Casa Arrastia
Calle Real
Poblacion
San Angel
21 May 2019
12:21 pm
Lunch is served at Casa Arrastia. Seated at their usual place at the far end of the table, Don Vicente, Migz, and Drake are served tinolang manok, callos [ox-tripe stew], and a salad of sliced cucumbers, onions, and tomatoes with a light orange and olive oil dressing.
Don Vicente has noticed their silence since they sat to be served lunch. They have been eating for over fifteen minutes, with only the sound of the silverware hitting porcelain plates from them.
Lolo Cente: Ba't ang tahimik ninyong dalawa?
He questions them feeling something is amiss.
Lolo Cente: Miguel?
He looks at Don Vicente before looking at his place again.
Lolo Cente: Drake?
He avoids Don Vicente's gaze by drinking from his glass.
Don Vicente is having none of this silence.
Lolo Cente: Aba, ganoon na ba talaga ka-sarap ang pagkain Callos ni Bibang at kaya kayo natahimik?
Silence.
Not knowing how to start, Migz gains some courage and asks.
Migz: Lo, may— may— multo ba sa may Bahay Arrastia?
Don Vicente nearly spits his water.
He puts down his glass and wipes his lips with his cloth napkin.
Lolo Cente: Multo? Ang tagal mo nang napanhik-panaog sa mataas-na-bahay ng Auntie Claire mo ngayon ka pa nag-tanong kung may multo?
Don Vicente's voice booms throughout the comedor.
Lolo Cente: Teka lang, nag-punta kayo doon? Akala ko si Luis ang sinadya niyo kanina?
He asks Drake.
Drake: Uhmmm— we went there nga po and while looking at his files I saw a photo of the old painting with the Arrastia family tree. I got curious lang po —and sabi ni Miguel we can check it out so we passed by kanina.
He explains.
Lolo Cente: Despues, bakit ka nag-tanong kung may multo sa kabila?
Don Vicente's tone demanding an immediate answer.
Migz: Kanina po kasi habang bina-basa namin yung mga pangalan ng mga nuno natin, yung kay Segismundo de Arrastia po at sa asawa niya bigla pong may nahulog na magazine sa may sala habang na-yanig yung chadelier tapos— tapos po may narinig kaming boses.
The disbelief of Don Vicente's face is undeniable.
Lolo Cente: Ano ba yang pinag-sasabi ninyo? Tirik na tirik araw, multo?
One after the other, Don Vicente's questions sustains his disbelief at their story.
Lolo Cente: Ang aga naman noon para magpa-ramdam...
He returns to slicing the piece of tripe on his plate.
Drake seems to have interpreted Don Vicente's last statement quite differently.
Drake: You mean meron po talaga? May nag-manifest na before? Maybe it really is the ghost of Segismundo de Arrastia?
The elderly gentleman is silent. His eyes looking like he's trying to recall a distant memory.
Don Vicente somehow regains his composure.
He takes a deep breath before responding.
Lolo Cente: Kung may magmu-multo man doon, hindi si Segismundo. Si Rodrigo.
BINABASA MO ANG
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