Institute of Happy Thoughts [1ST PLACE, NNWC]

Chapter 7: Big Boss

Kung saan man kami dadalhin ni Ms. Anna, sa tingin ko ay hindi naman gaano kaimportanteng makarating kami kaagad. Parang hindi kasi alam nito ang salitang magmadali.

Tahimik lang akong sumusunod dito, maging si Kian ay nakikiramdam din. Nang makarating kami sa third floor ay huminto ito at humarap sa amin.

"So," she trailed. She glanced at me then to Kian. "Bago tayo tumuloy sa activity center, gusto ko lang muna malaman ang natutunan ninyong dalawa."

"Natutunan?" Kian gave her a confused look.

"Yes, Kian. The lesson you've learned."

"Saan? Natutunan saan?" Ibinaling nito ang tingin sa akin, tila humihingi ng saklolo. I gave him an awkward smile.

"Den?" Ms. Anna turned to me this time. "You figured it out. You might have an idea for our lesson today."

Ano nga ba?

"Patience?" hula ko. Bakit totoo namang na-test ang pasensiya ko sa lalaking ito a?

The laughter Ms. Anna let out gave me an impression that my answer was far from correct. Well, at least I tried.

"Listen. Once you accepted that you need people in your life, it is expected that you'll start welcoming them again. However, it's not always easy. You are used to being alone that having someone by your side is strange and awkward. You start to question whether it was a good idea to give them access to your trust and heart. There would always be that lingering thought of betrayal, because you believe that somewhere, somehow they would. It's hard to welcome stranger, but it's harder to open yourself again to those you used to know . . . but then . . . who became strangers."

Napalunok ako. I felt like she described my entire existence.

"Ano'ng kinalaman niyon sa amin? I can't see the connection," Kian asked, confusion visible on his face.

"You see, sometimes you can't always count on destiny, fate, or any other forces out there for you to meet someone who'll have a big part in your life. Minsan kailangan pinupuwersa sa mga kamay mo bago mo makita. Minsan kasi, kaya hindi natin sila nakikita ay dahil nabubulag tayo sa mapapait na alaala." Pinaglipat nito ang tingin sa amin, ngunit nanatili iyon kay Kian. "Bakit kamo kailangan mo ng kaibigan?"

Nanlaki bigla ang mga mata ni Kian. Siguro nagulat ito na tila nababasa ni Ms. Anna ang nasa isip niya, dahil 'yon din mismo ang tumatakbo sa isip ko.

"Mas madaling dalhin ang problema at masasakit na alalala kung dalawa kayong magdadala niyon. Minsan mas madaling gawin ang isang bagay kapag may kaagapay ka. Minsan mas madaling masolusyonan ang isang bagay kapag dalawa ang nag-iisip ng solusyon."

"So then, fine, we got it. Puwede bang tanggalin mo na kung ano man 'tong mahika na nilagay mo sa amin," putol ko sa paliwanag niya. I don't like where she was heading. Kinikilabutan ako sa mga ipinahihiwatig ng bawat pangungusap na lumalabas sa kanyang bibig. I don't like the idea she's forming in my head. It's scary.

"Did you? Naintidihan mo bang talaga, Denice? Yes, you found my room again because you decided to cooperate with each other, but you are still far from learning the true meaning of friendship. Kung talagang naintindihan ninyong dalawa ang mga sinasabi ko, the bond would collapse on its own. But, sadly it didn't. You still have reservation." Malungkot niya kaming tiningnan. I can see the disappointment in her eyes. I don't know why but it bothered me. It bothered me so much.

"Pero," anito na biglang nagkaroon ng sigla ang boses. "I'm happy to say you're learning. You disregard your own needs to help each other. Denice, ang priority mo ay ang makita ako para matulungan ko kayo, pero no'ng nakita mo ang paghihirap ni Kian you thought of his needs and you found the recreational room. Kian, what you wanted the most was to get home, pero inisang-tabi mo iyon para kay Denice. Keep that up. A week from now, who knows?"

"A week!" bulaslas ko.

"What?" gulat na tanong din ni Kian.

The amusement in Ms. Anna's face was too much. Nakakainis. A week? I can't even stand to be near this guy for another minute and here she was announcing it as if a week was nothing.

"At saan siya matutulog? Sa kuwarto ko?"

"Yes. We are fixing your room as we speak. We added a bed and another cabinet for Kian's things."

Bumagsak ang balikat ko sa narinig. So, I don't have a say in the matter. Kailan pa nawala sa akin ang privacy ko?

Damn this place. Damn her. Damn Kian.

Nang tingnan ko si Kian ay isang ngisi lang ang binigay nito sa akin. I rolled my eyes in frustration.

"That's settled then," she clasped her hand together. "Ngayon naman tara na sa activity room. May activity na pinapagawa si Big Boss sa mga residente ng institusyon and everyone needs to participate." Nagsimula na kami ulit maglakad.

"Sino po ba 'yang si Big Boss? Kanina ko pa 'yan naririnig." Naunahan ako ni Kian sa pagtanong.

"Siya lang naman ang may-ari ng buong lugar na ito," buong paghangang sambit ni Ms. Anna.

"Ano naman kayang naisipan niya at itinatag niya ang lugar na ito?" kumento ko.

"You see, He's a fan of second chances, and He believes everyone deserves another chance in life no matter what they did or what they're going through. He believes that a person can never be so lost to find his way back again. He said they just need a guide—a path to follow—and if no one is willing to help, He'd be that guide. People just need to listen, sometimes."

I can see admiration and respect in Ms. Anna's eyes. Na-curious tuloy ako sa Big Boss na ito. "Makikita po ba namin siya mamaya?"

"Oh no! No one has ever seen Him for centuries."

"Centuries?" Nanlalaki ang mga matang tanong ko.

I mean, seriously. Centuries? May tao pa bang nabubuhay ng higit sa isang daang taon sa panahon ngayon?

Napalitan ng lungkot ang saya sa mga mata ni Ms. Anna. Parang gusto ko mag-iba bigla ng topic. Ang weird lang makita siyang malungkot. Napatingin ako kay Kian, maging ito na-awkward din sa naging biglang takbo ng usapan namin.

"Ano po bang nangyari?" tanong ni Kian, marahil sa kakulangan ng sasabihin.

Tiningnan nito si Kian at malungkot na ngumiti, bago tumingin sa malayo. "Nagbago ang mundo. Naging makasarili ang mga tao. Binigo Siya ng mga ito kaya nagdesisyon Siyang tumalikod upang lumayo. Pero walang kapantay ang pagmamahal Niya sa mundo, mas matimbang iyon kumpara sa pagbigong ginawa sa Kanya ng mga tao. Naniniwala Siya sa pag-asa ng pagbabago. Naniniwala Siya sa kakayanan ng taong patunayan ang sarili basta bigyan sila ng pangalawang pagkakataon. Kaya itinatag Niya ang lugar na ito bago Siya umalis. He believes in people's capability to be good and their ability to change."

"Kung wala pang nakakakita sa Kanya, bakit sabi mo pupunta ka kanina sa silid Niya?"

"Dahil sa office Niya Siya nag-iiwan ng mga mensahe—ng mga bagay na gusto niyang ipabatid sa akin o sa inyong lahat."

Mahinang natawa si Kian sa tabi ko. "Parang si Lord naman po 'yong tinutukoy n'yo, Ms. Anna."

Ms. Anna gave Kian a knowing smile before she opened the green door before us. I didn't even notice it because I was too consumed with our topic. If I didn't know better I think Kian's right. Well, maybe I really did not know better.