likod ng bahay nila. Sumunod naman si Manong.. at naiwan kami ni Aling Marie sa kusina-s***h-dining room..

I took the opportunity to look around. It really is a small house.. Katabi na mismo nung dining table yung stove at ref.. Tapos from where I was sitting, kitang-kita na rin yung maliit na TV in what seems to be the living room.. Dun sa isang side nung living room, may pinto, siguro yun yung banyo kaseh dun pumasok si Venice..

May dalawang pinto dun sa kabilang side nung bahay.. Un siguro ung mga bedrooms.. Everything was a few steps away from everything else. After a while, Venice emerged from the bathroom, looking relieved and finally at ease..

She smiled at Jose, who's busy doing something dun sa living room.. Venice walked over to the dining room, and stood behind where I was sitting. Aling Marie greeted her.

Aling Marie: Okay ka na?

Venice: Opo. Maraming salamat po.

Pumasok na rin maya-maya si Manong Ben, dala-dala ung ilang branches ng malunggay na pinakuha sa kanya.. He gave those to his wife, and then he sat in front of me.. I felt Venice gently squeeze my shoulder.

Ako: Ano, Manong Ben, may jeep po ba dito na pwede naming sakyan papunta sa La Plaiya?

Manong Ben: Ah, dun ga kayo nakatuloy? Aba'y may jeep papunta dun! Kaya nga lang, gabi na. Bukas na ulit bbyahe ang mga jeep.

Venice: Eh tricycle poh?

Aling Marie: Ay naku, iha, kalayo ng La Plaiya para sa tricycle.

Nagtinginan kami ni Venice. I think nag-ssink in na sa utak nya ung situation dahil nakita kong medyo nag-aalala na rin yung mukha niya..

Manong Ben: Aba'y kung gusto ninyo, eh bakit di muna kayo dito magpalipas ng gabi? Dito na rin kayo kumain ng hapunan! Masarap mag-tinola ang misis ko!

Aling Marie: Oo nga! Wala naman kayong ibang tutuluyan na malapit dito. Mabuti nang dito na kayo matulog, at bukas, gumising na lang kayo ng maaga para makasakay kayo dun sa unang byahe ng jeep papunta ng La Plaiya.

Venice: Nako, sigurado po ba kayo? Ayaw naman po naming maka-istorbo.

Manong Ben: Ay, ano gang istorbo? Hindi naman araw-araw na may nawawalang artista at sa bahay pa namin kumatok!

Ako: Uh, haha.. kung ganun po, makikigulo po muna kami ngayong gabi.

Venice: Maraming salamat po.

The dinner was.. fun. The husband and wife were constantly bantering with each other. Manong Ben was poking fun at Venice because she got us really lost. Venice would defend herself with ridiculous excuses.. Really.. I think hearing voices is a sign of some psychological defect. Jose stared at me pretty much the entire time -- until Venice started teasing him about it. Venice has a knack for making strangers feel oddly at ease.

After dinner, Venice volunteered to wash the dishes. Jose went back to doing his homework. Aling Marie took out a bottle of something from the refrigerator, grabbed a couple of small cups, and set it in front of me and Manong Ben.

Aling Marie: Ito, oh, makatulong man lang na mag-init ung katawan mo. May pagka-lamig dito tuwing gabi eh.

Ako: Ano po toh?

Manong Ben: Lambanog! Nabili ng kumpare ko at binigay sa'kin nung makailan laang.

He poured some in his glass, then a little bit in mine. It smells of... coconut? I took a sip......

WHOA!!!

Talk about having a high content of alcohol!

O__O

Nararamdaman kong gumuguhit sa lalamunan ko...

Manong Ben: Oh ano? Nagustuhan mo ga?

Ako: WHOA. Grabeh!

Nagtawanan silang mag-asawa. Venice watches me with an amused look on her face.

Aling Marie: Oh, Venice, ikaw? Gusto mo ga ng kaunti?

Ako: Oh no! Wag niyo po bigyan yan! At baka hindi na kayo makatulog sa sobrang gulo nyan paglasing. Pati mga kapitbahay nyo, masskandalo pa.

Venice: Shut up. Hindi ako ganun kaskandalosa noh.

