The Time Capsule

Chapter 5

"Someday, someone will read these words. Will they laugh at my silliness? Will they cry at my pain? Will they learn from my mistakes?"

- From Corazon's Diary

 It was similar to the old script handwriting you would often see in classic movies. The first entry was dated March 25, 1953. I did the math. It was sixty years ago.

From what I learned in the memorial chapel, my grandmother was eighty-years-old when she died. She was born in 1934.

And this first entry was made when she was about nineteen. I couldn't imagine my nineteen-year-old grandmother writing the very words in front of me.

March 25, 1953

I met a man today.

He is good-looking and nice. I attended the fiesta in Dumaguete with Mama and Papa.

He helped me find my way back when I found myself lost in the crowd. He asked me for a dance. I accepted against better judgment and surprisingly, it was the most magical moment of my life. He made me laugh, the first real one I had in years.

He asked me to meet him again tomorrow by the big tree outside the church. I don't know if I should go.

His name is Antonio.

I paused with a frown on my face.

My grandfather's name was Ramon Gozar. This was a different man.

I shrugged. Well, my grandmother was too young back then. This was probably just a fling or a passing infatuation.

As I read on, I realized that the story had more to say. It was actually getting more and more interesting.

March 26, 1953

I decided to meet Antonio. He was already sitting by the tree outside the church and he was with his friend, Ramon.

Like Antonio, Ramon is not bad to the eyes either. I didn't like him at first sight though. He seemed stiff and unwelcoming.

His gaze told me I was not good enough for his friend.

With my grandfather's name now in the picture, I was ready for more. I did not realize I was now on the floor, leaning my back against the bed. This was more entertaining than I first thought.

I was disappointed that the story did not continue with my grandmother, Antonio and my grandfather. It stopped for over two months and when my grandmother made another entry, it was in the month of June. She never mentioned Antonio or my grandfather.

June 19, 1953

We are back in Bacolod. Father is not happy with what I had been doing while we were on vacation.

He forced me to go back home and stay at home with my mother.

I received some visitors today. They were my friends from school and they asked me about my plans for college. I told them I want to become a doctor, but that is not really what I want. I only told them what they expected to hear.

There was another two-month gap before the next entry and this time, I started to suspect that there was something wrong.

August 15, 1953

I'm not allowed to go outside for a while.

Someone saw Antonio and I outside school today and told my father. He didn't like it.