Nothing pleased him more than the memories of younger days when he would run and tumble on dry grass in the park, climb trees and the church belfry, or swim in the river with nothing on. The world was young and innocent. Bull cart was the best transformation as his maternal grandmother went to church in her favorite saya.
It was during this time that she came around and changed his life. She was like a princess from nowhere, with flowing dark hair and silvery voice.
Where did she came from? He asked his friend.
Sipocot, was the reply.
Where is that place?
No idea, said his old friends Isco, a muscular working on a Chinese store.
Why is she here? She'll be the nanny of Chino children. Is she a chinay, too? he asked. She's half breed as most of you here.
And her name? Aida. Not her real name but she adopted it when she enrolled in the Chinese school.
A beautiful name Juan learned to worship. She became the apple of his eyes. But when she spoke, he could not understand her dialect. But after a few days she began to speak our tongue.
He asked Isco where she slept in the big house. He pointed at the northern room near the balcony.
Tonight, she and other girls will go down to play torobigan or tag game.
Watch her play and try to befriend her. She is kind though a little bit mean. But he did not care.
He tried to play with her, but at first, she snubbed him while the other girls giggled. Sometimes he would play with his improvised skate and lured her to ride on it. She was young and curious, so she obliged him. They cruised together and his heart soared with happiness.
Thanks for the ride, she said and went back to the big house.
In his young mind he imagined that she was a princess living in a castle, and he was the prince who wanted so much to climb its wall.
One night Juan and his cousin serenaded her with a ukulele. She opened the window and his heart leaped with joy. But her master ordered her to close the window and told them to go away.
It was Christmas day, a time for gift giving. He wanted to please her with some gift, but he has nothing to offer. Then he saw his mother return from the market bearing some fruits. He spied a bunch of red apples on the table, perfect for his plan.
Now I know what to give her, he thought.
So, while his mom was in the kitchen, he snatched one apple and put it in his pocket.
He waited for her at the corner. After sometime, he saw her coming along.
Merry Christmas, he greeted her. She was surprised. He offered her the apple.
Please take this apple, it was all I have.
She looked at him and walked away with the apple.
Thank you, she said.
How happy was he but he saw his father coming and chill ran through his spine.
He ran away and went to the school which was deserted during this time of the year.
What if father has seen me? he thought.
He remembered the time when his father found a love letter in his pocket and how his father almost hanged him by the neck.
This parental bullying left him emotionally wounded. But he refused to forget her.
I would rather die than forget her, he said to himself.
