part 1 of last chapter..

part 3: DESPERATELY SEEKING JENNIFER

Upon reaching MJV, I went immediately to the night clerk and asked: "Has Jenny Acierto came back ?"

"Yes sir, she came back half an hour ago. Then she packed all her things and she checked out.."
"She, WHATT???"

The news fell down on me like a ton of bricks.
"Did she leave a letter for me or maybe a forwarding adress where I can reach her?"
"Nothing at all, sir.." the girl seemed scared at my expression and my loud voice..
I took a $5 bill from my wallet and spread it on the table. My mind started to go crazy.

"Can I see her room, please. It is very, very important to me.."

Okay sir, but please do not tell this to Madam Polly.." she slowly placed the money in the drawer.
　
She brought me to the luxury suite on the third floor of the newly erected annex building. This is the best floor in the house. It overlooks a whole view of Asingan ricefields from Carusucan to Domanpot and maybe Macalong.

As she opened the door, I smelled again her perfume, the one she used when I first saw her at the restaurant. She switched on the light. The bed appeared to be unused. I cursorily looked for a letter, or any kind of paper that could provide a clue to her next whereabouts. But there was nothing..

"I could not believe this," I said. My love for her is slowly changing into anger.

"Okay, dearie" I said. You can close it again. I am going back to my room.."

As I about to open the door, I wished ( although it was a fat chance ) that she would be inside, waiting for me. But as I switched on the light I saw the usual view and my bed which still unmade. I threw myself into it and tried to sleep.

Then came a knocking on the door.

"Jenny??" I asked.

"It's me sir". It was the clerk. "I am sorry for the bed, I thought you would be arriving much later. I had to do other chores and I reserved making the bed for much later..Want me to do it now?"

"No, its okay.." I said calmly.."You can go back to your desk. I will be fine.."

"Sir, I have a pitcher of ice water..You might need it .."

I stood up, opened the door, and took the pitcher. "Thank you, I said. And she answered, "welcome sir.."

I remember some valium tablets in my luggage. I took one with water then I covered my face with a pillow..10 minutes later, I was out like a light..

I woke up the next day at around 9:00 am from an entirely dreamless sleep. At first, I did not know where I was, since I was still on jet lag. Then my normal thinking settled down like pieces of mosaic and I again remembered my room, the resort and inevitably, Jenny.

How easily feelings change, I said to myself. My anger came back, throbbing like a painful wound. "Who is this girl?" I asked myself. "Is she an avenging angel for the other girls I dumped for no good reason? What is behind this trick she played on me..?" Then, wanting to express my ire, I shouted "Slut!! And what a big jerk I was!!"

To help me calm my senses I started packing my bags. Then I remember Rodrigo Esperon, a classmate from Grade 6 in Dupac. He said, if you are in Asingan on the last week of April, come to our house. My younger brother General Hermogenes will be there as the crowning for the Miss Asingan 2000. There will be tons of food and bottles of the best drink you can think of. You can drink until you could no longer recognize the floor from the ceiling.."

My luck has not run out yet, I said to myself.. His house is just a few doors away from the resort.

When I got there, Rudy was utterly delighted. "Almost 50 years passed he said and we are still alive and kicking.." he siad with merriment.

"And drinking!" I added..

We laughed then settled down for the business of the day, trying to cram the events of 50 years into 24 hours or less.

Soon, I was drunk..I was not really good at this kind of thing. Could not hold my liquor, inspite of the lechon, crispy pata, tinola, etc. What a smorgasboard that was but I was too drunk to enjoy or even remember them.. I just remember vaguely Rudy putting me on a tricycle then accompanying me to my room. Even if he dumped me in my bed like a sack of palay, I would never know..

When I woke up the next morning, I had the Mother of all hangovers..I took two extra strong advil tablets and lied on my back again..The sound of chirping sparrows outside my window sounded like shrieking banshees..

Then I remember I promised to visit another friend..Carlos Lopez Jr. The incumbent mayor of Asingan. "Oh God, I said..not in this condition,". I took another Advil to hasten the dissapearance of the headache.."What would humanity do without these great tablets.." I said after I noticed my hangover slowly dissipating.

Twenty minutes later, my headache was gone and my body bounced back to normal. For how long, I do not know. Not unless Caloy would offer me another round of Marka Demonyo..

Mayor Lopez was a good friend of mine before he went into Politics. He said he used to be a humble farmer before he joined the political bandwagon. From a councilor he became a vice mayor. With the sudden death of the incumbent mayor then, then he became Asingan's Chief Executive Officer.

He was vey happy to see me and when we shook hands, I could feel his missing two fingers. But he was not embarassed about it. In fact I heard lots of good stories about him and he was very proud about his humble beginnings. The way he talked never seemed to have changed at all..

After half an hour of exchanging pleasantries, he told me he has to go to Dagupan to attend a meeting of some sort. "Wanna come?" he invited. "Maybe you can write something about it.."
"No thanks," I said.."Thanks anyway, but I am going back to manila tommorow if possible. I want to visit Cebu and maybe Palawan..Besides you might not like what I will write about you..JUST JOKING!!"

He laughed also and he pat my shoulder. "Okay, Aring. Until we meet agiain.."

As I walked out of his door, he said in parting: "maybe you might like to visit the mini museum we have in here. We have the historical documents of our town, the photographs of FVR, her sister and the parents.."

Yes, I might.." I commented "I noticed that most of the schools in Asingan are already named after them.."

As I looked for the stairs going down to the exit, I saw the sign of the museum. "Ah, what the heck," I said..I had the rest of the afternoon off anyway..

I entered the door and there they are: the photographs of Don Narciso, Dona Angela, then ex president Fidel Ramos. her sister, Senadora Lety..His uncle Joe was a one time Mayor of Asingan, another uncle Felixberto was my teacher in Arithmetic when I was in Grade 5 at the Dupac Elementary School.

Then my eyes floated to another section..There was a whole slew of photographs of the former Miss Asingan Beauty Queens.."Aha, this is more like it.." I said..Their timeless beauty are now immortalized in this gallery to show that after all, our humble town was never short on beautiful sirens..I started waxing poetry mentally as I go from year to year. It was a butt breaking work completing the collection and I admired the person who broke his butt doing it.

When I reached 1995, my whole person froze. "Shit, I know this photo, " I whispered.

I looked down at the name. It was Jennifer Acierto!!!

Immediately, my feet took wings and my heart pounded high. I started trying to find someone in the Municipal Building who knows where her house is in Asingan..---#

conclusion on the next installment...

　

thanks to Polly for the use of her Resort's photograph...