Ang Multo sa Manhole - Under revision

Bogart says "29.2"

Eiji’s Point of View

Saturday afternoon nang makaluwas kami galing Pangasinan. Grabe! The three nights stay there was as remarkable as my newly tanned skin. Paano ba naman kasi, kakarinig ko pa lang sa back and forths ng tide upon arriving, unti-unti ng lumalabas kaliskis ko, ready to transform into mermaid na up until the very last swim. However, it’s not only my skin that was remarkable. There’s actually plenty to smirk at like for example – when the innocent Buknoy jerked after stepping on a similarly innocent sea urchin. Eventually, he screamed death! And being a concerned citizen of the sea creatures, niligtas ko ang sea urchin, left Buknoy there scream for mercy. Haha! No, I was just kidding. Of course, I helped him (no one, aside from me, wanted to volunteer to do so anyways).

After my exhilarating dragging ability, we finally set our feet – one and a half pair of foot, to be exact - on the white and ultra fine sand of the beach. This is truly a place for unwinding. Less hassle less tussle.  I’m not sure if it was on NGC or Discovery Channel, but I do remember watching what to do when you mess with an urchin. I let Buknoy lay on the sand while I asked for a handful of vinegar.  Patti’s youngest brother’s response was quick and literal, giving me a bowl – korteng kamay talaga – with just the right amount of vinegar I needed.

“Ano namang gagawin mo sa suka?” he asked, not only doubting my knowledge but also my skill on doing first aid.

“Kasi nga may nakita ako sa tv, para daw lumitaw yung parang tinik ng urchin na bumaon sa paa mo, kinakailangan ang suka.” I poured it carefully as I was explaining. And as if we were witnessing a magic show, nag- emerge nga yung mga tinik one by one. Now I know what to do pagnatinik ako, iinum ako ng Silver Swan. Pero worried ako – san naman kaya lalabas ang tinik? Sa leeg o sa ilong? Ahaha!

We also did kayaking – two person on each kayak – where we almost won the race if it wasn’t for Buknoy (yup, sya ka-share ko sa kayak) na ang kulit-kulit. Sinabi na nga kasing sa left mag row, sa right naman nya niro-row. Kung magaan lang sana ang paddle, ako na ang nag row. So as you can clearly see, si Buknoy lang talaga ang nagpapaddle ng kayak and I was just a mere salit-pusa pero kung maka-demand, tinibag pa ang diktadura ni Marcos. Ahaha! At dahil nga di sya nakinig sa akin, the kayak flipped and both were sent splashing on the sea. E naka pajamas pa ako nun that’s why kung medyo nasa malalim kaming part, malamang both were now shark’s food. The pajamas are heavy when you wear it wet. It’s like wearing iron man’s costume. And so in that case, nagpakaladkad ako kay Buknoy. Yes. Isa akong kaladkarin. Ahaha! Pero I made sure when he dragged me out the sea, he would have a zero chance to pervert me just like there was a zero crime rate that day when Pacquiao lost from Bradley. Why? Because even robbers couldn’t afford to miss the fight (makakapaghintay pa naman daw ang mananakawan. Haha!). And, related pa rin sa Pacquiao – Bradley match, dying from watching the fight was the least of my expectation. Narinig ko na lang sa mga tv news na may mga persons nga (mostly, oldies) ang nawalan ng buhay right after watching the game. I don’t know if it’s because they were drastically disappointed or natalo lang sa pusta. And that’s when laughing means a bad thing. Bakit nga ba napunta tayo kila Pacquiao? Istorya namin to a!?

We wrapped the night – our last night in that awesome place – by gathering ourselves around the big bonfire with our own stick of marshmallow. I love bonfire. I have to. Ako naghirap mangalap ng mga panggatong at nagpaapoy e! Ang galing diba? Partida tatlo na ang mga scouts nun ha, namely: Patti, Robert, and Buknoy. Hindi dahil nagquit ka sa BSP, hindi ka na pwedeng marecognize as Boy Scout. Of course, Boy Scout pa rin si Buknoy (and no one can take that away from him).

Sunday morning, dad drove us to the cemetery and no, not for him to bury mom and I alive but to pay visit to my lolo “The Original Kuya Kim” and lola “The original Shalani Soledad”. Nahihiya akong humarap kina lolo’t lola kasi I’m in between two fair people. Why kasi did I forget my SPF lotion!? In silence, the three of us talk with them. And while talking with them in my mind, bigla na lang nasagi sa isipan ko: hindi kaya naiimbyerna na to sila lolo’t lola? Tatlo- tatlo ang mga kumakausap sa kanila, kahit sa kabilang buhay ba naman may call center pa rin? Ahaha! Tinanong ko tuloy sila.