Running Away

Tributo

 "Please, please, please!"

Here we are again. Sir Lacanilao was at our house, and he was desperate. As with every season the tributo rolls around. You see, he's a farmer, and so is my lola. He doesn't have that fertile of a planting ground, so whatever he gets, he sells to reach the tributo of one-half real (since his wife got extremely sick and he's now a single man, he doesn't have to pay the 8 reales that families have to). He uses the extra for food and other necessities. But that means that by the end of the year, he doesn't have enough for the bandala, which is another form of tax that farmers have to pay. Sure, he tries, but no one said that little plant was gonna grow in a few hours.

"Please, Lola Tanilon, it's just a small amount of sugarcane. If I don't pay it, I'll be tortured, or worse..." I saw the look of pure grief on his face. My lola and I knew that he had some family heirloom that he never gave to anyone, and never let anyone see. He was in constant fear that someone would steal it, his only prized possession.

My lola sighed. "Eron, I'll give them to you. But maybe instead you should ask for my help in managing your crops. You have a limited supply, so you should be careful with what you use it for. Not to mention, there's a high chance they'll be raising the tributo prices soon!"

Sir Lacanilao nodded his head. "Yes, I know. But it's hard to even sustain myself at this point. My wife told me never to undersleep, and I'm working hard to comply but..."

They continued to talk for a while. I was sitting on a rock nearby. I sighed. We've been dealing with this for a while. And it's not just Lacanilao. It's Samonte, it's the girl down the street, it's a lot of people near us. It never ends during the tributo season. It's mostly the bandala. The reales can be managed, but fellow farmers nearby would often ask for crops to reach the amount of crops that we have to give for the sake of the encomenderos, the men who run our encomienda, and also for some of the biggest pains-in-the-everywhere history. Somehow, it's the same men. I wonder how that got there!

I was stuck in this thought process as I noticed my coming back, arms holding a small stock of sugarcane. She handed it to Sir Lacanilao, who took it with open arms. He thanked her and hurriedly ran out to head towards his house before one of the encomenderos came (to collect the tributo).

My lola called me. We started harvesting rice, and soon I asked my lola: "Remind me why we're agreeing to do this for the encomenderos again?"

She gave me a weary smile, like she'd been wondering the same exact question as well, but gave me the answer that I was expecting: "Well.. if we don't, we will be tortured, or our things will be taken, or both. The people in our area still need our help with the bandala, and we can't let them down."

We continued in silence before heading back to our house. When we arrived, we heard a sharp knock on the door. My lola went to check on it, me close behind. Low and behold, it was one of the encomenderos, who came to "collect the annual tax" which roughly translates to: "taking your stuff cause why not!!!!". My lola went to get our reales and our crops while I waited at the front door. Quickly gathering my courage, I asked him: "So... how's it like? Must be nice being an encomendero and all? Torturing innocent people and not being able to support yourself cause you just can't do anything else... You know, all that stuff!"

He stared at me: "Watch your words."

I squinted my eyes and glared back: "Oh, I'm watching them very carefully..."

This continued for a while before my lola came back, hands full. She stared between us for a while, and then asked me: "What's going on here, Josefina?"

I answered: "I'm just laying down some facts is all, lola."

"Sure you are, pamangkin." She walked over and handed it to the encomendero. "I am really sorry about her. She likes to live in a fantasy where everyone is the bad guy but her. Sometimes she'll hit me with palay and say that I'm Satan or something." She faked a laugh

"Don't say his name, you might evoke him." said the encomendero with no spot of humor. "Thank you for the crops. Next time, mind the bites from the lamok. The other encomenderos will not be happy with it!" And with that, he walked away. Like seriously. How are they going to notice 2 bites from a lamok? These guys need to get a life.

"Dear don't anger them again."

"...OK, lola."