KS Chapter 8
Aling Precious and her children RC, KC, JP, JB, TJ and their spouses, the youngest Jonymay, and the grandkids Mhemalyn, Jasper Von, Jennavee, Flordeliza, and Lucibelle–are all out in the road. All of them are sitting in a long bench with a double purpose, a seat for the table during eating time and a bench for siesta¹ during the afternoon. On the side of the bench are separate chairs for the other members. The men, if not topless, are wearing only sandos. The women are in a contest of having the shortest shorts. The children too are competing on who has the most scattered junk food on the floor. The family occupies the whole road. They find the tricycles pa.s.sing by a disturbance, so they often frown at the pa.s.sing drivers. One step from them is a basketball court in the middle of the street. A few steps from the basketball court is another group of loiterers on the road.
"She"s already four months, so the belly of her college girl is obvious already." Anghela is the part-time manicurist of the town, full-time gossip. Her hair is always in gel with glitters, and on her hands and ears large bracelets and earrings. She is Aling Precious" favorite source of news while her nails are overhauled. If in the Bible, the angels are messengers of G.o.d, in Pelaez they have other sidelines. "Exactly! And that"s when she learned that her mister has a different family he goes home to!"
"Isn"t that the one with the kid that does marijuana?"
"The killer?"
"No, the shoplifter!"
"Basically the same thing!"
Along with their "wholesome" discussion with Aling Precious, her kids on the other hand are busy finishing the songs in the inch thick Jingle Songhits. On the other hand, those with no talent are content in reading Pilipino and Aliwan Komiks.
"Well, what else will she do after her mother-in-law started screaming that she hasn"t paid for any of the Tupperware she ordered?"
"So, what did she do?"
"Of course, she was embarra.s.sed, so she hit her face with a scale!"
Every once in a while the brats run in the gutter where some water remained due to clogged up garbage. Jonymay is the official chaser and guardian of her nephews and nieces. "No, Jasper Von! That"s dirty."
"Jonymay, go buy some Marie for Flordeliza."
"Jonymay, wipe the snot of Jennavee!"
"Jonymay, Mhelamyn dropped her Cheez It! Pick it up, it"s clean, hasn"t been 5 minutes!"
From time to time someone from a town over will pa.s.s by the road and greet Anghela.
"Hey, Anghela, how have you been?"
"Good, it"s nice of you to drop by."
But after the acquaintance has pa.s.sed, the manicurist immediately has a scoop: "Guy"s infertile."
This is the common afternoon in Pelaez. More than socializing. Intense bonding. With a sprinkle of meddling.
"Hey, it"s been two weeks since your last payment in the paluwagan²!"
"Oh, get a grip!" Angehala jokingly answers the barangay tanod³ in the bike. "And when"s the rice coming, Berto? Let"s start the cooperative already." The people from Pelaez have talked about making a supply cooperative for the mom and pop stores around the town for the past year. And everyday, the neighbors are waiting for each other on when to start.
"Maybe this coming week," Mang Berto answers. "Don"t ask me, ask Chummy." But Aling Chummy does not know either. Before the cooperative idea, the residents have also talked about a Clean and Green project where there"ll be a contest for cleanest barangay. Everyone agreed to help in removing the garbage from the estuarys and in planting trees for the beauty of Pelaez.
"How about the sportsfest, is that on for next month?" The teenage boys of Aling Precious have been pestering her about it for awhile now.
"Yea, the tanods and police are just prioritizing the search for Mang Jose."
"Search?"
"Do you not check up on your neighbors or something?"
"Wha! Hey, Berto, what do you take us for—gossips?" Anghela answers the biking tanod.
"Since when?" Aling Precious asks.
"Since the second. We don"t even know if they"re still alive!"
"They"re?!"
"The in-laws and children are missing too. There"s been rumors that it"s the work of some monster."
Anghela and Aling Precious look at each other.
Mhelamyn drops her Cheez It in the asphalt again.
…Which Jonymay immediately sccops to her mouth since it hasn"t been 5 minutes.
Translators Note:
1 – An afternoon nap taken during the midday, usually after lunch.
2 – A money-lending scheme popular in the Philippines. This site does a great job explaining how it works:
3 – The lowest level of law enforcement officer in the Philippines. They are the watchmen of the barangay and able to perform some police functions. (from Wikipedia)