Our College Takeaway

Episode 11 - I Almost Did

Looking outside the windows of the bus I’m currently riding on, I recalled all the past events that have happened ever since I started my new life in San Clemente as a college student. I have met a new friend—Karma, and I hope that I could befriend some people in the department and the block.

Staring at the hectare-wide rice farms, I thought of the events that happened in my new environment for the past month. Indeed, I have met new people and new acquaintances, I even experienced my first fight and my first arguments in that university. I can’t believe that there are people like that in San Clemente University.

I just thought that there would be no students like that in there since that it’s considered as a prominent university. Even so, I need to accept that everything happens for a reason. I just wanted Arjim to be cautious for once, he wasn’t thinking about how I’m feeling whatsoever.

“Ugh, the twists of life.” I whispered to myself while still staring at the bus’ window.

Moments later, we’ve reached Sabani. After a month of being in San Clemente, I surely miss my home town. I smiled when I saw the welcome arch and kept I it until we’ve crossed the arch. Seeing the mountains once again, the dense grass fields filled with beautiful flowers, the rich farm life of the municipality, it drives me back to be glad even more.

I decided to get off the bus before it reaches the terminal, I’m now in front of our parish church while carrying a backpack containing some of my clothes I got from San Clemente. I went inside the church and did the sign of the cross, genuflected, and then I prayed while kneeling.

I’ve been a parishioner of this church ever since I woke up into consciousness, this is one of the things that I let go when I went to San Clemente for college. I’m just happy that I’m able to come here again after a month of being gone.

I’ve told our patron saint—Saint Paul the Apostle, about the experiences I’ve been through and that living in San Clemente is really fun. I made an intercession prayer to Saint Joseph of Cupertino and to the Virgin Mary for the Lord to guide me throughout my college life, knowing that the Lord always answers my intercession prayers when they’re the ones I’m making intercessions of.

After a while, I went off and I ride a tricycle to get home. No one would even wait for me in the terminal when I said that I wanted somebody to come and fetch me there, that’s the reason why I got off the bus and instead went to the parish church to pray. I truly miss this town, but not the people I know—except for Pious.

The trike reached our barangay and it tossed me right to a waiting shed, I paid the fare and the trike went off. I was left alone in a waiting shed right before the welcome arch of our barangay, it’s currently noon and the weather is quite humid. Even so, the breeze blowing from the west gives me a cool feeling of balanced warmth.

I get my foldable umbrella from my backpack and I immediately opened it to counter the rays of the scorching sun. I walk towards cement road, still feeling the breeze and enjoying the scenery I did miss when I’m on San Clemente. Nostalgia then hit me, knowing that I’ll be here for only two days.

I reached our house, my Lola was the one who greeted me first. It seems like she’s in a good mood today and she’s happy to see me. I sat at our porch while Lola was still talking, saying that she missed me so much when I went away. I just smiled knowing that those words are not even genuine.

“How’s your school, Apo? Is it nice to live in a city like San Clemente? Isn’t it dangerous there because there are a lot of snatchers and thieves?” Lola asked me, mimicking a concerned tone. I’m new to this new attitude of hers, she doesn’t even care about me in the past years.