28 - A Quiet Night

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Photo credit: Jacob Images, Mangyan series

A/N One of the perks of being in the mountains from time to time, away from technology are the easy  conversations, the stories, the quiet camaraderie.

A/N One of the perks of being in the mountains from time to time, away from technology are the easy  conversations, the stories, the quiet camaraderie

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"Ano Meng, payag ka na? Sige na, please!" Kuya Wally pleads.

Kaya naman. Carry ko naman 'to. Maliit na bagay.  Meng is studying the material given to her, by the light of the lamp as she sits on the top step of the bamboo stairs.

Kuya Jose and Kuya Wally are asking her to handle the first part of the training tomorrow. According to them, this part is usually conducted by social workers that go with them in their previous visits to other Mangyan communities. They are not comfortable doing it but RJ assigned them to handle the task.

The four of them had just finished dinner of boiled corn and sweet potatoes and are just having a quiet night recap outside their hut. She made sure first that RJ is still meeting with the village elders before she joined them.

"Hindi naman magagalit ang boss n'yo pag nalaman niya? Alam n'yo naman yon, pinaglihi yata sa kamias."

"Kaming bahala! Titiyempuhan natin na kukuha sila ng kahoy sa gubat." promised Kuya Jose.

"Para pumayag ka meron pa kong bonus. May baon akong joke!" said Kuya Wally when she won't still commit to do the task.

"Naku parang awa n'yo na. Pakinggan n'yo na si Wally, hindi ako patatahimikin niyan mamaya." entreats Jose when he realized what Wally is up to.

"Sige, ano yon Kuya Wally?" Meng asked to indulge Kuya Wally.

"Maganda 'to, nag-practice ako kanina doon sa kasama ko." He stood up rubbing his hands together and faced them."Eto na. Ano ang sabi ng maliit na q kay maliit na p? Imagine n'yo ha, maliit na q saka maliit na p."

(A/N: Yung totoo Kuya Wally, naintindihan ng Mangyan yung alphabet joke mo?"

"Ano?" the three asked in unison.

"Pare, saan ba nakaharap ang pila? hahahaha! Di ba nakakatawa?"

There was no reaction from the three, while Wally continued to laugh.

"Naku, Menggay, pakiusap, pumayag ka na, at baka sundan pa yan ni Wally mamaya!" Kuya Paolo requested.

"Sige na, payag na ko. Basta Kuya Wally, yung promise mo."

"Oo Meng, hahanap ako ng maraming mais doon sa mga bago kong friends na mga Mangyan. Magsasawa ka. Salamat! Salamat talaga!"

"Sandali lang, eto na ba yon? Wala na itong dagdag ha?" holding up the material. "Ano na nga Kuya Jose yung topic sa ibang training n'yo bukas?"

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