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Ylang-Ylang
Maikling kuwento ni
P. Campoamor Cruz
Lusot sa bintana ng higaan ng mag-asawang Mario at Josefa ang liwanag ng bilog na buwan. Maaninag sa pamamagitan ng mahinang liwanag ang magkayakap na magsing-irog at ang kanilang mga mukha, na ang mga labi’y magkadikit. Sampung taon ng pagsasama at pagdating ng dalawang anak ay hindi sapat na dahilan na lumamig ang kanilang patuloy na mainit na pagmamahalan. Sa mga gabi ng kanilang pagniniig, sila’y mga misatulang bata pa na tila nagsisimula pa lamang na makatuklas ng sukdulang kaligayahan. Ipinagdiriwang ng dalawa ang isa na namang pagtatagumpay.
Si Mario ay isang chemist na ang kagalingan ay ang paggawa ng pabango. Dito galing ang yaman ng mag-asawa at ang mga karangyaan na kanilang tinatamasa sa buhay. Unang sumikat si Mario nang magawa niya at matagumpay na naipanalo sa mercado ang pabangong “Victoria”, pabango na pang-babae, at nang sa paggamit nito ay dala-dala nila ang isang samyong nakabibighani. Maraming milyong piso ang iniakyat ng “Victoria” sa tahanan ng chemist at ng kaniyang pamilya.
Nagbunga ang unang pabango ng yaman, pagkakakilala ng mundo sa bata pang chemist at entrepreneur na si Mario; nagbunga rin ito, sa pamamagitan ng kanilang malimit at mainit na pagtatalik, ng kanilang unang anak, isang babae, na pinangalanan nilang, Victoria.
Ang paggawa ng pabango ay isang malaking negosyo. Binubuo ito ng pagkakaroon ng laboratoryo o pabrika, ang pagkakaroon ng mga chemists, engineers, at quality control personnel; ang pagkakaroon ng magagaling na tao na mahusay sa paggawa ng packaging, ng advertising; ng mga bodega at sasakyan na magtitiyak na husto ang supply at tuloy-tuloy ang distribution. Kailangan din ng maraming salesmen, accountants, collectors, at iba pang kawani.
Christian Dior, Versace, Givenchy, Chanel. Ilan sila sa mga sikat sa buong mundo na gumagawa ng pabango. Maiisip ba natin ang isang mundo na walang pabango? Kung may ganoong mundo, marahil, ang mga tao, sa halip na ibig lumapit sa isa’t isa, ay ibig lumayo o umiwas sa isa’t isa. Marahil ay hindi dadami ang tao dahil hindi magiging kasiya-siya ang pagkakaroon ng relasyon. Ang kawalan ng pabango, ang pagiging amoy tao, ay hindi naman masama. Ang problema ay may mga taong ang amoy ay di kanais-nais.
Kailangan ba ng tao ang pabango? Hindi at oo. Ang pabango ay ukol sa mga taong nagnanais nito. Ito’y pandagdag ng katangian upang ang tao ay maging mas kanais-nais. Ito’y lalong angkop sa mga babae upang ang kanilang pagkababae ay tumingkad at maging mas kaakit-akit sila. Bakit ba ang paru-paro ay lumalapit sa bulaklak? Dahil sa samyo at tamis nito. Samakatuwid, ang tao, ang babae, lalo na, ay gumagamit ng pabango upang ipakita na siya ay may kalidad, katangi-tangi; upang maka-akit, upang siya ay mapansin, upang siya ay mahalin, upang siya ay hindi makalimutan.
Dumating ang panahon na pati na lalaki ay gumagamit ng pabango. Ang pakay ng paggamit nito ay gayon din ang dahilan: Ang magkaroon ng mas mataas na kalidad, ang mag-amoy macho, ang maging kanai-nais, ang maging hindi makalimutan.
Si Mario ay nakagawa rin ng pabango na pang-lalaki. Tinawag niya itong “Gasti”. Katulad ng “Victoria”, ito ay naging matagumpay na tatak sa mundo ng mga pabango at nagdala rin ng maraming salapi sa kayamanan ng mag-asawang Mario at Josefa. At nakakatuwa, nang sila ay magkaanak ng lalaki, ang ipinangalan nila sa kanya ay Gasti.
Ang buhay nina Mario at Josefa ay pinagpala sa tagumpay, yaman, ginhawa, pagmamahalan, at kalusugan. Datapuwa’t isa sa mga proyekto nila ay nabalot ng problema. Ito ay ang pabangong pinangalanan ni Mario na "Ylang-Ylang".
Sagana ang bulaklak sa Inang-Bayan nilang Pilipinas. Kilala sa kabanguhan ang Sampagita, ang national flower ng bansa. Ginagawa itong kuwintas o pulseras na isinusuot ng mga babae upang magkalat ng bango sa kapaligiran. Ito’y ginagawa ring alay sa mga poon sa simbahan na ang sumasamba sa kanila ay may ugaling idampi ang panyo sa mga kamay o pisngi ng santo.
