Patience

A young boy of sixteen, Nilo freely lounge himself in the grassy area under the old santol tree at the back of their house and adoringly strokes his new-made sumpak, with such a naive zeal of pride as he points it towards the mounting sun in the east. Immensely pervading in his juvenile face is the great pleasure he has during the moment as his new metallic handgun glimmers under the cooling rays of that early sun. He knew deep inside, he will become a brave and tough policeman in their town.
Nilo helps his father in cultivating their fields. He has finished his high school a year ago in that small integrated school and now he decided to deter his schooling to earn enough money for the next school year in the Polytechnic College in the nearby town. It didn’t bother him if he will be left out by his classmates because his father had promised him that if they will have a bountiful harvest for that season they will have enough money to pay their debts to Mang Kanor and more for his tuition. He is somehow sure to enter college the next semester. The view of the brazen rice fields has overwhelmed his longing heart, he never believed the gods but now he is sure they have favored their crops. Their field offers a promise of enough satiation for the rainy season and satisfaction in the reaping period compared to the neighboring areas deposited with golden slender stalks of rice.
The next year will soon be a year of challenge and dreams for him but his optimism is greater than his childish vacillations. Besides he knew his cousin would help him for sure. Albert who is the son of his Tiyo Berto whom his father’s younger brother, is almost the same as his age; they have gone through the same school from their day care up to their high school. They build their hopes together, they both dreamed of becoming unbeatable policemen in the future. This made them stick together more than like brothers.
It is almost six o’clock in the morning, after he got Milyo from the river and tied him in the shade of that santol tree, he then sits under and looks at his sumpak with great admiration and pride. He is intently looking at his shining gun when Albert arrives dashing—painting an excitement on his face and shouting in his eager manly voice like no other day can craft such kind of mood in him.
“Nilo! I’ve got good news for you here!” He is panting noisily like a dog running miles and miles in the heat of the gleaming sun.
He immediately hides his sumpak under his nipa hat by the trunk of the tree and stands quickly to meet his cousin.
“Tell me right Bert! I’ve got a surprise for you, too. C’mon!”
“Wait, let me first rest ok?” he grins loud as he hurriedly goes towards the shade of the tree and Nilo follows after him.
“Know what Nil, Mamang went to the municipal hall last day. And guess what?”
“Well, don’t tell me she got the scholarship grant of the Mayor for you?”
“Exactly! You got it right!”
“Oh so you’ll be going into college soon.” His voice resonate a sound of sadness.
“Yes, and fortunately, it will be the two of us.”
“Don’t be silly Bert, you know our harvest last season offered only meager income to sustain us this year, we’ve got no money to support me if I go to college this coming June.”
“I’m serious. Mamang had convinced the secretary to give two slots for both of us.”
“Oh really?” His eyes grow wide with amazement and a sort of disbelief.
“Yup! Come let’s go to the municipal hall, she told me we need to get the papers and fill them up for the application huh.”
“Ah wait, I’ve also got to show you something.”
“What do you have there? Don’t tell me you’ve got a girl there hiding at the back of the tree?” He laughs in a devilish way.
“You always got flies in your head. Hahaha! But anyway, see that hat over there.”
Bert quickly opens the hat and yells as he was taken by surprise by what he sees.
“Man, I can’t believe this! How did you got this sumpak?
“Told ya, Mang Kanor gonna give it to me.”
“So that’s what you earned after following him in the mountains to hunt birds. Bravo! You don’t have a title yet but you now have the license to kill huh?”
“Yes of course, the license to kill birds!”
They both cackle loudly like valiant roosters in the early dawn.


Nilo is gazing towards the doorway of that ward, his mind crowded with furtive thoughts, unaware of the busy nurses almost running around to catch up with the different patients in that fully packed room. Beside him is his mother, Aling Mameng in her old age clear with the apparent white hairs all over and palpably the visible furrows in her forehead, lying unconsciously in that rusty metal chair.
He was almost a couple of days dwelling in that room—empty of possessions just the usual jumbles for a sickroom, yet crowded with many ill-people.
Propped on an old pillow, he constantly closes his eyes as he tries to remember something.

“You know what Nil, I’m so tired of your excuses.” It was Maggie, his girlfriend whom his cousin Albert had introduced to him in their acquaintance party. “That you and Hannah are just friends? Such a sweet loving, hands-holding friends the hell you are!”
“Oh c’mon Mag, don’t be so silly, I’m telling you it’s nothing.”
“What? I’m being silly? Well damn you, get out of this house and get out of my life!”
He tries to stand but fails. He falls back upon the bed helplessly to awaken his sleeping mother.
“Son, you wanna stand? You want me to call the doctor? His mother stands immediately, tying her loose hair.
“No mother, I’m all right. I’m just trying my strength.”
“Mother, did anyone try to visit me here?”
“If you mean your girlfriend Maggie, no she hasn’t drop by. And your father came this morning. You were sleeping. He was rushing but he promised to return later.
An air of silence absorbs in, he withdraws his sight from his mother and looks towards the unopened windows.
He remembers that innocent day, Albert dropped by their tambayan in the plaza. He and his brods had decided to escape the subject of the professor they hated most, who always nags at them for attending her subject late and making several absences. They spent time in that small park where the wooden slats were painted brown with initials and vandalisms of different groups and gangs carved on the back and on every sides. It was a fair morning and there was the crisp rattling of the young narra leaves, which gave shadows and refuge to the frail mayas.
“So what brings you here?” Nilo lights the cigarette he just put in his mouth.
“Maggie told me what happened.”
“Well, it’s always girls who’re looking for problems, you know.”
“So what’s your plan?”
“Plan? You mean with Maggie? There’s a lot more pretty girls out there.”
“So there’ll be problem if I’m gonna court her?”
“Oh.” That was the only single word that came from his mouth. He almost choked.
“I went to their boarding house the other night… It’s not really my intention; I guess I only want to help her—to comfort her.”
“What do you mean?”
“Nil, something happen between us…”
The words he heard were enough for his fist to involuntarily swing towards Albert’s face. It aroused him in rage and he gave another blow on his nose that led to a streaming of red drops in his nose. He in shock retaliated with a heavy knock on his forehead. Nilo suddenly fell on the ground and his mind was whirling. Albert gave him another beat on his lips while he clung to him, ready to kill with anger. They both drooped and they rolled on the grasses and tried every attempt to knock each other out. They were both terribly enraged.
There were only few people in that plaza and seeing the fight, they have gathered around and watched them wrestle like roosters in a cockfight.
His sumpak had been his last refuge. He had the chance to get his sumpak inside his jacket and aimed it towards Albert. The latter stood still in terror while he felt his nerves trembled and his hands were shaking. He was ready to shoot him.
He saw his face in horror and suddenly felt the guilt of his abrupt behavior.
Albert stood dumbfound, staring still angry—puzzled.
Nilo started to walk slowly from that place. Suddenly a loud boom was heard out from nowhere rigid and deafening that made the people run in disordered upheaval. A heavy weight fell on the ground.
“Albert!”
Another bullet came like a dashing arrow that hit him in the thigh. He sees Mac-Mac, the brother of Maggie with his revengeful looks and disappeared from behind the big trunk of the narra tree. He suddenly fell and saw nothing but darkness.


“Son here’s your father now.”
He is still silent in his bed, his attention outwards. It is quite hard to accept the present and forget what had happened. Could Albert still forgive him? He’s hoping. He believes. He will continue their dreams—of becoming a policeman, the unbeatable policeman in their town.