TRISTEZAS DEL ALMA
( Sadness of the soul )
part one: THE MEETING
The above title is a music piece popular in the Philippines during the late 50's and early 60s. I always heard it over the radio, in restaurant jukeboxes, in movie theatres before and in between screenings and also in formal ballroom dances.
In 1995, I heard this piece again with a winsome lady in my arms. We were doing a graceful waltz in the Asingan auditorium with several other couples.
I was yet a bachelor then. This single dance during that evening changed my life forever....
My family of 3 left the Philippines in 1975 after our parents died. My sister who has been in Toronto for a long time sponsored us. During that time, securing a Canadian Immigration visa was still easy, as long as the sponsor has a permanent job. And you do not even have to sign a paper that you should reside in the Yellowknife Territory ( or some other Siberia like places ) where it is winter for 10 months and only one plane comes and leaves once a week. And it is no 747 luxury flight either.
20 years after, around 1995, I finally decided to visit my hometown. Martial law was
over and I felt there were already less restrictions from the Marcos government. And no surprise coup d'tats which might strand visitors at the International airport indefinitely.
Besides I promised some high school buddies I am going to attend our class reunion
and to crown one of our classmates as Mrs. Balikbayan.
One reason why it took me a long time to come back to the old hometown is that we sold our house before we left for abroad. We divided the money equally. I used my share for the incurring expenses in securing a Philippine passport, undergoing Canadian medical examinations ( a requirement for the entrance visa ) airline fare and then some pocket money in case I could not get a job immediately.
All three of us took the same flight together on August 30, 1975.
Thanks God, at that time, jobs in Toronto were still abundant. A week after I secured my Social Insurance Number ( SIN ) , I found a job at a factory job but a few months later, I was able to get something more to my liking and professional skills.
Twenty years went by swiftly. I felt numbed when I saw Asingan for the first time after 2 decades. I checked into a resort called MJV managed by an Asinganian who made good in California and she used most of her resources in putting up a very decent and beautiful resort beside a river in barrio Sanchez.
I checked in after arrival in Asingan at around 12:00 noon, and while listening to
the hum of a room airconditioner, I fell asleep after that long voyage from Toronto
to the Philippines, then from the NAIA ( formerly called Manila International ) to Asingan.
I did not have the heart to take a look at our old house. It was like a part of my
childhood was taken away for a price. I just planned to spend a few days in Asingan, then back to Manila where I would spend the rest of my holiday maybe visiting some resorts in Cebu or Palawan.
I checked my time. It was 4:00 pm. Must have slept for almost 4 hours. I took a shower, my first real one after two days, then I went down to a small restaurant
where I met the owner, a friendly lady named Polly. After a brief chat, she asked
a young, pretty waitress to seat me at a table overlooking a ricefield. Sitting down,
I felt the gently zephyr caressing my travel worn face.
I checked my time again. It was already 4:30 pm. The dance would start 8:00 pm Asingan time ( which means any hour after the designated time ) so there was no hurry.
I gave the waitress my order when I saw a lady in black pass by. At first, I was attracted by her perfume. I remember reading somewhere that the female of the species would use a certain scent to lure an unwary member of the opposite species. When she sat down three tables away from her, I saw her face. It was pretty. Another pretty one, I said to myself.
I have been in and out of love at least 6 times when I was in Toronto. And I had several crushes when I was still studying in a private high school in Asingan.In a
sense of the word, I was already a "veteran" in the game, if you can call it such.
So I said " Just to play it cool with this one. But then that is what I always said..
" Hi, are you alone or are you expecting company tonight?" It is not an obtrusive
opening line. She was reading ( or pretending to be reading ) a pocket book . She raised her face, and I saw her eyes. They were quite intense, but they were not mad for my sudden intrusion. Then, she put dow her pocket book, flashed a quick smile.
I think she already know what I am thinking, and she seems to be quite prepared
for whatever she thinks I am thinking.
"My name is Alfredo Montilla." I dispensed away with the formality of shaking her
hands and she answered with a firm and very legible voice.." Mine is Jennifer Acierto..But you can call me Jenny."
As I sat down in an unhurried manner, I answered "You can call me Fred."
Thus an animated conversation started..It was a very careful but friendly question
and answer session while we ate the delicious repast.
Somehow, there is SOMETHING that seems to attract me to her although I tried not
to show it for fear of losing an advantage. I do not know what that mysterious
attraction is. At that early stage, I was still trying to make a very good first impression and I know she was trying to measure me with every little movement I make or a single word I uttered.
However, our chat was informal, and I learned that she is born in Asingan, but she
also left for abroad when she was young. She grew up and studied in Sacramento,
California. I also told her that I am from Toronto, Canada. She said she was still single, I said I was also single. I stopped short of asking her why she is still single. There will be lots of time to ask her more questions in a future time that is, if we have a future.
Anyway, after a couple of hours of finishing our wine ( the owner served us a bottle
of her best brand ), then I asked her if she is attending the dance. She said yes. Next I asked her if she has a partner, she said no. Finally came the $64,000 question:" Can you be my partner tonight.." After a few seconds, she said "yes, why not?.." My heart skipped a beat. Again, I kept my cool. I just said: "Thank you. I will arranged for our ride with Miss Polly. I heard she has a car and a driver ready for any couple for tonight's celebration.."-------#
end of part 1 of 3
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