Kilala rin ang Dama de Noche, ang bulaklak na sa gabi lamang kung magsabog ng kabanguhan sa kapaligiran.
Ginawa ni Mario na kunin ang katas, ang langis, at bango ng bulaklak na Ilang-Ilang. At nang ito’y nagawa nang pabango at nailagay na sa mga botelya ay tinawag ni Mario ito na “Ylang-Ylang”. Sa pamamagitan ng mahusay na marketing at advertising, ang “Ylang-Ylang” ay mabilis na naikalat sa maraming boutique sa buong mundo at naging malaking tagumpay.
Nangyari ang isang bagay na hindi inaasahan ni Mario. Isang gumagawa rin ng pabango ay nagsampa ng demanda laban sa kompanya ni Mario. Ayon sa demanda ay lumabag ang kompanya ni Mario sa copyright law. Ayon sa kompanyang nagdemanda, ang katas, langis, at bango ng Ilang-Ilang ay naikuha nila ng copyright; samakatuwid ay pag-aari nila ang pangalan at katangian ng Ilang-Ilang. Humihingi ang nagdemanda ng kabayaran sa paglabag at sa pinsalang naidulot ng paglabag. Ang hinihingi ay limampung milyong dolyar!
Nayanig ang mapayapang mundo ni Mario. Nagkaroon siya ng malaking pasanin, panggulo sa kanyang isipan at sa katiwasayan sa pamumuhay ng kanyang pamilya at negosyo. Dagok din ito sa kanyang karangalan, sa kanyang malinis na pangalan, na bagay na kanyang iniingat-ingatan. Iisipin ng mga tao na siya pala ay mang-aangkinin ng bagay na hindi kanya. Isang magnanakaw!
Isipin mo ang magiging epekto ng pagbabayad ng limampung milyong dolyar sa kanyang negosyo. Aba, e, baka ang kanyang kompanya ay ma-bangkarote!
At kung bakit naman na ang nagdemanda ay nasa New York, USA; isinampa ang kaso sa New York, USA. Ang ibig sabihin ay kailangan ni Mario na ipagtanggol ang kanyang sarili sa New York din. Kailangan niyang kumuha ng abogado na amerikano at kailangang siya ay pumunta sa Amerika upang doon ay pamunuan ang pagtatanggol.
Kung pupunta sa Amerika si Mario ay ibig sumama sa kanya si Josefa. Paano ang kanilang negosyo? Sino ang magpapatakbo dito kung sila ay kapuwa wala? Paano ang mga anak? Sila’y nagsisipag-aral. Sa kanino sila iiwanan? Sino ang maaaring mag-alaga sa kanila?
Nangyari ang mangyayari. Nagpasiya si Mario na siya na lamang ang pupunta sa Amerika. Nakakuha siya ng mahusay na abogadong amerikano. Ang unang ginawa ng abogado ay ang paghiling sa korte na i-dismiss o ibasura ang kaso.
Ipinaliwanag ng abogado na ang bulaklak na Ilang-Ilang ay likas na halaman sa Pilipinas. Ito’y hindi mabubuhay sa ibang lugar. Hindi maaaring angkinin ng sinoman ang isang halaman, ang isang bulaklak. Ito’y biyaya ng lupa, na katulad ng palay, gulay, mga prutas, ay alay sa lahat.
Ipinakita ng abogado ng kabilang panig ang katunayan na ang Patent Office ay nagkaloob sa kanyang kliyente ng copyright. Tunay at malinaw ang nakasulat sa copyright.
Ayon sa pananaliksik ng abogado ni Mario, ipinakita niya sa hukom na maaaring tunay at tama ang copyright na pinanghahawakan ng nagdemanda. Subali’t ayon sa batas: Sa English: “Plant patents are very much like copyrights for plant cultivars. Plant patents only cover exact genetic copies (asexual clones) of the patented cultivar. They do not protect sexual progeny (plants grown from seeds) or plants that are merely similar to the patented cultivar. So, in that way, a plant patent is essentially a copyright on a plant cultivar.”
Ang defensa ni Mario na ipinahayag sa pamamagitan ng kanyang abogado: Ang binhi o ang bulaklak na Ilang-Ilang na pag-aari ng taga-New York na nagdedemanda, ay iba sa binhi at bulaklak na Ilang-Ilang na pag-aari ni Mario.
Matapos ang mahabang pagpapaliwanagan at sagutan ng mga abogado, ay nagpasiya ang judge: Case dismissed! Basura ang kaso! Nagtagumpay ang defensa ni Mario.
May higit sa isang buwan din ang pagkakahiwalay nina Mario at Josefa. Umuwi sa Pilipinas si Mario at nagsimulang mula sa paggawa ng mga gawain at katungkulan niya sa pamilya at negosyo na kanyang iniwanan.
