A War Away

Chapter 8: Up Where Birds Fly

It is the early morning hours two days after my first date with Emilia. I make tea downstairs unsure of what to do. I think to myself while staring out of open windows in my room.There is always time for everything, it is up to me to manage it. The letter I received from the school board last week had a small note attached which I did not notice until now. Contained within the small note was a message by Dr. Barrabas endorsing my entry into teaching. 

Other than that another message from Eugenio Salvador from Mandaue Central School came in congratulating me on my assignment. Everything is shaping up for me to have a great first assignment. The overwhelming support from several veterans and members of a school board is a rare opportunity for new teachers, especially those who have just graduated college. Most school boards are hesitant to accept new teachers unless they are recommended in advance.

Within the day I send letters back to Dr. Barrabas and Mr. Salvador thanking them both, a thought had crossed my mind while I wrote the letter meant for Mr. Salvador. My assignment at Babag School way up in the mountains will begin tomorrow, as per regulation school staff were to prepare a room for incoming teachers. My worry was maybe I would have to constantly go up and down steep mountain cliffs to get to and from home, that before I read a handbook Dr. Barrabas gave me the other day. Something else is bothering my mind Babag is a place high up in the mountains, requiring a jeepney ride and a 30-minute hike. In addition, the travel time of the mountain paths is treacherous and unsafe in certain weather conditions. That would mean that there is a high chance of me not being able to return home at the end of the day and spending nights within the school.

So many worries and doubts too about... So much to worry about. Stress will be my most prevalent enemy in this part of my journey. My biggest fear is for my relationship with Emilia, it would be impossible for me to go on dates or meetups when high up in mountains. I decide to make a phone call to Emilia, her number is memorized in my head so I headed downstairs where a rotary phone sat on a desk and dialed her house. The phone rang many times before Emilia picked up, in a raspy voice she answered.

"Hello you have reached Ms. Emilia how many I help you" Her raspy voice slowly became more and more apparent, did she have a cold?

"Hi Emilia, it's me Agapito there's something I'd like to discuss with you in person this morning. Are you free to chat?"

"Oh Agapito, good timing there is also something on my mind I'd like to say"

"It's settled then, are your parents there?"

"Not right now, they will be coming back this afternoon from their business trip though, so the morning should be entirely available"

"I'll come later this morning, maybe around 9:00 am does that sit well with you?"

"It does, see you then" She hangs up, and I leave the phone.

I wanted a meeting with Emilia, maybe would be fine with me going to the mountains for work, it is not exactly a very long-distance relationship, but the call of duty is something I could not ignore. It would be very unprofessional to ask for an assignment change when apparently, I am the only full-time teacher assigned to Babag, other than me only cleaning staff would be present.

To take my mind off everything I go downstairs and do a walk around town. Now I am familiar with most of the streets and little corners, There was still a place I had not bothered to see. Among the hustle and bustle of the city. There is a small lake with pristine waters as it is protected by the city government. From what I remembered from my childhood the lake is about 300 in diameter or something close to that, people would have small kayaks and canoes on the lakeshore to rent for passers-by or tourists depending on the season.