By Ardy & Dave
I noticed that Ma’am Ardy held on tightly to me (Dave) as she leaned on Ruth who was just behind us. The three (3) of us – Ma’am Ardy, Ruth and I – really looked around and could not see any man.
And Ma’am Ardy asked me softly, “Dave, nganong nahilum man sila? Kang kinsa man tong tingog lagi? Daku-a man to nga tingog? Nganong imposing man siya nangutana? Nganong nakaila man siya nako, Dave, nahadlok ko!”
As I looked at Ma’am Ardy who appeared scared, I felt the world was in slow motion and time was moving slower than usual. I could even hear my own heartbeat.My throat became dry. I wanted some candies as I felt my sugar count was going down. I sipped some water. I strongly sensed the fear of Ma’am Ardy which affected her secretary, Ruth and even me. Indeed, I stretched my neck to look for the owner of that huge voice.
I had to know who owned the voice – that male voice that we heard. Ma’am Ardy was glued to where she was standing, with Ruth behind her. I was glued to my thoughts.
In an instant, I felt I was transported back to the time when the alleged crime happened. I saw myself witnessing how Mary Joy and her sister were brutally hacked by the suspect. I can almost smell the anguish of the young girl and her sister. Yes, I seemed to taste the bitterness of the crime. I blinked my eyes several times as the screams of Mary Joy seemed loud to my ears, and her scampering for safety, clear to my eyes, The volume of the screams of Mary Joy suddenly flashed before me.
Everything seemed a very unnerving experience. It was an experience that surely I did not want to happen again. And was the suspect right in our midst? Was he with us a reason that Ma’am Ardy was very silent with her cold hands and feet?
“Kang kinsa man gyud diay tong tingog?” I dared to to ask.
I had to calm myself and be composed. I was with people that I know and no one would dare do something bad to us.
“But he did something to his family in front of his family, too. A senseless man can do the worst of things, anywhere and anytime,” I argued to myself.
“What if he was really around? Why did I suddenly become stiff and stubborn to try looking around? Was the feeling of Ma’am Ardy infecting me? Lord, Jesus, strengthen me!”
All the above composed the conversation between me and myself.
“Kamo lagi to sa radyo ba,” the voice said again.
Ma’am Ardy jolted from where she stood and said, “Hala oi, kinsa man na siya?”
I dared to be unperturbed and asked Laura, “Kinsa man to? Asa ra man to siya?”. I spoke with a tone that was more exclamatory than interrogative.
Laura smiled and said, “Silingan to sya namo, Sir. Mao gyud nay iyang tingog: kusog ug lawom. Sukad mi nabalhin dire, siya ang mutabang tabang namo ug mutan-aw tan-aw ug kinsay mo bisita namo dire,” Laura continued.
“Haayyyyy,” Ma’am Ardy expressed a sigh of relief.
“The I told Laura secretly, “Abi ko ba ug mao to ang imong pares unya mibalik siya karon kay nakabuhi na. Gikuyawan mi kaayo kay mura man gud ug diha’y iyang gitakin.”
“Di oi. Napriso na man gud to sya sir oi. Di na to kagawas. Gipasakaan na to sya ug kaso sa mga pulis.” Laura told me.
That statement was re-assuring. What Laura said was real music to my ears.
“Salamat, ha!” I told the man who owned the voice. He was a male figure stepping closer and standing outside by the window of Laura’s house. And he started to yell as though we were kilometers apart.
“Kanunay ko maminaw ninjo ma’am, sir. Mao jung tingog-a ba. Dili jud ikag limod. Dili jud ko misipyat ug paminaw ninjo. Si ma’am lagi kay batan-on pa ug tingog sa radyo, no,” the man said.
“Hi hi hi hi. Ma’am batan-on pa kuno ka ug tingog sa radyo. Meaning, batan-on pa lagi ka ug tingog,” I threw the joke to Ma’am Ardy to allay all her fears.
“Salamat,” was the only word Ma’am Ardy said to him. I noticed that her fear suddenly transformed into irritation. What if the man would again say (like Mary Joy) that Ma’am Ardy is already 90 years old? It would be the start of an “ek ek tsu tsu warap” as Ma’am Ardy would call all situations that she is not comfortable with.
“E-greet ko sa radyo ma’am ha,” the man continued talking to Ma’am Ardy..
“Gikapoy na si Ma’am, Nong, unya gigutom pud,” Ruth the secretary said.
Hearing what Ruth said, Laura quipped: “Hala, magluto sa ta ug dali-dali.”
“Oy ayaw na, Lau!” I told Laura as Ma’am Ardy was signaling to me that we should start packing up our things as we were already leaving.
“Anhi lagi ta maniudto ma’am, “Laura insisted, but I saw Dr. Macuno getting ready to leave.
“Ayaw na bitaw Laura kay naay among dapit ug paniudto ron. Adto kuno mi papaniudtuhon sa ilang balay kay naay piniritong saging,” I said.
Then Laura approached me and asked, “Sir Dave, mahimo ug naa ko’y isulti nimo?”
I answered, “Ha? Unsa man?”
I still wanted to engage with Laura and Mary Joy and I want to get the most of the remaining time left.
I approached Mary Joy and whispered something to her.
At the side of my eyes, I saw Dave taking out his smartphone as he read my mind. (To be continued)