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| "The Sparrow" - another Jess Guim short story |
PHILIPPINES, Martial Law era...
The day's headline news, which hit the homes and streets was about the killing of Dakila's Mayor Agustin Curacot. He was gunned down and killed on the spot by three young teen-agers aging from 15 to 20, members of the NPA liquidation squad called the "Sparrow Unit".
To Andrei, the said operation was not a complete success with the captivity of one of the Sparrows by Policemen serving as bodyguard of the Mayor. He could imagine how the young rebel may have been mercilessly tortured by the military men before he was liquidated. What frightened him most was the probable revelation of the captive Sparrow if he was not able to endure the intimidations. All of these dreadful conceptions were flowing into his mind while riding on his 125cc Yamaha sports motorcycle along the Plaridel highway.
Andrei slowed down his motorcycle's speed when he viewed from a distance a red motorcycle at the side of the highway. There was a smile on his face when he finally realized that it was his best friend whom he wanted to meet before dusk. The man in blue Levi's jacket seated and troubleshooting his two-wheeled vehicle was Joe.
| The sun was turning reddish beyond the western hills. The wind was nippy, piercing even the thick leather jacket of Andrei. The flowering rice plants at the paddies on both sides of the highway were dancing with the rhythmic tunes of the wind. The rain clouds were swiftly moving towards the sea, outside the town of Plaridel. The afternoon buses overtaking Andrei's motorcycle were starting to hit the roads. These were the south road passenger-buses going on a twelve-hour trip to the city of Manila. |
Passenger jeeps passing by were clustered with commuters even on their carriers and rooftops.
With a soft grip of the gasoline throttle and a foot brake, Andrei pulled over unnoticed just a few meters behind Joe, who was already furious with his motorcycle. "'Tang Ina!" he muttered and hit his motorcycle's cylinder head with the screwdriver.
"Keep cool, Pare ko!" (Keep cool, my friend!") said Andrei to his friend, as he tapped his shoulder to calm him down. He placed his heavy black shoulder bag on the ground and sat down on Joe's left. The latter was surprised by the sudden appearance of his friend. His friend's presence was a relief though. He had been attempting to activate his motorcycle's engine for an hour already, but failed many times.
Thirty minutes later, Joe sighed with great jubilation, as he stepped towards the motorcycle tuned-up by his friend. "You're always a savior to me, Pard's!" How will I pay you for this again?" They called each other "Pare" or "Pard's", for they had made each other Godfather at each of their eldest son's baptismal. This relationship made their friendship stronger than ever since their high school days. They were closer than real brothers.
"Ha-ha-ha! It will cost you more than what you'll pay for a mechanic! Sky is the limit, if you want. " Andrei laughed as they both prepared to go.
Joe did not hesitate to say yes. How could he say no to a very good friend. Besides, he may be gone mysteriously for a long time again. So, everytime they cross each other, they enjoyed their meetings as if they would never see each other again.
Joe and Andrei were both leaders who were fighting for reforms in their town and their government. But they had opposite ideas on how the reforms should be done. Andrei was a Commander of the communist New People's Army (NPA), the rebel group against the government's corruption and foreigners' imperialist and capitalist interest in the Philippines. He was called "Commander Silent" by his followers in the rugged hills of the NPA territories. He got this alias from his followers because of his ability to remain an ordinary public high school teacher, without the general public knowing that he was a commander of the most dreaded rebel group. Unlike other NPA commanders, Andrei was the only rebel Commander who could openly roam around like an ordinary citizen. Andrei was also the leader of the most distinguished vigilante group of the NPA, called "Sparrow Unit".
Joe had a great interest on people's welfare and the government, too. But he had a different way of gearing his attention. He was a leader of mass-based group, and remained open in fighting against the government's shortcomings and corruptions at his wife's hometown, Plaridel. His townmates and the press called him "Parliamentarian of the Streets." Several of his opinions and suggestions during street demonstrations with different mass-based organizations were adapted as laws by their local government. Unlike Andrei, Joe did not believe in violence or rebellion as the real solution to the problems arising in their country. In fact, he was planning to join politics someday and initiate changes if he win the electoral process.
The long and winding road towards Plaridel town was starting to darken. Distant lights were like flickering fireflies. Two unnoticed motorcycles behind them tried to catch their speed after a moment. Each motorcycle had two riders, all wearing crash helmets. The blue 125cc Honda tried to go nearer Andrei's motorcycle. While the other yellow 125cc Suzuki remained behind Joe's motorcycle. The first motorcycle's back rider gazed closely at Andrei's face, trying to identify him. They speed away later towards the direction where Joe and Andrei were going.
