“Ha? Ikaw mo drive ma’am,” Randy our driver asked. 

“Ako lagi. Dili man gud ko dagaton ug ako ang mag drive,” Ma;am Ardy said with definitiveness.

I kept my cool. If there is anybody in the world that I know of who is as definite with her decisions as the rising and setting of the sun, that is Ma’am Ardy. 

Randy looked at me. I looked at Ruth. Ruth was as unperturbed as our boss. I just smiled and waited for the events to unravel, I can’t wait to see Ma’am Ardy drive a vehicle. I heard that she used to drive A LOT when she was still living in the United States. When her stint was in Manila, I know she sported a black and sleek Honda Civic as soon as she would travel from her house in Pasig to Assumption College in San Lorenzo Village, to College of the Holy Spirit at the College belt in Mendiola, to San Beda in Alabang, and to La Salle University – College of St. Benilde at Taft and to all other places for her engagements.

But this time that she is in Bohol, I never saw her hold the wheels. I see her being ushered by Tata Iyog (her driver) as he opens the door for her.

“Tig drive pa diay si Ma’am Ardy dinhi?” I whispered this question to Ruth.  

“Dili na man na siya ganahan mo drive kay gusto na siya mo relax,” Ruth answered.

I heard that Ma’am Ardy’s children – Chandymar and Gerrymar—wouldn’t allow her to drive and this is the reason that Tata, Ruth’s adult son, is the one doing the driving job for her. And she doesn’t go out very often now. Of course, the curfew imposed on senior citizens is the main reason she wants to stay at home most of the time inside their compound. She loves to wear high heeled shoes as she goes around her garden ( ha ha ha ha). Her favorite pair is colored red; her cute car is also red. I know she had to wait for the arrival of that car when she ordered it as she really chose red as the color and what was available then was black, white and silver. To these colors she would say, “Musamot ko ug katiguwang ana oi.”

I told myself that I was willing to pay the price of admission just to see her drive. But, I realized that I should caution her from driving because Pilar is an unfamiliar place and she might not find her way to the munisipyo and that would cause delays considering it was already getting late in the afternoon.

By the way, my mind went back to ask: What’s wrong with my hapas?  I got this from the online store and it has turmeric in it. I drink turmeric tea as much as I could as a way to improve my blood pressure and my insulin sensitivity. There are a lot of studies about its benefits. Gi-initan gyud ni Ma’am Ardy ang akong hapas.

But what mattered most at that time moment was the element of time. We were not having the luxury of time because the travel period to Tagbilaran, from Pilar, would not be less than one hour. It could be more. Si Ma’am Ardy ang mo drive . . . . Unya dili pa siya kabalo sa dalan . . .  Unya muadto pa mi sa munisipyo . . . Unya galing ug maghunong hunong mi sa dalan . . . . Unya galing ug madugay sila or kami ug pakighinabi sa suspect . . .  Unya galing ug dili maayo ang among pakighinabi: AH BASTA MISAMOT KADAGHAN ANG LAWA LAWA SA MGA HUNAHUNA. 

Randy took off his seat belt to give way to Ma’am Ardy.

Mudayon gyud lagi siya ug drivy oi, I told myself. Hadloka man ni. Aw samoka man ni oi. I was telling myself all these lines.

And suddenly Ma’am Ardy shouted and said, “Tua ra, akong naugon to. Naa ra akong gipangita. Siya lagi na! Tana Ruth. Randy ubani si Dave dire.” These were all the statements of Ma;am Ardy that caused me to panic.

I saw her jump off from the van. She was followed by Ruth. I was bewildred as to who the “siya” was.

“Dali Ruth,” Ma’am Ardy said and she ran fast.

“Gasunod ko, Ma’am!” This was the answer of Ruth as she also ran fast.

Randy said, “Makalibog man. Asa man to sila padung? Karon pa ko ka drive ug ingon ani ka DILI SIGURADO ANG LAKAW, Sir Dave!”

I shouted, “Ma’am, Ruth, huwata ko!”

Ma’am Ardy shouted back, “IBILIN NANG IMONG HAPAS KAY DIMALAS.!”

(To be condinued)