The Fall of Alexander the Great (Monteverde Series 3)

11

The car was parked near the entrance and it chirped when he pressed the button on his remote. The door hissed open. I was about to get in when I saw a vendor selling street food on the other side. I held Alexander by the tip of his shirt and tugged at the direction of the seller.

"Where are you off to, Blythe?" asked Alexander's curious voice which I ignored. I continued ambling closer to the fishball cart. I have been craving for this for weeks now, and I'm finally about to satisfy that craving. Alexander followed behind.

"Hindi ako sure kung magandang ideya 'yan."

"Oh, come on. 'Wag mong sabihin sa aking hindi ka pa nakakatikim ng ganito!"

Kulay asul ang pintura ng buong cart. Mayroon sa gilid na burner at kalan, kung saan nakapatong ang lutuan. Sa lutuan ay nakasalang na ang assortment ng fishball, kikiam, hotdog, at squid balls. May sticks sa gilid at tatlong sawsawan. Nilingon ko si Alexander at nakita ko ang pagkalito sa mukha niya.

"You are going to eat those UFOs?"

"What?" I queried, confused. "Ano'ng UFOs ang sinasabi mo r'yan?"
Itinuro niya ang mga laman ng lutuan. "Unidentified floating objects."

Napahilot ako sa sentido ng wala sa oras. Halatang hindi na natutuwa sa kanya ang matandang tindero dahil kitang-kita sa ekspresyon niya na hindi niya gustong tikman ang mga pagkain. "What are those floating things?"

"Alexander, hindi ko alam kung saang planeta ka ipininanganak ng nanay mo at hindi mo alam kung ano ang fishball. You are missing half of your life."

"Pretty sure I have half of my life right next to me."

I snapped. "What?"

Natatawang umiling siya. "You need to have those ears cleaned, love."

I didn't want to give what he said too much attention, and meaning, so I focused on the food in front of me. I took a stick and used it to impale the fishballs. I dipped it on the container that has the sweet sauce before I handed it for him to taste.

"Here, try it."

"I'm not sure I should."

"Ang arte mo. This tastes good, I swear," I cajoled.

"I don't want to, okay?"

"Baby boy, 'wag ka nang magpakipot. Naiinis na ako."

Finally, kinuha niya narin ang stick. Natawa ako sa ekspresyon ng mukha niya. "Mas kadiri pa ang pagtawag mo sa akin ng baby boy kaysa sa pagkaing ito." He looked skeptical about biting into it, but slowly, he raised it to his mouth and started chewing.

"So?" I waited.

He had a defeated expression on his face. "This does taste good." I grinned at him and kissed his cheek. "You win. I need another set."

"Great!" Napapalakpak ako. Kumuha siya ng stick at tinusok ang mga lumulutang na fishball sa kalan. Itinuro ko sa kanya kung nasaan ang sawsawan bago ako kumuha ng lima pang kwek-kwek. Maya-maya ay kinalabit niya ako at aktong gusto niyang iluwa ang nginunguya.

"Akala ko ba gusto mo? Bakit mukhang nasusuka ka r'yan?"

"Hindi ko alam bakit nag-iba ang lasa. Sinawsaw ko lang naman doon." Sabay kaming napatingin ng tindero sa tinuro niya at agad na napabunghalit ng tawa. Kinuha ko sa kamay niya ang stick at itinapon ito sa basurahan.

"What? Bakit kayo tumatawa? What did I do?" takang baling niya sa amin. Nagpunas ako ng luha buhat ng labis na pagtawa. Napakamot naman ng ulo ang tindero bago nagsalita.