Balik tayo sa simula ng kuwento. Sina Mario at Josefa ay nasa kalagitnaan ng kanilang pagsunod sa silakbo ng damdamin, sa pag-akyat sa rurok ng kaligayahan. Kanila ang pagsasarili at katahimikan ng gabi. Tanging nakakikita sa kanilang ginagawa ay ang bilog na buwan, na naghuhulog ng bahagyang liwanag sa kanilang mga katawan at pugad ng pag-iibigan. Masasamyo sa silid ang mabangong hininga ng isang bulaklak. Kung magkakabunga ang kanilang pagmamahalan nang nasabing gabing yaon, at ang magiging bunga ay isang babae, malamang na ang magiging pangalan ng bata ay, Ylang-Ylang.
DRAMA QUEEN
Short Story by Percival Campoamor Cruz
My mother just would not miss one episode of a reality show. It was aired on radio Monday to Friday, before noon, for thirty minutes. My mother listened to the
show while she was preparing lunch, or pressing the clothes, or cleaning the house; and I was at home for the school lunch break.
Maria was married to a sick man. At night, the man went around the neighborhood to peep on women. The houses were small, instantly-built houses, made up of discarded galvanized iron sheets and lumber. The residents who migrated to the city in search of work built them on idle lands without permit and became rent-free shelter. The houses did not have rooms – were literally boxes – and privacy was not a convenience. Maria’s husband peered through holes on the walls of the houses and watched the women as they changed clothes or washed. One night, one of the husbands caught the peeping tom in flagrante delicto. He yelled at him and, thus, made noise enough to attract the attention of the other men in the neighborhood. The men came out, grabbed the village voyeur and started beating him up. Maria said the angry men left her husband as good as dead. She single-handedly picked him up and dragged him to the main street where a passerby came and offered to give him a ride to the hospital. “Louie, I cried so much for my husband. He was for many days hospitalized. The bills grew so large I did not have an idea where to get the money; I had to beg to be able to pay them. My relatives mocked me for living with a sex maniac. That was the saddest part of my life that I would never, ever forget,” Maria narrated her most harrowing experience.
There was a big applause from the audience.
Such was the format of the show: Housewives came to the studio and in a thirty-minute “live” show, Louie, the producer-host, picked seven women to tell their most tragic, deplorable,
humiliating, hurting, tear-jerking real-life stories. The show was entitled “Drama Queen”.
The winner was chosen at the end of the show. Louie asked the audience to clap for the seven contestants, one at a time; and the one who received the loudest applause was declared the winner, the “Drama Queen of the Day”. The winning housewife took home twenty pesos and several loaves of bread and canned sardines, plus a year’s supply of the sponsor’s medicinal ointment. It made me wonder how the contestants could reveal their innermost secrets (and not be embarrassed?) for a measly twenty bucks, but anyway . . .
Esther was married to a good-looking husband. He was tall, had a moustache, and looked like Clark Gable. In contrast, she was short, dark and, well. . . homely. She was not sure whether the husband really loved her in spite of her looks, or married her just for convenience. The husband loathed working and preferred to be at home. He spent a lot of time hanging out with friends or kibitzing at the corner barber shop. He was economically dependent on Esther, who was a gainfully employed nurse. One day, Esther came home unexpectedly and she caught her husband in bed with the housemaid. Esther’s intuition, that her husband was just a freeloading louse, was thus confirmed. She threw the husband and the maid out of the house. And she became a very lonely, heart-broken ex-wife. And that was Esther’s most hurting experience.
At the end of the revelation, the audience gave her a resounding round of applause.
Radio was the main source of entertainment at that time. TV was scarce and not affordable. Louie loved the show. It had brought him fame and money. He had this reality show and a string of other shows that played out daily. They were all “live” broadcasts. Louie spent a lot of time at the studio doing his daily beat. As late as ten in the evening, he sat at his booth, and read letters from women who sought advice. He sat like a psychologist who fielded questions about love, courtship, sex, and marriage. His job ended at midnight and that was the late hour he went home.
Blanca had to work as a housemaid in a rich Chinese businessman’s household. She needed to support the medical bills of her mother who had contracted tuberculosis. The boss and his wife were mean. Blanca was made to work from the wee hours of the morning until late at night. She was given a small and airless room beside the kitchen. She had to make her own simple meals or miss meals as she was not allowed to eat the food that she cooked for the family. When Blanca made a mistake, like when she accidentally dropped and broke a ceramic plate, the wife pulled her hair and banged her head on the wall. She was also required to pay for whatever ware she broke. She led a harsh, lonely and miserable life away from her parents. She had to endure the cruelty of her employers but, in spite of all the sacrifices, the mother died anyway of the dreaded disease.
The audience was jubilant and gave Blanca a thunderous applause.
Louie’s wife was young, ten years younger than him. She was an attractive woman. Louie told her she did not have to work since money was pouring in. She spent her time shopping and seeing her friends. She had a beautiful house and all the equipment she needed in the house. She had her own car. Nice clothes, shoes and handbags. Jewelry. She had everything that a young woman could desire. The only thing she did not have was the company of Louie because Louie was always at work.
