Echoes of the Infinite (Short Story Series)

Twelve: I'll Be Seeing You

To Cathlyne, a daughter and a friend

In my junior high school yearbook I had a quote from a Filipino author my mother had turned me on to, Bob Ong. I wasn't so sure if it was really came from him but it went like this:

"Kung dalawa ang mahal mo, piliin mo yung pangalawa. Kasi hindi ka naman magmamahal ng iba kung mahal mo talaga yung una."

Pero paano kung ang mahal mo talaga ay una ngunit hindi ka lang talaga nagkaroon ng pagkakataon na ilaban siya laban sa takda ng tadhana? Hindi ko alam kung mahal ko pa ba yun ngayon. 'Ni hindi ko nga alam kung buhay pa ba siya.

Habang nasa kalagitnaan ako ng pagmumuni-muni ay may biglaang kumatok sa front door ng bahay ko.

Hold on. I'm coming," I said, na nagmamadaling patayin muna ang Sony automatic wireless vinyl record player.

Panira naman ng moment 'to. I thought.

Nahihirapan na akong maglalakad ngayon. Hindi na pabata pero hindi pa naman nag-iisip bata. Nagpatuloy pa din ang pagkatok nito kung sino man siya. Kaya tumayo na ako mula sa aking pinagkakaupuan para buksan ang pinto.

"Sino ba kasi yung katok nang katok na yan? Nakakaabala eh-" Natigilan ako sa pagsasalita pagbukas ko ng pinto.

A well-dressed and undeniably handsome man was in my front door. Mas matangkad siya sa'kin. Medyo may edad na din kagaya ko. Pero sabi nila diba eh mas masarap ang wine kapag mas matagal na naka-ferment. So baka naman may ilalaban pa.

"Yes? How can I help you?" I said, still starring at him.

"Is this the house of Angel Newman?" He asked.
"You know, I'm not familiar with the area. So maybe you could help me with the directions?"

"Oh, yes. Speaking. Right in front of you." I replied.

"Are you Angel Balagtas?"

I was shocked. No one knew that name in the neighborhood where I was living for decades now. And I hadn't using the name ever since Jack and I got married. Nag-aalangan ako sa isasagot ko.

"Yes. That's my maiden name. Why? Is there any problem? Who are you really?"

"Hindi mo na ba ako natatandaan? I'm John Paul," He said.
"John Paul Sicat."
"Schoolmate mo ako nung high school."

"Hindi ko talaga maalala," I said, habang hindi ko pa din matandaan.
"Pero sige, pasok ka muna."

It wasn't him, by the way. Don't think that every person you're going to meet in here ay nakalandian ko. That's the problem. Na problema ko din. Pagpasok niya ay kaagad kaming nagtungo sa sala. Pinaupo ko siya sa sofa na nabili namin a long time ago.

"Mr. Sicat," I said.

"Naalala mo na ba ako?"

"Hindi pa din. By the way, coffee or tea?"

"Tea please."

"Got it. I'll be right back. Make yourself at home."

I could say that I was popular way back high school days. And he was a transferee from Manila. I liked his sense of humor. He believed in old-fashioned things like music. I always came home smiling after our hangouts in central district of the town where we used to lived.