Ako: Akala mo lang yun.

Venice: Che! (tingin kay Aling Marie) Pero wag na po.. Nagbabawas na ko sa pag-inom

Ako: Good for you.

I drank again from my glass. It's really strong, pero parang nakakaadik inumin.

Aling Marie: Doon na lamang kayo sa kwarto ni Jose matulog. Mas malinis naman yong kwarto na yon kesa sa kwarto naming mag-asawa.

Manong Ben: Di ga masyadong maliit ung kwarto na yun? Aba'y magkakasya ga silang dalawa doon?

Ako: No, it's okay. Ayos lang po kung magkatabi kaming matulog ni Venice.

Venice: Oh shoot.

She almost dropped a plate.

Nagtinginan si Manong Ben tsaka si Aling Marie.

Ako: Don't worry. Wala po kaming gagawin na kalokohan. Promise.

Venice almost dropped another plate. XD

Biglang natawa si Manong Ben nung napansin niya yata na I could barely contain my laughter dahel sa mga reaksyon ni Venice.

Manong Ben: Hahahaha Sige na nga. Hayaan mo na silang dalawa, Marie. Aba'y sa altar rin naman ang tuloy ng dalawang yaan eh. Di ga nga, Jerwin?

Aling Marie shook her head, smiling, and then she went on to prepare our sleeping quarters. Venice finished up washing the dishes and was drying her hands already.

Ako: Sa altar nga naman po. Kaya ngayon pa lang siguro, dapat nang pagpraktisan na masanay sa mga hilik ni Venice.

Venice: Hoy, at sino naman kaya sa'ting dalawa ang humihilik!?

Ako: Defensive?

Manong Ben: Hahahahaha naku, tama nga naman na mag-praktis! Ayan ngang si Marie, daig pa ang lindol kung makahilik eh!

Ako: Sana naman ay hindi maging ganon si Venice!

Venice laughed good-naturedly as she walked papunta sa likod ko.

Ako: Kailangan ko ang tulog ko-oowww!! AW!

Venice: Kailangan mo ang tulog mo-oh-oh aw?

Lumipad yung kamay ko sa likod nung left shoulder ko na kinurot nang pagkaaaa-lakas-lakas ni Venice. Panggigilan ba ko?!?

Ako: Geezus! Are you trying to pinch my skin off?!?

Venice: Oh, it didn't work?

Tumawa na ng tumawa si Manong Ben. I rubbed the spot where it hurts like held dahil sa pamatay na kurot ni Venice.

Sadista talaga. -__-

"Ano..."

Napatingin kami dun sa kabilang side nung table.. Nandun si Jose, nakatayo, holding a notebook. Mahiyaing bata. Parang nung nasa edad yata ako na ganyan, dinaig ko pa yung mga unggoy dun sa zoo sa ka-hyperan.

Jose: May assignment po ako sa English.. Eh, hindi ko naman maintindihan....

Manong Ben: Nako, anak, ako pa ang tinanong mo sa English na yan.

Venice knelt down in front of Jose and smiled at him. I watch with fascination as the sadistic sss turns to a more civilized picture of a caring woman.

Venice: Gusto mo, ako na lang ang magturo syo?

Jose: Nakakahiya naman po. Bisita ho kayo eh.

Venice: Wahsush, sa'kin ka pa nahiya.

Ako: Oo nga.. Eh wala rin namang hiya yan.

Venice: *tingin sa kin* Jerwin, namumuro ko na ha.. Isa pa, ilalambitin na kita sa labas.

Ako: See, Manong Ben? Amazona talaga!

Venice: Che!

She went to the living room with Jose. I think they're talking about verb agreement or something along those lines.. She's patiently teaching him tricks kung pano niya malalaman kung plural or singular ung subject and she's trying to teach him kung pano malalaman kung ano yung subject.

Patiently teaching the little kid...

Manong Ben: Magiging magaling na ina yaang batang yan.

Ako: Huh....

Manong Ben: Ka-swerte mo naman, iho. Maganda na nga, mabait pa. Rumami sana ang lahi nyo!

I laughed, but I couldn't take my eyes off Venice.

She's going to be a good mother, huh...

I wonder if she's going to be a good wife too..

O_o