“I am a battered housewife,” Nora declared. “My husband goes out with his friends every night. He comes home drunk and makes trouble. He asks me if I still see my former boyfriend and I tell him, no. He says he does not believe it because somebody saw me having coffee with him at some place. That is a lie, Louie, and I tell him so. But he believes the lie and beats me up. He is madly jealous. He is not letting me go out. I cannot even wear my makeup. I live the life of a prisoner. The last time he beat me up, he busted my eyes and mouth so bad that my own mother could not recognize me. He said he was going to kill me if he heard about anymore cheating. This is my horrifying experience.”
The audience loved her story and gave Nora a good applause.
Louie’s wife, Victoria, was his number one fan. Wherever she went, she made certain the radio was playing Louie’s station. When she was at home the radio played all day long, tuned in to Louie’s radio station. When she was in the car, the car’s radio was constantly tuned in, likewise, to Louie’s radio station. The radio worked like a clock or scheduler that told Victoria about the whereabouts of her husband.
Aling Eliza’s five-year old son had a swollen head caused by encephalitis. She could not afford to buy the medicines, much less, agree to a surgical procedure that the doctor recommended. The boy, a smart, lovable human being was wasting away. Aling Eliza cried every time she saw boys her son’s age having fun outdoors while her little boy was lying in bed and enduring pain, cooped up inside the house. The boy got so sick one evening that she had to take him to the emergency room. She went from one hospital to the other begging for mercy but no hospital took the boy in because she did not have the security deposit. “My son was burning with fever. He was shaking and throwing up. He could not speak and with his eyes he was pleading to me for help. He was like telling me – Mama, why doesn’t anybody want to help me? – Louie, I wanted to die. I asked God to take my life instead of my son’s, if He could just spare my son’s life.” And she sobbed uncontrollably.
Louie gave the contestant his handkerchief so she could wipe off her tears. “I’m so sorry, Aling Eliza,” Louie commiserated.
“My son died that very same night. . . Losing my son is like losing my own life. Oh, my God, how could this world be so cruel!”
And Aling Eliza sobbed some more, and the audience clapped enthusiastically, obviously very pleased with her sad story.
“We will be back after this commercial.” Louie took a break.
(Sound of a wailing baby in the background
(Announcer: -- Your child can’t sleep because of stuffy nose? Breecks Cold Ointment is the remedy. Soothing cold that penetrates the skin and melts away the stuffiness caused by colds in the chest and throat. Gently apply on the chest and throat of baby and see the instant result of Breecks.--
(Sound effect (gleeful chimes) up and out.
(Announcer: -- Breecks Cold Ointment, when there is cold, there is relief.(Victorious music up and under.
(Announcer: -- Available in a small tin can or in the big jar at your neighborhood pharmacy.--)
The show continued on.
Wife Victoria was being pursued by her former boyfriend. Phone calls came to her house again and again. When she was out shopping or having a snack she could sense his presence. She was being stalked. She picked up the phone one day and admonished the stalker to stop harassing her.
The former boyfriend was very persistent. He tried soft-sell tactics like sending her flowers and chocolates. Those unwelcomed gifts she threw away as soon they were delivered.
She never discussed the problem with Louie. She preferred not to give him any worries. Besides, she thought she could handle the situation on her own.
Then the former boyfriend tried blackmail. He told Victoria on the phone, “I keep our pictures. I have several that show us in very compromising situations. I wonder how Louie would react if he saw them.”
“Louie knows we’re over. I married him and I am faithful to him, God knows!” Victoria protested.
“God knows, but Louie does not,” the former boyfriend was straight-forward about it. “When he sees the pictures he will think we are still on.”
“What do you really want!?” Victoria cut him short.
“I just want to see you and talk to you. Just one final time and then I’ll let you go,” the former boyfriend tried to calm her down.
The former boyfriend arrived in a flashy, yellow, convertible Corvette to pick up Victoria at her favorite coffee shop. As soon as she sat herself in the car, the sports car sped away in a loud roar. The car’s radio was playing at full blast. Momentarily the song being played was, “Your Cheatin’ Heart”. . .
“Your cheatin' heart,
Will make you weep,
You'll cry and cry,
And try to sleep,
But sleep won't come,
The whole night through,
Your cheatin’ heart, will tell on you . . .”
Without asking permission, Victoria reached out for the radio dial and switched the tuner to her husband Louie’s radio station.
“Our next contestant for the day,” Louie announced, “is Josephine Reyes.”
Josephine narrated how her husband disappeared, never to be seen again. He was a leader in the labor union. He led his co-workers in strikes against unfair and abusive employers. She spoke of how the police and the military sided with employers. Many times her husband was picked up and mauled at the police station because he was inciting strikers. The police and the military always presumed that her husband was a communist and that he was undermining the authority of the government. One evening, men in uniform came to pick up her husband for questioning. In spite of her pleadings, the men took him away anyway. That was the last time she saw him alive. She went to the police and the military for help. She was told they knew nothing about the abduction. She had presumed he was already dead.
