The Coño Boy 6: Ten Lifetimes With You

Chapter One: Desde 1888

Plaza Mayor
San Angel
19 May 2019
5:42 pm

It's late in the afternoon. The summer sun is about to set, bathing the quaint sight of a laid back town square lined with verdant trees an amber glow. The sight of children playing, women chatting away with the ingredients of tonight's dinner still in baskets and plastic bangs hanging by the fingers of their hands, the rattling sound made by a worn down tricycle passing through,  elderly men and women doing afternoon walks, hawkers selling tiny shrimps cooked in coconut oil and fish stewed in dried "kamias", the fragrant smoke of grilled pork from a food stall right across the plaza, and the laughter of men regaling barbershop tales embellished with every retelling best describes a typical San Angel at dusk.

A white bus with two red stripes running along its sides makes a stop at the plaza. A young man in his early 20s with a black knapsack on his back and a bulky camera bag alights the bus. The bus' conductor hands him a rollaway suitcase which was taken out from the bus' luggage compartment at the lower right side.

The young man with luggage in tow makes his way to the small fountain at the corner of the plaza. He doesn't notice the stares he got from the people around him. The printed floral patterns on his cobalt blue shirt with the top buttons undone, the slim fitting khaki slacks folded at the hem, and the pristine white sneakers with green and red bands, makes him stand out against the provincial backdrop. He takes out a note from the pocket of his shirt blue shirt. He reads it.

Instructions:
1.Ride a bus with a  Maravillosa - San Sebastian signboard at the Buendia cor. Taft Ave. terminal.
2. Ask if they're dropping you off at the highway or if they're passing by the poblacion of San Angel.
3. If they are, tell them you get off at the Plaza of San Angel
4. Casa Arrastia address:  1121 Calle Real, Poblacion, San Angel. It's along Calle Real on the side where the plaza is, near the plaza too. You won't miss it.
5. If you feel lost, ask around. The people here are warm and hospitable. They all know each other and will point you to where you are going.

The young man with the rollaway suitcase looks around. He sees a guy about his age wearing an athletic jersey shirt seated on one of the benches near the fountain and approaches him while still holding the piece of paper with teh written instructions.

Drake: Excuse me, pa-Calle Real po?

He asks the guy seated at the bench. The guy takes a sip from the straw of dipped into a clear plastic bag containing buco juice before answering.

"Calle Real? yan sa may likod ko."

He points to the street behind him. It's the same road the bus took after it dropped him off.

Drake: Okay... Thank you po.

He looks out at Calle Real and the row of houses across the plaza. He looks to his right where an old pink house with it's first first floor occupied by a bank with a faded sign spelling out Rural Bank of Santiago.

Drake: Where is this kaya?

He absent-mindedly asks himself as he looks at the piece of paper he's holding.

"Saan ka ba papunta?"

Asks the guy on the bench.

Drake: Sa Casa Arrastia po, sir.

He replies politely.

"Bahay Arrastia o Casa Arrastia?"

Drake: There are two Arrastia ancestral houses?

He's a bit confused.

"Tatlo ang Bahay Arrastia dito. Yung dalawa legit na Arrastia at yung isa namana ng mga anak sa lavandera pero binigyan pa rin ng apelyidong Arrastia."