Science says:
-No two fingerprints are alike.
But to the NBI:
-With hit! Come back after 3-4 working days.
Why?...
"Haaaa!"
Finally, she arrived to her destination. She raised her head to read the sign: National Bureau of Investigation. If only she doesn't need one of those clearances, she wouldn't be here.
She made her way to the person in-charge in releasing her clearance, making sure that she would not catch any attention from the other people waiting in the bleachers.
"Only this. Just a 20 minute wait and im done." She said to her self.
She gave her receipt, the only thing she need to get what she intended to get that day and make her way to take a sit in one of the vacant bleachers.
15minutes later,.
"Miss ***** L. ********."
Dalidali siyang tumayo at pumunta s taong nag-announce ng kanyang pangalan. Pagkakuha niya ng kanyang clearance...
"Ito na yun? Itong papel na ito ang hinintay at binalikan ko after 3days?"
Tinitigan niya itong mabuti, harap likod, likod harap. Kaloka, sbi niya syaka siya umalis. Sa harap ng gate,.
"Miss, tara na. Aalis na ito, 10pesos lang." Sbi ni manong driver.
Dahil mainit, napagdesisyonan siyang sumakay sa loob, meron n din nmang nakasay sa labas kya konti n lng ang hihintayin. Tatlong babae ang lumabas compound, sakto s kulang n pasahero ni manong.
"Miss, dito ka n lng s likod para maka alis na tayo." -Manong
Narinig niya naman, di nga lang niya inintindi. Dahil: 1. Nauna siyang sumakay kaya may karapatan siyang mamili ng pwesto ng upuan. 2. Mainit sa labas. 3. Nagttext siya at mahirap mag text pag asa likod ng driver, lalo n pag tatskrin at malaki ang fon niya (hahaha).
Dahil don, sumakay s ibang sasakayan ang 3 magkakaibigan. Naghintay ulit si manong. Di rin nagtagal at may lumabas ulit n mga pasahero. This time, inulit ni manong ang speech niya knina.
"Miss, sa likod ka na."
Fine! If only she's not in a hurry and not to mention the heat of the sun,she would have just walk. She came out of the vehicle and made her way to the back part only to be stopped again by what manong has said.
"Miss, dito ka na sa loob."
Patience. Is what she did. Keeping her mouth shut to avoid unnecessary words she might say to manong. After all, she respect elders. But then again,..
Putik! Ano to manong lokohan! Grr! Ikaw kaya sabihan ko ng ganyan. Tabi! Ako n lang magddrive.
Kaso, sadyang sinasadya ni manong na painitin ang ulo niya.
"Kung kanina sana eh lumipat ka na, eh di, nakaalis n tayo."
She held her breath. She reminded herself to be quiet. She don't want to make a scene. She dont want to disrespect elders. She don't want to answer back at manong.
Hinga ng malalim! Kunwari si manong ay isang hangin, hangin na galing sa tambotso ng motor niya. Hahaha
However, sadyang may galit si manong sa kanya.
"Alis na tayo. Magbigay n lang kayo ng tigbebente."
That's it! Said she.
"Manong, bababa na lang po ako. Maglalakad na ako."
Hindi nman sa wala siyang pambayad. Nauubos na kasi ang oras niya at ayaw niya sa lahat ay ang isisi sa kanya ang hindi pagkakuha ni manong ng mga pasahero.
She was about to get down when the man in the back speak.
"Okay na miss. Dyan ka lang. Ako n magbbyad."
Before she could step out, the driver had already started the vehicle and get on the raod.
She was relieved to the fact, that finally, makakaalis na siya. Pero si manong, diretso p din sa pagsasalita. Kausap niya pa si kuya sa likod.
"Kasi, sana kung lumipat na siya kanina, eh di sana, d na kayo naghintay ng matagal at naka alis n tayo agad." -Manong
Pretending she did not hear everything, she just acted as if she's texting someone.
When finally they've come to stop, sinadya niyang piliin ang 4 na pirasong 5pesos pambayad kay manong. And to make it even better for her, she abruptly put coins with a loud bang to manong's box.
She take her leave in an abrupt manner and walk as fast as she can.
Nang makakita siya ng sasakayan pa San Carlos, dali-dali siyang tumawid s pedestrian lane.
When she's halfway to it, nagulat siya sa biglang paghila ng kanyang kanang kamay. She was about to yell at that person at tignan kung sino mang nilalang ito ng maipakilala niya sana sa semento ang kanyang mukha nang mpansin niyang si kuya paka ito. Si kuya n kadakayan niya. Magsasalita n sana siya kaso,
"Miss, ito na yung twenty mo. Di ba sabi ko ako magbbyad?" Sabi ni kuya sabay lagay ng 20p sa kanyang palad, at siya na din nag sara ng palad niya.
To hell she care. Ang init na nga ng ulo niya dadagdag pa siya. Sasampulan na sana niya ito nang biglang may pumito. Sabay silang napatingin sa traffic enforcer na nasa gilid nila.
"Pwede ba don kayo mag away sa gilid at wag dyan sa gitna ng pedestrian lane."
Oh shoot! Manong was right! They are actually in the middle of the lane.
Dahil hawak ni kuy ang kanyang isang kamay, hinila niya si kuya papunta sa gilid.
"Kuya, thank you. Pero wag na lang."
"Sige na miss, kunin mo na."
"Hindi, oki lang kuya. Oki n ako."
"Sige na miss please."
Dahil sa nakukulitan na siya, dali dali siyang sumakay ng jip. Pero hanep si kuya, sumunod pa talaga. Nakahawak sa may handrail, namamalimos lang ang peg mo kuya?
To spare herself from humiliation, and finally to end their argument over that 20 pesos, she faced kuya and said:
"Kuya, oki na. Nagbayad ako kay manong dahil naiinis ako sa kanya. Ngayon, kung ibabalik mo pa sa akin yan, para mo na ding binalik ang inis ko sa kanya. Kung papilitan mo sa akin yan, di ko pa din tatanggapin, kaya mas mabuti pang sa iba mo na lang ibigay. Thank you." Sabi niya kay kuya. She didn't mean to pry nor to be harsh to kuya but for her, it's the only way out.
Hoping that it was finally over, tinalikuran niya si kuya. When she's about to go farther inside the jip, nagsalita ulit si kuya.
"You know what,..."
Ay butiki! Napatalon siya sa gulat. Bakit andito si kuya. At ano na namang eksena ang kakaharain niya. Ano na naman kaya? Sbi niya.
"You're cute. I paid for the fare, not because i can pay it, but because i want to get your attention. And looks like i succeeded. It's nice to see you again Miss *****. Bye."
With that he left get off the vehicle and vanished through the crowds. She was left speechless. She kept asking herself, who was he? How'd he know her? And why do i have the feeling that we'll meet again?
Those are the questions that kept playing around her head.
Maybe, someday they'll meet again. Who knows, maybe there's a reason why that happened. Afterall, they're on the same ground, same air they breath and under the same sky.
-short story, very. It just happened ^__^