The audience liked the story and applauded with gusto.
The former boyfriend treated Victoria to lunch at a posh restaurant. Then they drove up to a suburban resort where they could have a private talk. The former boyfriend talked of how miserable his life had been. Born into a rich family, the boyfriend spoke of how he already possessed all the nice things a man like him could have. But his life was still empty, he declared softly.
He travelled all over the world and tried to forget Victoria. He planned on starting a new life in California where his parents owned a house. “Victoria . . .” he said. “My heart is aching for you. No possession, no place in the world, no one, no experience can fill up my life but you.”
Victoria was silent. She did not know what to say.
“I wanted to marry you, remember?” the boyfriend asked for an acknowledgment.
At that point, Victoria blurted out, “. . . and your parents were against the marriage because they wanted you to marry someone else.”
“I assure you, Victoria, it was not my fault.”
“It was all your fault,” Victoria pointedly disagreed. “You were not man enough!”
The boyfriend took Victoria home, thanked her for the company, gently gave her a light kiss on the forehead, and left. That evening, Victoria could not sleep. Thoughts were running all over her head . . . . -- He was not a monster after all . . . I did not know he was having a tough time, the poor fellow. . . How can I help him? I am beyond helping him. I need help myself. --
Then she thought about her own life. . . -- Isn’t it weird? We lead the same miserable life. Materially, I am well-off; but spiritually, I am a lonely soul. Oh, Louie, forgive me for these thoughts. . . --
Time went on and the daily stuff that filled up Louie’s and Victoria’s days remained monotonously the same. Victoria’s former boyfriend stopped calling, for a while, until one day.
He wanted to meet up with Victoria again.
To prove that persistence paid off, old folks had a saying that even a piece of wood soaking with water when left beside the fireplace would eventually ignite; similarly, that a big boulder of rock when tiny drops of water incessantly fell on it, would eventually crack up. Such was the analogy that could be applied in the case of the boyfriend and Victoria. No matter that Victoria was strong-willed, no matter that she loved her husband, no matter that she had rejected the former boyfriend so many times in the past, she eventually succumbed to the temptation.
She and the former boyfriend had a fine day at the beach. They had lunch at an outdoor seafood restaurant. They went on board a boat that took visitors on a cruise around the bay. Before night fall, they found themselves in a cocktail bar. They danced and felt a longing for each other. Victoria had a transistor radio in her handbag. She was still tuned in to husband Louie’s radio station.
One thing led to another. Victoria and the boyfriend found themselves carrying on an indecent affair inside a motel room.
She felt a different ecstasy in the hands of the former boyfriend – a feeling she did not experience with Louie. The former boyfriend was very familiar with the landscape; he was able to control her whole being, awaken all her sensitive points. Naked before each other, she felt the kisses and the touches that she once knew and they felt great. Her body was quivering and absorbing all the wonderful sensation as her mind and hearing were wafting away.
The radio in the motel room was playing softly and she could hardly hear Louie’s voice coming out of the speaker. Unbeknownst to Louie, his own personal tragedy of a major proportion, was unraveling as he delivered in his modulated voice an endearing message . . . “and this next song is heartily dedicated to you, loyal listener, whose letter we just read, whose heartache we feel; a song of eternal love, also lovingly dedicated to my wife, Victoria. Victoria, I love you,” . . . and then he provided a sweet musical background to his wife’s indiscretion.
HOUSEWIFE
FOR RENT
Maikling kuwento ni
Percival Campoamor Cruz
“Pambihira!” sabi ni Romano. “Pati pala housewife, nauupahan na.”
Sabi sa anunsyo: “Masipag, mapagkakatiwalaan. Handang maglingkod sa tahanang walang asawa. Magluluto, maglalaba, maglilinis ng bahay. Puwedeng arawan o buwanan ang bayad. Tawagan si Sarah sa Cell Phone 09137185346868.”
Nakita ni Romano ang anunsyo sa Craigslist. Kahihiwalay pa lamang niya sa kanyang asawang amerikana. Nagsama sila nang isang taon; hindi sila nagkasundo sa maraming bagay sa dahilang hindi magkatugma ang kanilang mga ugali at hilig. Naghiwalay sila nang mapayapa. Ang amerikana ay bumalik sa kanyang mga magulang sa Los Angeles, California.
Sa isang unibersidad sa California nag-aral ng business si Romano. Nang makatapos ay kinuha siya ng isang malaking bangko na kung saan siya ay naging vice president kaagad. Nang magsawa sa buhay Amerika, umuwi sa Pilipinas si Romano.
Sa Amerika ay madaling maangkin ang magagandang bagay katulad ng auto, alahas, bahay, ang mga pinakabagong telepono, computer, at kung anu-ano pang luho sa buhay. Nguni’t ang mga tao doon ay subsob sa trabaho. Sa bahay man ay trabaho pa rin ang kinakaharap dahilan sa pangyayaring hindi uso ang magkaroon ng katulong. Ikaw ang maglalaba ng iyong damit, magluluto ng iyong pagkain, maglilinis ng iyong bahay, magtatapon ng iyong basura. Hindi uso ang tsuper; ikaw ang magmamaneho ng iyong sariling auto.
