Of Love, Signs and Logic (Completed)

24 - Up and About

Photo credit: pinterest.com

OPQ Day 3 - Tuesday

Meng refused to get up and join the others for breakfast early that same morning. Diet siya, bakit ba? Masakit pa katawan niya. Madaling araw na siya nakatulog.

Excuses, excuses.

She tried to make sense of the words she heard while they were having breakfast in front of their hut but so far no discussion about her. She did not also heard his voice. He's either quiet or he was not also present. So far so good.

Around 10am, when she was sure everyone has gone off to wherever they need to go, Meng ventured outside of the room. She found items on the bamboo table: a rechargeable solar lamp that can also function as usb charger, Hapee toothpaste, mosquito repellent lotion, some medicine for fever, headache and body pain, and Neozep? Ah, para sa sipon. . Hmmm... bakit kaya walang soap at shampoo? Di pa kinumpleto? 

(A/N: ok, pardon me for the product placements, can't resist)

Wait, if I'm not mistaken, this is the lamp he was holding last night. So sa kanya galing? Ano 'tong mga ito, peace offering?

She also learned from Kuya Poch before he went out that RJ was already up at the break of dawn constructing a makeshift toilet near their hut. Isang bagay, na ayon daw sa kanyang dalawang bubuwit ay ngayon lang daw ginawa ni RJ, kahit pa may kasama silang ibang social workers na babae sa ibang village na pinuntahan nila dati. Thus, making it appear that he did it for her. Eh ano ngayon? Pagkatapos niya kong inisin? Guilty, kaya bumabawi?

Dismissing her negative thoughts, she made sure that nobody is around outside the vicinity of the hut. She went out and saw the makeshift toilet, which, turned out sturdy and provided the much needed privacy. 

Now, armed with her notebook and music from her freshly recharged phone, she explored the area looking for a quiet nook where she can just write and think about her decision-making problem.

Meng smiled as she passed by the Mangyans, men, women and children going on about their daily activities. After awhile, she found an elevated ground shaded by trees. It also afforded a view of the village below.

This is it! Peace and quiet at last!

She started weighing her options, writing in her notebook, pros and cons and all. Mahirap pala ito. Balik na lang kaya ako sa signs? But once in a while, her attention is drawn below where the three guys, with a group of Mangyans, are starting to work on a cleared ground. Observing from afar, they are trying to form what will look like a rectangular structure after it's built, judging by the string tied around short stakes buried at the four corners of the ground, marking the perimeter.

She has a good vantage point. Hidden by a tree and yet with a clear view of what's happening, and him.

She saw how competently he worked. Papers and plans in hand,  she observed him giving instructions and demonstrating what should be done and actually taking part in the manual labor. Today, he's wearing a plain white shirt, khaki shorts and mountaineering shoes, thus, making his fair complex stand out among the natives.

The group soon disappeared into the forest and returned more than an hour later with logs of different sizes. Meng watched as they started cutting the logs into half using an ax. She laughed out loud when kuya Poch tried it and failed. Miserably.