(A/N: The day Meng has been waiting for finally arrived, mark your calendars, it's OPQ D-Day. Ang tanong, makakapag-isip kaya siya sa pupuntahan niya o mas magiging it's complicated ang buhay niya?)
Traversing EDSA from the condo, where Meng stays during workdays, and SLEX was a breeze on a Sunday morning. Especially if you leave very early which they did. Di naman halatang excited siya. Slight lang.
They have been on the road for just more than an hour at nasa Batangas na agad sila. And it's just 7am. Meng had been preoccupied with what she'll do in the farm that she did not notice that Kuya Poch was silent all throughout their journey, at hindi ma-idrawing ang mukha. (#SilentActing)
"Ok kuya Poch, may problema ba? Malapit na tayo sa farm pero bakit di pa rin maipinta mukha mo?"
"Kasi naman Meng, it's finally sinking in. Sa dinami-dami ng lugar, sa farm n'yo pa talaga! Meron namang Boracay, o kaya Bantayan island sa Cebu, or even Coron in Palawan, di ba you like beaches?"
"Peace and quiet ang habol ko Kuya Poch to think about my decision. I want to move freely with minimum distractions. And what's wrong with the farm? Ang ganda kaya ng farm namin and I haven't been there for ages."
"Girl, masyado ka namang assuming! Ano akala mo, na makikilala ka ng mga tao sa pupuntahan mo? "
"You did not answer my question, what's wrong with the farm?"
"What's wrong with the farm? Because a farm is a farm is a farm. Alam mo bang nag-iimagine na ko ng sightseeing para magbilang ng mga magaganda at guwapo sa beach tapos tatanong mo what's wrong with the farm? Ano bibilangin ko do'n? May maganda bang baka at baboy, aber, sige nga? Kaloka to! O yung phone mo nagriring! Sila manang yata... sigurado todo prepare na ang mga yun para sa pagdating natin."
"Talaga lang ha? Magbilang ng maganda ka diyan! Bipolar ka rin eh no?" Meng observed while getting the phone from her bag.
The voice of their katiwala in the farm greeted Meng but she seems to be in panic. "Good morning manang! Malapit na po kami, siguro po mga 45mins na lang. Star Tollway na po bago sa Lipa... ANO PO? Dahan, dahan lang manang. Ano pong problema? Sigurado po kayo?... Kanina pa sila sa labas?...ilan po sila?...ano pong mga tinatanong?........hmmmm. Ganito na lang po, papasukin n'yo po sila at paki-entertain po. Serve them breakfast, humingi na lang po kayo ng pasensiya. Pero pakisabi na walang advise na pupunta ako ng farm. Huwag n'yo pong sasabihin na nagkausap tayo, manag. Mabuti na pong wala kayong alam sa balak namin...Sige po, salamat po sa tawag!"
"Ano daw nangyari? Kanina mamula-mula pisngi mo, bakit ngayon namumutla ka na diyan?"
"Scrap plan A kuya Poch! Sabi ni manang, ang dami daw fans sa labas ng gate ng farm at mangilan-ngilan na mga reporters na nag-aabang. How did they know we're going there? May nag-spill ba?"
"Wala kaming kinalaman ni kuya Manny diyan. Wait, alam ko na! Hello??? Alam nilang naka-bakasyon ka. Sabi mo sa interview mo, secret tapos nag-tweet ka ng break from social media, hindi ba magdududa mga fans mo? Wala kang published schedule for this week, a wala ring leak from any travel agent? Ang galing kaya mag-soco ng mga yon! Pati sa math, magagaling din sila. Hayan o, put two and two together - they get the farm. So ano nang gagawin natin? Uwi na ba tayo? Puwede pa tayong magbook ng flight to a resort. Baka lang naman..."
All the while Paolo was talking, Meng was already at the back of the van rummaging through her luggage and things that she usually uses for shoots. "Of course not! Hindi tayo uuwi! Ang tagal kong hinintay to and I will not give up this one week of freedom. Park mo muna yang resort resort na yan. Kuya Henry, puwede po stop over muna tayo sa susunod na gas station? Hanap po kayo nung may coffee shop? Kuya Poch, prepare your backpack, just bring enough clothes to last you a few days then whatever you think are essentials. And put this on..." all the while mentally praying, "Lord, please give me a sign, kailangan pong matuloy ito."
"Teka ano 'to? Ano gagawin ko sa wig? Menggay? Ano binababalak mo? Menggay!!!!" no response came from her since she was already preparing her own backpack and her own disguise.
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RJ
The sudden jolt of the pickup truck to the right alarmed Wally.