Bihira ang makapag-aanyaya ka ng kaibigan upang kayo ay mag-good time; sapagka’t ang lahat ay abala sa trabaho. Mas masarap ang buhay sa Pilipinas. Ang pamumuhay sa bayang sinilangan ay walang katapusang good time. Kung marami kang pera.
Iyan ang mga palaisipan na nagtulak kay Romano na mag-balikbayan.
Tinawagan ni Romano ang kaibigang si Tony. Ibig niyang makuha ang opinyon ng matalik na kaibigan.
“Housemaid ang trabahong hinahanap ng taong iyan, hindi housewife,” paliwanag ni Tony.
“Ang linaw, pare. Sabi sa ad, ‘housewife’,” tutol ni Romano.
“Gimik l’ang, ‘yan,” dagdag ni Tony, “para ma-intriga ka.”
Ang ginawa ni Romano ay tinawagan ang nag-aalok ng serbisyo at gumawa ng appointment para sa isang interview.
Ang dumating sa interview ay isang magandang babae na ang edad ay tatlumpu’t tatlo, humigit-kumulang. Kayumanggi ang kulay ng balat, hindi siya kataasan, pero hindi rin maliit; may kahabaan ang buhok, balingkinitan ang katawan, at maaliwalas ang pagmumukha. Bilugan at puno ng buhay ang kanyang mga mata. Ang labi’y mapula kahi’t na walang lipstick.
Ang inaasahang makita ni Romano ay isang may katandaan nang babae, maliit, mataba, at may mga kapintasan. Nagulat siya na ang dumating sa interview ay isang babaeng malakas ang personalidad at sadyang kaakit-akit.
“Talaga bang ikaw si Sarah?” usisa ni Romano.
“Bakit, may inaasahan ba kayong iba? Ako nga si Sarah,” mahinahong sagot ng babae.
“Wala. Ikaw lamang ang aking inaasahan,” sagot ni Romano. At dugtong niya, “sa ilang pananalita ay maaari mo bang ilarawan ang iyong sarili?”
“Ako si Sarah Fernandez, tatlumpu’t isang taong gulang, dating may asawa, ngayon ay housewife for rent. Kakaunti ang aking pinag-aralan, nguni’t ako ay dalubhasa sa kung fu at may title na ‘master’.
“Namatay nang maaga ang aking asawa. Naghahanap ako ng bahay na matitirahan, at kung saan man ang bahay na iyan, kanino man ang bahay na iyan, ako’y handang magsilbi katulad ng pagsisilbi ng isang asawa,” sagot ni Sarah.
Habang nagsasalita si Sarah ay lumiligid ang kanyang paningin at sinusuri kung anong uri ng pamamahay mayroon si Romano. May kalakihan ang bahay ni Romano. Masasabing ang bahay ay bahay ng isang may kaya sa buhay, batay sa laki at desenyo nito. Mataas ang kisame, yari sa magandang kahoy ang sahig at dingding. Malinis ang kapaligiran at kaaya-aya ang pakiramdam, hindi maalinsangan, maganda ang ikot ng hangin sa loob ng bahay na nagmumula sa malalaking bintana.
“Maaari kang maging sekretarya o clerk, saleslady kaya, o modelo. Bakit ibig mong manilbihan bilang isang housewife for rent?” tanong ni Romano.
“Hindi siguro ako matatanggap sa mga nasabi mong trabaho dahil sa hindi ako nakatapos ng pag-aaral,” sagot ni Sarah. “Ang ibig ko ay maging isang live-in domestic helper, sa ibang salita, at nang may suweldo na ako ay mayroon pa akong matitirahan.”
“Bakit hindi mo inilagay sa iyong anunsyo na ‘live-in domestic helper’; bakit ang inilagay mo ay ‘housewife for rent’?” nagtanong pang muli si Romano.
Sagot ni Sarah, “Ako’y naging mapagmahal at masunuring asawa at ang pagsisilbi ko sa aking naging asawa ay higit pa sa pagsisilbi ng isang katulong. Taga-luto, taga-laba, taga-linis, taga-pamili, at sa gabi ay kasiping sa kama. Nagsilbi ako sa asawa ko na walang sahod at sa huli ay namatay siya na wala man lamang naiwang insurance o mana na maaari kong ikabuhay. Ako ay mahirap pa sa daga ngayon at ang aking mga magulang at mga kapatid na nasa probinsya ay walang kakayahan na ako ay matulungan. Sila pa nga ang umaasa na ako ay makapagpapadala ng pera sa kanila."
“Kung tatanggapin kita, gagawin mo ba ang lahat ng pagsisilbi na binanggit mo na ibinigay mo sa iyong asawa?” patuloy ni Romano.
“Ang ibig mong sabihin ay . . .”
