Before Descended Afternoons

03

If someone were to ask me what I've been learning ever since I stayed in this town, it would be trying my best to hide each time someone came to Auntie's house. I don't care if I'm being antisocial. I am learning ways to excuse myself each time I'm caught up in the conversation Auntie has with them as they try to ask whose child I am, why I am living there, if I'm still studying, or if I have a girlfriend.

Saying that it's all too much is an understatement. Each day and each week, a visitor would just appear out of nowhere, smiling and asking things that even I didn't know how to answer.

I was slowly getting used to it. Auntie is really famous. She has many friends that Uncle couldn't keep up with, as the only friends he has are Jere's father, the helpers, and the old man in his 50s.

With the time that I spent here, I realized that the downtown is much more harsh than any place I could be in the whole town. I could say that I'm lucky to be living in Auntie's house, which is located far from downtown. It was mostly quiet around, besides those times when kids would noisily play outside with their kites and bikes. I'm fine with that. It's fun watching them... enjoying the youth while it's in their grasp.

The downtown area is where you can find most of the different types of people you'll encounter in your life. Mayaman, negosyante, workers with minimum wage, especially those wearing a white buttoned-down long sleeve shirt with slacks for men and a pencil skirt and gray blazers for women, stand and street food vendors, mga batang pakalat-kalat, pulubi, tambay, at 'yung... mga mukhang basagulero. Men who look like goons and thugs who would look at you from head to toe, wondering if they could get something from you.

That's why Auntie and Uncle never let me go alone to the downtown area. They would always have someone to go with me. I knew I could handle myself, but their protectiveness is high.

Although, Auntie's community still has a downside. They're all, some of them, rather, will judge you to the core. They like gossip, especially those middle-aged women around. But almost everyone in the community to be exact. They like talking about other people's lives. They like pointing their noses at other's businesses. Bashing is something that would complete their day.

Sometimes, Auntie talks to them. And every time I hear them outside, they will ask about me and whose child I am. Auntie answers, then they will tell her that I could be easily influenced by bad people. That I shouldn't be hanging out with just anyone—and they have such a long list of people that it could reach the next town. But they have a specific individual. Guess who? That same man, Auntie told me to stay away from him.

It's always him. Everybody seems to hate him and, at the same time, be scared of him. I just don't understand why they're so easy to judge. Na parang araw-araw nila itong nakakasama para maging sapat ang sinasabi nila.

That's why I've always tried to hide from them; from people Auntie converses with. I don't want to hear anymore of what they have to say or ask. It's all pointless and baseless. I am never a fan of that.

I'm simply thinking about what would happen if Auntie learned everything that occurred to me. I'm curious how she'll respond if she discovers that the man they all despise has given me a second shot at life.

"Auntie, meron po bang malapit na bookstore dito?" I asked her after we had lunch.

"Oo, hijo. Meron sa bayan. May bibilhin ka ba? Gusto mo samahan ka ng uncle mo?"

Agad akong umiling. "No need po. I think I can go on my own. Paki-list na lang po yung address."

"Hindi ka ba maliligaw? Tsaka delikado rin. Naku, nakauwi na kasi iyong si Jere, eh. Pwede ka niya samahan."