I FINALLY met my distraught friend in Cebu and he was all ears and eyes when I told him about my activities for the past weeks and wondered how I could manage such a busy schedule, and with grace.
And I immediately told him that it’s all a matter of time management and prioritizing things.
And he said how he wished he could rewind his life, when he was still strong and full of energy. But all that is just wishful thinking because life is always like that.
When I asked him what’s up, he sobered a bit and contemplated on how to start his narration.
Over cups of coffee, he summed up his story by saying that he’s caught between the devil and the deep blue sea.
* * *
He said he is wondering how best to approach the problem, should he tell his father about his discoveries, including his latest discovery, or just keep it to himself.
He said that if he keeps it to himself, there would be no possible emotional eruption from his father and he would only be the one to entertain the anomaly by his lonesome self.
But the problem, he said, is that if he kept it to himself, there is no certainty as to how much money and what other properties would be lost to the balhiboon og kamot.
Gaka-dugay, gaka-dako na man og kuhaon ang akong igsoon gikan sa panudlanan sa among kompaniya nga way pupahibalo o pananghid sa among amahan, he explained.
Ang nakapait pa gyod, he added, bisan ang asawa moapil na pod og panguha, unya daring pa kaayo nga mangayo nga morag dili mahadlok nga masakpan.
Kanang mora bitaw og dunay gisaligan, mora’g nakasandal sa pader bitaw, he said.
* * *
If he tells his father, then for sure things would be different, he added.
His father would immediately order an investigation, he would probably ask for a report from the cashier, from the accountant, to assess the damage.
He would probably check on the records on file and would probably get the figure representing the total amount malversed by his brother and his brother’s wife. Then he would probably wonder what happened to all the big amount “stolen” by his demented son and wife when even with the big amount that they stole, they still are poor, have plenty of utang and don’t even have a decent savings.
Then he would probably question himself like where did I go wrong, why did I end up with such a demented son and daughter in law.
And he would probably withdraw and take refuge in emotional silence and suffer in silence too.
Or, it is also possible that he would confront his demented son and make him explain why in heaven’s name did he become a thief in the family, including his wife, and how he managed to face his social and religious friends in a pretext that he is an upright brother in profession when he’s not.
In the end, things might not end up peacefully and quietly and his father might instead explode or implode.
That would be bad news and it might trigger a multiple organ dsyfunction and would probably result in the demise of their father.
The more he ponder about it, the more he was confused.
* * *
Upon hearing all of these, I began to question myself why did I ever involve myself in such a very delicate situation.
Delicate because I was conscious of the fact that my suggestion, recommendation or whatever statement I make out of such a situation might trigger a submissive reaction from my friend.
He might listen and act accordingly and I might be responsible for the consequences of his actions or inactions.
Like my friend, I also became distraught.
Paita.
* * *
Thankfully, another friend came by our table and joined us with his own cup of coffee.
That stopped everything and I was thankful for the timely interruption.
More so when the newcomer started discussing about local politics.
I took that as a cue and I stood up and begged off for some important meeting elsewhere and leaving my friend to agonize over the situation.
Pagka-lisora gyod kaayo ang iyang kahimtang, naningkamot lang unta siya para sa pamilya pero migawas man nga siya na hinuon ang kontrabida, ingnon pa nga toxic sa mga pag-umangkon.
* * *
A shipment of shabu worth several millions of pesos was recently intercepted and the car used in the drug transport was identified as owned by a Sumaylo from Dauis.
How is this related to the Sumaylo who ran and miserably lost in the last mayoral contest in Dauis?
Coincidence lang seguro pod noh.
After all, there are so many family names that are commonly used by many people all over the country.
But why is this issue generating so much heat in Dauis?
Because of allegations that some Sumaylos have been identified as drug coddlers or drug protectors in that particular town.
There are also allegations that a Sumaylo is publicly known as a rapist and a sexual predator of job applicants.
Kinsa gyod kaha ning tawhana ni?
Mao ra ba kaha ning tawhana ang tigpanalipod sa mga durugista ug mga tigpayuhot og druga og maoy nakaingon nga na-dato?