“Oo, hanggang doon sa pagsiping sa gabi,” dugtong ni Romano.
“Hindi ako babaeng tila kalapati na mababa ang lipad. Huwag mo akong husgahan. Ang aking naging asawa ay siya lamang na lalaki na aking nakasiping. . .
“Magkakasama tayo sa iisang bubong at maaaring magkakasama tayo sa iisang silid, sa iisang higaan. Maaaring mangyari ang lahat ng iyan. Nguni’t walang pilitan. Maaaring isuko ko sa iyo ang aking kapurihan, kung iyan ang aking magiging pasiya. Kapag gumamit ka ng lakas at dahas, kaya kong ipagtanggol ang aking sarili; kung kaya’t mag-isip ka muna bago ka gagamit ng dahas,” paliwanag ni Sarah. “Ang ating kasunduan ay kasunduang ‘strictly business’, hanggang sa ito ay humantong sa higit na mataas pang kategorya,” dagdag ni Sarah.
Isang gabing umuwi si Romano ay naabutan niyang si Sarah ay naliligo. Hindi nakapinid ang pinto sa silid niya kung kaya’t nagkaroon ng pagkakataon ang lalaki na sumilip sa loob ng silid. Narinig niya ang buga ng tubig na nanggagaling sa dutsa; hindi rin nakapinid ang pinto na patungo sa banyo. Bahagyang binuksan ni Romano ang pinto at sumilip sa loob ng banyo. Naaninag niya sa salamin ang hubad na katawan ni Sarah na noong minuto na iyon ay walang patumanggang nagpapasarap sa ginhawang dulot ng maligamgam na tubig at walang kamalay-malay na may matang nakakikita sa kanyang nakatutuksong alindog.
Nagdalawang-isip si Romano: Lilisanin ba niya ang kapanapanabik na tagpo o ipaaalam niya kay Sarah na siya ay naroroon sa may pinto at humihingi ng permiso na makapasok. Pinili niya na maging matapang at kaharapin kung ano man ang magiging reaksyon ni Sarah. Kinatok niya ang pinto at nagsabi nang, “Sarah, bukas ang lahat ng pinto. Baka ‘kako may nangyayaring masama sa iyo.”
“Sandali l’ang. Lalabas na ako,” sagot ni Sarah. At sa ilang sandali, habang si Romano ay nakaupo’t naghihintay sa may kama ay lumabas si Sarah ng banyo na nakabalot ng bata de banyo ang katawan at ang ulo ay nakabalot ng tuwalya.
Pumailanlang sa palibot ang mabangong samyo na galing sa katawan ni Sarah. Mabilis na uminit ang katawan ni Romano dahilan sa pagkakabulid sa isang tagpong nakalalasing sa lahat ng pakiramdam. Inisip niya na ang pakikipagtalik kay Sarah na matagal na niyang inaasam-asam ay maaaring maganap noon mismong oras na iyon. May matindi siyang isang pakiramdam na sa araw-araw ay nararamdaman niya, pagnanais na palakas nang palakas ang tindi habang lumalakad ang panahon.
Tumindig si Romano, nilapitan si Sarah, at akmang yayakapin ang babae. “Sarah, handa ka na bang magsilbi bilang housewife?” Hindi tumanggi si Sarah, nakipagyakapan kay Romano. Isinuko ang labi, ang katawan, sa mapangahas na labi at mga daliri ni Romano.
Ang mabilis na pangyayari ay naganap sa isipan lamang ni Romano habang nakikipag-usap kay Sarah tungkol sa pag-aapply sa trabaho ng huli. Saglit siyang nangarap sa magandang pangyayaring maaring maganap kapag nagpasiya siyang tanggapin sa trabaho si Sarah.
“Romano!” sabi ni Sarah. “Para kang namamalik-mata. Naintindihan mo ba ang sinabi ko?”
“Ah, e, oo. Ang sabi mo, maaaring humantong sa mas mataas pa na kategorya. . .”
Tinapos ni Romano ang interview at sinabihan si Sarah na siya ay magpapasiya sa darating na bukas.
Kinabukasan ay nag-usap muli ang magkaibigang Romano at Tony sa telepono.
“Pare, ibig ko siyang tanggapin sa trabaho nguni’t may mga inaalaala ako. Hindi ko siya kakilala. Totoo kaya ang mga pinagsasabi niya. Baka siya ay magnanakaw. Kukunin ang aking confianza, pagkatapos ay pagnanakawan ako. O baka siya ay isang serial killer. Gigilitin ang leeg ko habang ako'y natutulog,” pasubali ni Romano.
“Iyang laki mong ‘yan ay matatakot ka sa isang maliit na babae?”
“Pare, kung fu master daw siya.”
“Romano, kung ako ikaw ay tatanggapin ko siya. Palay na ang lumalapit sa manok, ayaw mo pang tumuka.”
