Territorio de los Hombres 1: Burt Sullen (Published by PHR, COMPLETED)

Chapter 17

"SO, HOW'S everything?" panimula ni Wulfredo. Nagpatawag si Antonio ng biglaang meeting nang hapong iyon. Nasa Casa de los Hombres sila, kompleto.

"I'm resigning," sabi ni Antonio.

Napatingin dito ang lahat. Si Burt lang ang hindi. Halos wala ang isip niya sa meeting. Nakita niya nang ihatid si Fate ng service sa Maynila kaninang tanghali. Gabi pa ang flight nito pabalik sa New York. Hindi na siguro sila magkikita pa.

"But why?" mayamaya ay tanong ni Urbing.

"Because Burt and I had been clashing these past few days. I think I need to get away for a while."

"Burt?" baling sa kanya ni Wulfredo.

"Fine and good," sabi niya.

"What the hell is the problem here?" Si Wulfredo uli ang nagsalita. Halos ganoon din ang bulalas ng iba pang nandoon.

Matagal na siyang nagtitimpi kay Antonio. May pinagsamahan lang kasi sila kaya hindi pa tuluyang nagdidilim ang paningin niya rito. Malaki ang atraso ni Antonio sa kanya. Tama ang sinabi nito. Palagi niyang kinokontra ang sinasabi ni Antonio nitong huling ilang araw. He hated his guts.

"Tinanong ko 'yan kay Burt, hindi naman niya masagot," sabi ni Antonio. "Frankly, I'm sick and tired of his bullshit. He asked an asset employee to resign, kahit ayaw ko."

"Damn you, man!" Sumambulat na ang galit niya. "You only wanted her to stay because she gave you good head! Fuck you!" Handa na sana niyang sugurin ito nang isa-isang magtayuan ang mga kasama nila. Sina Cholo at Urbing ang humawak sa kanya. Natulala naman si Antonio.

"Calm down, calm down!" sabi ni Wulfredo, mukhang inis na rin.

Ngayon lang nagkaroon ng ganoong away sa pagitan nilang lahat magmula noong mga bata pa sila. At ngayon lang nakaramdam ng ganoon katinding galit si Burt, lalo na sa isa sa mga matalik niyang kaibigan.

"Who's giving who? Good head? Lucky bastard!" sabi ni Julian. Sa kanilang lahat, ito ang hindi apektado kahit magkagiyera na. "So, check this out. Last night, I was with this chick, right? And ooh..." Kinagat nito ang naka-bend na hintuturo. "She was hot. As in super hot. But when she gave me head, man, it was terrible. Her teeth almost skinned my—"

"Shut up!" halos sabay pang saway nina Francis at Jose Maria.

"All right. Calm down. I was just trying to ease the tension." Nagkibit-balikat si Julian.

"Burt, you don't know what you're talking about," sabi ni Antonio, mukhang nasisindak pa sa akusasyon niya.

"Liar! I could really kill you! I trusted you, pare. Alam mo nang akin si Fate, pero ano'ng ginawa mo? 'Tang-ina, eh!" Naisuntok ni Burt ang kamao sa mesa. "I love her, man. I love her..." Napaupo na lang siya sa swivel chair. For the first time in almost two decades, he felt like crying.

"Tell us what happened," sabi ni Wulfredo.

Andhe did, as he remembered the scene that crushed him.

"PUT EVERYTHING in your mouth, honey. There you go. It might drip, you see."

Natigil si Burt sa pagpasok sa opisina ni Antonio nang marinig ang boses nito. Galing siya sa cabin ni Fate pero wala naman doon ang dalaga. May nakakita kay Fate sa hotel at sinabing nandoon nga raw ito sa opisina ni Antonio. Pero ano ang ilalagay ni Fate sa bibig nito? Bahagyang nakaawang ang pinto ng opisina kaya dinig niya ang usapan sa loob.

"Oh, these balls are fine!" Boses iyon ni Fate. "They look hard, but they're really not. They're fluffy in the mouth. Oh, it's kinda sticky."

"Yeah," sabi ni Antonio. "It's supposed to be sticky."

Nalaglag ang mga panga ni Burt. Gusto niyang sumugod na sa loob pero alam niyang mapapahiya ang dalawa. He was squirming. He wanted to leave but he had to keep listening.

"Really good. Oh!" sabi ni Fate, parang nagsasalita habang puno ang bibig.

"Don't talk while your mouth is full, honey," sabi ni Antonio.

"What a huge banana," bulalas ni Fate.

"By the way, where's Burt?"

"I don't know. Probably in his office. Which reminds me, I have to see him after this. Now, gimme that banana."

"My pleasure."

Nakinig pa si Burt, nanghihina na. Muling nagsalita si Fate. "Are you gonna pop that or not?"

"For you, I will."

"Good, because I wanna drink it. I could swallow even the last drop! Hey, are you gonna eat this?"

"Later."

"Do you think Burt would like to eat this?"

"Oh, haven't he already?" tanong ni Antonio.

"I wish Burt would give me a banana like this, too."

"But that's a special banana."

"I know. It's so big."

Natawa si Antonio. "Eat the balls, Fate."

Natahimik ang dalawa. Pinangangapusan na ng hininga si Burt. May kung anong bikig na namuo sa kanyang lalamunan. Gusto na niyang tumalikod pero hindi niya maigalaw ang mga paa.

He could see clearly in his head what the two were doing. And Fate had the gall to accuse him of being a pervert before? Ito ang pervert! Ito at si Antonio! What was wrong with his "banana"? Gaano ba kalaki ang "banana" ni Antonio para purihin nang ganoon ni Fate? Wasn't his "banana" big enough? He had a huge "banana." But not huge enough for Fate apparently.

And worst of all, she was doing to his friend what she didn't do to him last night. Maybe because his "banana" was not big enough.

Mga taksil!

"Hey, I'm going to see Burt pa. Are you gonna come or not?"

"I'm gonna come. I'm coming."

"Bilisan mo. Mabilis akong mainip."

Pinilitni Burt ang sariling tumalikod na. Parang makakapatay siya ng tao. Dere-deretsosiya sa kanyang opisina. On the way, he saw Rosanne. Niyaya niya agad ito sakanyang opisina. He would show those two!