It was 8:00 o'clock of a cold and dark evening when when they reached their usual "hang-out" - the Kayumanggi Beach Resort, five miles outside the town of Plaridel. Their meetings were always more on exchange of serious opinions than drinking - usually topics about life - the illiterate starving people, ills of society, corrupt government, and the world. They had lots of serious and confidential matters to tell each other everytime they met in this place. The rumbling waves of the sea at night were good cover for whatever secrets they wanted to share each other in this place.
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At the beach's entrance was a small house where an old couple managing the resort live. The dwelling was brightened by a 50-watt bulb dangling at the center of the couple's room. An old woman in her 60's came out to welcome the two. "Good evening, Aling Gloria!" Andrei greeted the old woman as he reached her right hand to be kissed by his forehead, as he bended down. The greeting was a way of respect by the NPA's to people who were older than them, a traditional show of respect slowly vanishing among Filipinos. |
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"Good evening, too, Andrei. " She made a sign of a cross in front of him, as a response to his kissing of her hand and said: "Pagpalain ka nawa ng Diyos!(God Bless you). I 'm really so proud of you. You're not forgetting that old way of showing respect to elders."
After securing his motorcycle against a wooden fence, Joe walked towards Aling Gloria and greeted the old woman the way his friend made earlier. "Where is Mang Bosyo?" he asked.
"Ambrosio is at the sea now. He'll try to catch some fish for our food tomorrow," Aling Gloria answered as she led the two to a row of open bamboo cottages. Upon reaching the first shade, she turned on a pendulous electric bulb, swaying everywhere as the raging wind of the forthcoming storm hits it. Joe reached for an old rag clinging at the hut's wooden beam. He started to clean the bamboo table. Andrei placed his black shoulder bag on top of it and sat down on the long bamboo bench facing the sea.
The wind was becoming colder and harsher. The sea waves were roaring like the growing thunder of the dark skies. The beach was usually a hang-out for night-time swimmers during summer. During cold days of November, few people dared to visit this place at night. The sea was usually rough and dangerous.
Andrei handed two one hundred peso bills to the old woman and asked for six bottles of cold beer, plates of rice, roasted fish, and jackfruit cooked in coconut milk with crabs.
Joe tried to hand some paper bills to the old lady. "This is enough, Jose," Aling Gloria said as she blocked Joe's hand with his own paper bills.
Joe protested, "I thought I am the one who 's going to treat you now."
"Ha-ha-ha! Keep it for my wake tomorrow. Just give it to my wife when you come to visit me at my funeral," Andrei told his friend, with signs of crisis on his face.
"Don't talk like that, Pard's. Masamang damo usually live longer," Joe laughed as he kept his paper bills to his wallet. 'Masamang damo' was a Filipino terminology for people who live in immoral deeds - a common joke among friends. He then sat down beside Andrei to watch the sea not far from the hut.
The wind was becoming chilly. The moonless skies showed an impending thunderstorm. A heavy rain was sure to fall.
"So how's the hills going, Kumander?" Joe asked while turning his head to see if there were other people around who may have heard him. "I've heard over the radio this morning that the Mayor from Dakila town was killed by the Sparrow." He took a deep breath and continued, "Ahh, when should this kind of killings end, ha, Pard's? Our society is becoming ill. But killing among Filipinos should not be the way to solve these problems of our society!"
"Shhh… the old lady is coming. Let's not go to that extreme topic any further. I have a problem which needs your help. Let's discuss it when the old woman leaves us". Andrei tapped his friend's shoulder as he rose to assist the approaching old woman with a basket, full of their orders. "Hmmm… your food smells delicious, Aling Gloria."
The alcohol content of the cold beers added more life to the serious conversation of the friends. They exchanged ideas between sipping of beer and eating.
"The end of the road must be nearing for me, Pare. One of my members in the liquidation squad, who killed the Mayor of Dakila, had been caught by the military. He was a new recruit, with no proper orientation and training yet. But his insistence to join the mission forced me to approve his involvement. He must be dead already by now." Andrei explained in despair as he gulped his beer. "I'm afraid he must have confessed my role in the Sparrow Unit. "
"You should be hiding by now, if that's your contention. The Dakila Mayor you liquidated is a powerful man in the whole province of Bayani . He has a lot of tentacles who may follow you even beyond your grave." Joe responded as he shook his head with regret. "He was untouchable. You know what happened to those who tried to expose his wrong doings... they're six feet below the ground now!"
"That's the reason why we killed him! All of those who will be like him must be washed out from our society! People like him is the reason why so many of our countrymen are suffering!" Andrei answered back in a harsh voice, then picked another bottle of beer.
Joe wanted to explain more about how the society should be changed in a peaceful manner. But he thought the conversation would just turn extremely long without Andrei surrendering his ideology. "So how am I going to help you now, Pard's?" Joe asked ash he tapped his friend's shoulder. More
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