"Aino, marunong ka bang sumakay sa kabayo?"
It's 7 am and I just finished getting ready. We are about to go and visit their mango and pineapple plantation. Malapit na raw 'yung sinasabi nilang river d'on kaya dadaan na rin kami.
Auntie followed us in the farm and arrived just this morning, too. She brought me more clothes and stuff since it seemed like it might take us another whole day here kaya ngayon, may dala ulit ako na pair in case mag-langoy. I'm excited.
"Hindi po ba pwede sa kalabaw na lang?" Tanong ko, nakatingin sa dumaan na kalabaw na may hinihilang parang cart.
Tumawa sila nina auntie. "Pwede naman! Mas ma-e-enjoy mo lang siguro kung sa kabayo. Mas mabilis rin."
The thing is I don't know how to do horseback riding. I looked at the man standing a few meters away from me, holding a horse's leash while petting it.
I can't believe he's the Van they're talking about. Van? What kind of name was that? Is he a car?
Napaiwas ako ng tingin nang akma itong lilingon sa gawi ko.
"I'm just... gonna walk." It's fine if I just walk, though they warned me it would be far.
"Van, isabay mo na sayo yung pamangkin ni Jude." The man in his 50s suddenly suggested. Now I remember where I've seen him. I heared he's uncle's friend and owns 1/4 of the farm. Siya pala 'yung nakita ko dati na pumunta sa bahay na may kasamang kabayo, with this Van guy.
"Naku, wag na! Nakakahiya sa pamangkin mo, pare. Sa helper na lang." Auntie exclaimed, not agreeing. I knew she doesn't want me to get near him. She'd been warning me about him and that I shouldn't talk to him. She just doesn't like him because of what she's hearing about that guy, that he's allegedly a part of a gang who kills people in alleys and throws their body in the river in the downtown.
I don't know where she heard all of that but it seemed to affect their relationship with uncle's friend. Auntie is nice to them but I don't know if it's all just for show or what. One thing about her, she's a good person but sometimes her judgement that is caused by other people's opinion is her downside.
Tumawag sila ng isang helper na marunong mangabayo. If that's what auntie wants, I may just follow her. I don't want to give her worry by getting near that man. She'd been kind to me, letting me stay in their house and I don't want to break her trust.
I almost shouted when I tried to hop on the horse's back. Why is it so tall? When I tried looking down, it's like I'm already two-storey up from the ground.
"It's too high."
They laughed. Why are they laughing? Mukha ba kong nakikipag-biruan? It's too stressful for me, but they're just standing there watching me try hard to hop on its back.
Uncle helped me get on, and when I successfully did, I quickly searched for something to hold on to. There's none. Napakapit na lang ako sa dalang backpack.
"Kapit ka sakin, baka mahulog ka," the helper told me. I nodded and held on to his shirt a little. I won't fall. I can manage.
I feel like my body is swaying while the horse took steps and began galloping. The helper told me to keep still or else I might feel dizzy afterwards. I tried but it's just so hard. I should've just rode the carabao's cart. It's more comfy there.
And'on na sina auntie nang makarating kami sa pineapple plantation. Sabay sila ni uncle sa isa pang kabayo.
Nakahinga ako nang maluwag nang makababa na mula sa kabayo. I gave it a gaze and silently thanked it for not letting me fall on the ground.
There's so many pineapples. The mango plantation is near, too and beside it is a wooden house. Doon namin itinabi ang mga gamit namin habang inaasikaso nina uncle 'yong pineapple plantation kasama ang ibang helper.
I went with auntie to harvest mangoes. I stood and watched the helper pick it from the tree while we wait on the ground. Natawa ako nang may mahulog na mangga at muntikan na akong tamaan sa ulo.