"Huy RJ, inaantok ka pa yata eh! Kami muna magda-drive."
"Oo nga kuya Wally, sorry po. Nangulit kasi makipaglaro si Anna kagabi, dahil last night ko na daw sa bahay. Ayun di kami nakatulog nila Lola. Magstop-over na lang muna tayo. Hanap akong gas station na may coffee shop. Check na rin siguro natin yung mga dala natin."
"Ay may alam ako ditong coffee shop sa Batangas na kapeng barako ang sine-serve. Sige diretso ka lang. Bago yon dumating ng Lipa...."
A few minutes later, Kuya Wally alerted RJ to the sign of the gas station.
"Ayan, ayan na Tisoy yung sign, 2 km na lang."
RJ parked beside a tinted silver gray van in front of the coffee shop and told the two guys to go ahead and order. "Sige po order na kayo, check ko lang yung supplies natin sa likod."
"Kasama ba almusal RJ?" asked Kuya Wally with a sheepish grin.
"Siyempre naman kuya Wally. Ako po, tea na lang, saka tosilog."
"Sige kami ng bahala sa order. Sunod ka na lang."
It was a good 15 mins when RJ followed inside the cafe. He stood just inside the doorway for a minute while he scan the tables to look for his companions. He spotted the two at the far end of the room.
"RJ! DITO KAMI NI JOSE...... I-seserve na lang order natin." Kuya Wally raised his hand to call his attention.
RJ went and sat down at their table. "ANO, KUMPLETO PA BA YUNG MGA DALA NATIN? NACHECK MO BA YUNG LAMAN NG PICKUP, MATAGTAG BIYAHE PAAKYAT NG BUNDOK" RJ was surprised when Kuya Jose asked this in a loud voice na dinig yata sa buong cafe.
Bakit siya sumisigaw?
"ANONG MANGYAN VILLAGE BA PUPUNTAHAN NATIN? BAKIT PARANG ANG DAMI NATING DALA? Isa pa itong si Kuya Wally. Wala na, kung national secret ito, alam na ng lahat ng tao.
Ay kaya pala, mga naka-earphone. He leaned into Kuya Jose, removed an earphone from his ear, "Hindi naman kayo galit nang lagay na yan? Tanggalin n'yo kaya mga earphones n'yo, na-aanounce n'yo na pupuntahan natin." he noticed that a number of people in the cafe have turned to look at their direction.
"Hehe, pasensiya ka na RJ, natuwa lang kami dito sa bigay mo. Naaliw kaming makinig ng mga kanta. Sinagot mo na ba yung tanong namin?"
"Yung pupuntahan natin ang pinakamalayo na Mangyan community kaya medyo mahihirapan tayo pabalik-balik sa bayan tulad dati. Isa't kalahating araw na trekking mula sa base camp kaya malamang papalipas tayo ng gabi sa isang campsite mamaya. Sa San Jose ang takeoff point natin."
"Hanga din ako sa 'yo RJ. Ang lakas mo talaga kay Commissioner Dominguez. Biruin mong suportadong- suportado ka sa project mo." observed Wally
"Anong malakas? Legal lahat ng mga sponsors natin, uy!"
"Pinagtatakahan pa ba yan Wally? Biruin mo, tinatapatan ng Faulkerson Foundation bawat pisong nilalabas ng gobyerno. Saka saan ka pa makakakita ng consultant na guwapo na libre pa serbisyo, gumagastos pa ng sarili niyang pera!"
"Sige Kuya Jose, ipagsigawan mo pa! Puwera biro, kita lang nila integridad natin. Wala naman tayong ginagawang kalokohan. Saka ano ba kayo, nakakatulong din naman 'to sa research ko kaya quits lang."
"Tama! Pero RJ, hindi ka ba nagtatampo na halos kalahati ng naipon ng magulang mo ay napunta sa Foundation? Eh di sana, mas mayaman kayo ngayon." Kuya Jose further commented as he continuously enjoy his breakfast.
"Okay lang, sobra naman ang naiwan nila sa amin ni Ate. May ipon na rin naman ako. Saka ano ba kayo? Ang tagal nang pangarap ni Mommy 'to...... Pero alam n'yo?
"Ano yun, RJ?" they asked in unison.
"Ang dami n'yong sinasabi, interview ba 'to? Puwede ba kumain na lang tayo? Late na o, mahuhuli na tayo sa biyahe ng barko."
While they were eating, two customers from a nearby table hurriedly stood up and left. One looks like a teenage boy wearing cap and shades while the other one was a mestiza-looking tall "woman" with blond hair and too much makeup..
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Of Love, Signs and Logic (Completed)
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