Pinag-isipang mabuti ni Romano kung ano ang kanyang gagawin. Kasalukuyang siya ay nag-iisa sa dahilang kahihiwalay pa lamang sa asawa. Kailangan niya na may makasama sa bahay, na may makausap, at may makasama sa mga lakad. Hindi bale na ang pagluluto, paglilinis, at paglalaba. Hindi malaking pangangailangan ang mga iyon. Maaaring kumain sa labas, umupa ng tagalinis, at magpalaba sa laundry. Higit na mahalaga ang may nakakausap, nakakasalo sa buhay, sa hirap at sa sarap.
May kaya siya sa buhay. May minanang salapi galing sa mga magulang at kasalukuyan ay kumikita ng malaki bilang vice president sa isang bangko sa Makati. Maaari siyang manligaw ng mga napupusuang babae sa opisina. Maaaring siya ay maghanap ng makikilala sa mga party o singles bar. Maaari siyang maglakbay, mangibang-bayan, at humanap ng isa ring foreigner katulad ng unang asawa na mapapangasawa. Isip ni Romano, malaking trabaho ang manligaw at maghanap ng mapapangasawa. Samantalang heto na si Sarah, volunteer housewife, maganda at tila may laman naman ang ulo kahi’t na hindi nakapag-aral nang husto.
Nang makapagpasiya na si Romano ay tinawagan muli sa telepono ang kaibigan niyang si Tony.
“Tony, ang pasiya ko ay hindi. Hindi ko tatanggapin sa trabaho si Sarah.”
“Unbelievable! Pambihira ka, Romano. Palalagpasin mo ang isang napakagandang pagkakataon.”
“Hindi mo naiintidan,Tony. Hindi kami nagkasundo sa suweldo.”
“Bakit, magkano ang gusto niyang suweldo?”
“Isang milyon sa loob ng isang taon, P84,000 buwan-buwan! Gusto pa may life insurance at health insurance, retirement at paid vacation benefits!”
Napatawa nang malakas si Tony. Naisip niya na talagang smart si Sarah. Bago pinintasan ang pasiya ng kaibigan, “Romano, di ko akalaing tatanggihan mo si Sarah. Gago ka, pare. Sorry, pero talagang gago ka, kaibigan! Dahil lamang sa suweldo.”
Nagulat si Romano, bago ang tanong sa kaibigan, “Bakit naman ako naging gago?”
“Mangyari, unang-una, kaya mo namang magpasuweldo ng isang milyon. Pangalawa, hindi mo naisip na mas magastos ang tunay na asawa. Ang asawa ay may karapatan sa kalahati ng iyong yaman at pag-aari.
“Nagkaasawa ka nang isang taon; hindi ba ibinahay mo siya, pinakain, binihisan, ibinili ng auto, ipinasyal kung saan-saan, niregaluhan mo ng alahas, ipinagamot nang magkasakit, ibinili ng insurance, at lahat ng luho sa buhay? Magkano ang halaga ng lahat na iyan?
“Ipinaglaba ka ba ng damit, ipinagluto ka ba, menasahe ka ba sa gabi? Ang asawa mo ay pinabayaan mong maging isang donya. At sa huli ay iniwan ka. Ang masakit ay patuloy ang pagbabayad mo ng alimony sa asawa mo. Wala na siya nguni’t pinagkakagastusan mo pa rin. At kung sakaling namatay ka habang kayo ay kasal, ang kayamanan mo ay napasakanya sana. Hindi ba kagaguhan ang pasiya mo, Romano?”
Nag-isip nang malalim si Romano. Pinag-aralan nang mabuti ang mga sinabi ni Tony. Nagpalipas nang ilang araw bago gumawa ng pangalawang pagpapasiya tungkol sa pagtanggap kay Sarah. Pagkatapos ay tinawagan niya sa telepono si Sarah.
“Sarah, ang sagot ko ay oo. Tanggap ka sa trabaho.”
Housewife for Rent
Maikling Kuwento
Synopsis
Kapuwa sila naghahanap ng makakasama sa buhay. Ang lalaki ay kahihiwalay pa lamang sa asawa. Ang babae ay biyuda at nangangailangan ng matitirahan.
Inilalarawan sa kuwento ang pagbabago ng panahon at ng pag-iisip ng tao. Sa pamamagitan ng internet at social media, ang mga tao ay nagkakakilala at nagkakasundo. "Instant gratification", ang sabi sa Ingles. Mabilis naikakalat ang pakay at mabilis na nahahanap at nakakamit ang mga pangangailangan.
Nagbago rin ang moralidad ng tao. Upang mabuhay, ang tao ay kinakailangang magkaroon ng trabaho. Noong dati, ang trabaho ay kinakailangang maging matuwid at marangal. Ngayon, ang matuwid at marangal, ang tama at mali, ay paiba-iba; batay sa pangangailangan at kung sino ang nagbibigay ng interpretasyon.
Ang trabaho ay trabaho; gagawin ang alin mang bagay, upang magkatrabaho at mabuhay.
Parody ang uri ng kuwento; nguni’t anong lapit sa tunay na buhay!