Rock Baby Rock - A musical featuring the music of VST and Company

ACT 2 Scene 12 -second chances-

Spotlight on Lola Poleng, Meng and Coleng. Coleng is now biting and chewing the licorice stick with gusto.

Coleng: (stands up from the bed) This must be a sign! To think that after all these years, after being separated by oceans and continents, you two are meeting again! (places hand on her shoulders) Mamita, I think it's about time to clear up things with him once and for all. I'm sure there's a perfect explanation why he didn't show up that night.

Meng: (grabs the licorice stick from her hand) What for? Mamita has moved on! She is perfectly happy now. And has been for the past decades even without him. Wala nang silbi pa ang excuse niya. And by the looks of things, he has moved on too. (angrily bites the stick)

Coleng: (turns to Meng) Hindi ka naman bitter, no? Wag mong i-lump together ang lahat ng lalaki dahil lang niloko ka ng hinayupak na tukmol na yun. And besides, the opportunity to get some closure finally presented itself!

Meng: Excuse me, iba ang bitter sa pagiging wise when it comes to matters of the heart. This girl has learned to use her head (uses the licorice stick to point to her head) than be swayed by flighty notions of romance.

Coleng: Wushu! (grabs the licorice stick back) Kilala kita Nicomaine. Eh ano yung fireworks display kanina nung nagkamay kayo ni Tisoy? Wag mong i-deny dahil ramdam ang sparks hanggang Africa. (finishes eating the stick)

Meng: Ugh! (turns away) That was just a handshake, okay? Wala yun. Hearing Mamita's story reminded me to be wary of men like him who crank up the charm. Hanggang flirtation and romance lang. But when the going gets tough, they'd be the first one to give up and go. Quota na ako sa ganyang mga lalaki.

Coleng: Teka, bakit parang may laman ang hugot mo? (gently places hand on Meng's shoulders) Meng...give love a chance. Don't nip this in the bud before it even starts to blossom. Kilala ko si Tisoy. He's the kind of guy who takes relationships seriously. Hindi siya ang tipo na basta-basta na lang susugod sa relasyon kaya di rin siya ang tipo na basta-bastang bibitaw.

Meng: (whispers) kaso sa sobrang tagal uuugatin ka na sa kaka-hintay.

Coleng: Ano yun? May sinasabi ka?

Meng: Wala. (turns to face Coleng) Look Coleng, Mamita and I are going back to the States a few days after the ceremony. Walang point to even talk about this. Di ba, Mamita?

Coleng: If there's anything that can be learned from Mamita's story is that you take a chance at love when it presents itself. It's better to love and have lost than to never have loved at all. Di ba, Mamita? (turns to Mamita) Mamita? (approaches her and finds her lightly snoring)

Meng: Nakatulog na. Help me get her on the bed.

As Meng and Coleng bring Mamita to the bed, their light dims and the spotlight shines at the opposite end of the stage, where Tisoy and Michael are doing the same with Lolo Vic.

Michael: (exhales and wipes brow) Phew! Ke payat-payat na tao ambigat kapag tulog! (stretches back) I think I pulled a muscle. Aray ko.

Tisoy: (holds the sleeping Junior) Wag ka ngang maingay! Baka magising tong inaanak ko. Andaming reklamo.

Michael: Pero grabe pala pinagdaanan ni Lolo Vic no? Kaya naman pala di na siya nag-asawa.

Tisoy: Alam mo, simula nang bata pa ako, si Lolo Victor na ang nag-alaga sa akin, kahit na malayong kamag-anak siya ng mama ko. Siya na siguro ang pinaka-mabait at mapagbigay na taong nakilala ko. Akala ko nga dati retired priest si Lolo, kasi laging tumutulong sa simbahan. Kahit na andaming nagpapapansin na babae sa paligid, hindi niya sila ineenteratin. Kasi may nagmamay-ari na pala ng puso niya. (sighs)

Michael: Eh ikaw. Kanino mo balak ipagkatiwala ang puso mo? (ducks to avoid Tisoy's arm) Bakit? Anong masama sa sinabi ko? Tol, ilang taon ka nang single. Wag mong gayahin si Lolo Vic na kinahon na ang puso. Sayang ang gwapong genes natin pare!

Tisoy: Ikaw, tigilan mo nga ko. Oh, eto na anak mo. (hands him Junior) Itulog mo na lang yan.

Michael: Seryoso ako tol. Wag mong sayangin ang panahon. I-deny mo man pero nagpaparamdam na rin yang puso mo. Make a move. (taps his shoulder and exits the room)

Tisoy shakes his head. He checks on Lolo Vic on the head and fixes his blanket around him. He walks to the window about to draw the curtains but pauses, places his hand above his heart.

Tisoy: (whispers) Should I take this chance?

Curtain closes