Tales Told at Marites Canteen

Chapter 3 (newly written scenes)

"Baloney," Sase said, louder than he intend to. He crumpled the glossy, expensive pamphlet and throw it in the nearest trash sack.

He turned his phone on and looked at his daughter's photograph displayed as his screen saver.

As a slight early evening breeze touches his rather large, round face. He smiled at the bitter-sweet memories triggered by the fragrant smell of blooming Kasuy tree adjacent to the guard house. Then all at once, flashbacks began flooding him instantaneously.

Flashback # 1

Around this time, thirty years ago. ... He was standing, along with the countless, tension-filled, helpless spectators in front of a burning single-story building. The suffocating acrid smell of burning rubber, wood and whatnot are still fresh, dreadful and all-too real. The acrid thick smoke along with the raging fire that was devouring the large Arcely Disco House was still too real for him. His unica hija was still inside as the fire fighters from City and the adjacent Municipalities are frantically trying to quell the inferno. He still hears the scream of those people trapped in the burning building as they slowly smother in the deadly smoke and fire.

He has this strong memory of reading her daughter's name in the fatality list flashed on screen during TV news report. Of hearing his then wife wail at the loss of their only girl, Aimee, a graduating high school student.

He still hears the arson investigator explanation on TV. "... Had they design the door to open outward, the casualty count couldn't been this many,.."

They were showing on the screen, albeit blurred, the charred remains of the victims of what could have been an easily preventable inferno.

Sase still harbors vivid memory of embracing her closed casket when in the truth of the matter she was one of the two who made it out alive of the said inferno. Thanks to one of her graduating classmates and barkada, the charismatic student leader and devout Richard De Lana.

Flash back # 2

Joe Sase took a deep breath. He considers himself a quintessential Filipino man, macho in the mold of 80's movie action heroes, though, he humorously admits to himself, he is more like those contrabida (villain) than that of the leading man type. He is large man, with a booming voice. A tough guy.

"Darn" he looked up, here he go again, he sniff and involuntarily wipes his eyes with the sleeves of his denim jacket. The remembrance of De Lana unfailingly made him very emotional.

In his mind's eye Joseph Sase was transported to the day he started this Nueva Escalante High School security job.

He was standing at the pedestrian gate just besides the 'no ID, no entry' sign when Aimee came in one early-June noon time.

"Hi! Dad" she gestured at the other two students, a girl and a boy "I want you to meet my friends, my classmates from III – Mangga" it was decades before it come to called Grade 9.

"Dad this is Richard De Lana" it was Aimee. The slightly build guy, wearing a loose black T-shirt, his around sixteen, slightly bowed his head in greetings as he extend his hand.

"Nice to meet you, sir," he said. Sase smile, and clasp the kid's hand. He was a bit surprised at his firm grip and the look of intense sincerity in his eyes.

"And this is Elise Fransisco" continues Aimee.

"Hello sir!" the girl also shook Joe's hand. She was attractive, He felt the war, and honesty in her expressive eyes. She got a lovely smile on her slightly round face, her hair was wavy, typical of the trend of the day.

Both his hija and Elise are wearing the school uniform, a white navy collared blouse and golden yellow knee-length skirt.

Joe learned from Aimee that the pair was just close friends at that moment.