Canteen, where else would you go for lunch at school.
The canteen itself is integrated into the school covered court. It’s as spacious as one floor of the school buildings without any walls that makes segments. Kung tutuusin kapag kailangan ng evacuation center papasa na ito kahit mag isa lang.
Thirty tables are uniformly spread out with benches on each side of every single one. Mahaba na agad yung pila, rinig na rinig na din yung mga hinanaing nung iba but there are still some that’s happy in their own circle, or is it line segment instead of circle kasi nakaline sila.
Anyway, sumunod na akong pumila nung nakita kong pumila na din si Carl, Faye, at Kyle.
“Ano bibilhin niyo?”, Faye asked the other two.
“Ulam malamang”, pabirong sagot ni Kyle.
Hindi kumpleto ang usapan kapag walang namimilosopo and that answer gave me a bit of smile. The aromas of the dishes are already lingering in the confined air of the canteen. Kung tama ang pangamoy ko, friend chicken at mongo. Mongo as in tuwing biyernes nalang.
“Lagi nalang mungo kapag Friday no, don’t they have anything else?”, I said in an attempt to talk to them.
“Hindi ah, tanga tanga naman mo kasi”, sabi ni Faye sabay tawanan silang tatlo, hindi man lang napansin yung tanong ko.
I don’t actually care about being cut off, I’m used to it, papa had trained me well about this kind of stuff and I know I’ll always get back, I’ll re-grow like a lizards severed tail.
As expected, pritong manok at munggo ang natanaw ko sa counter. I ordered chicken, isang piraso lang daw bawat isa, isang mangkok ng mungo, at ang medyo hilaw nilang kanin. Si manang Celia nanaman yung nagbabantay.
Mag jojoke sana ako tungkol sa kanin but I changed my mind. She’s hot headed and does not take sarcasm very well, pero fair lang yun, sarcasm was made to indirectly ridicule something or someone naman eh.
Palayo palang ako pero sinesermunan niya na agad yung kasunod ko. It turns out he said the thing that I’ve been holding back.
“Kung ayaw mo yung kanin edi dapat ikaw nalang nag luto, akala mo ba madali tong trabahong to? Madami pa akong problema sa buhay kesa yang kaartehan mo”, manang Celia blurted, she’s angry all right.
The boy bearing humiliation went on his way to his friends who’s laughing at him from the distance. “Yan kasi, uso manahimik din naman”, narinig kong sabi nung isa niyang kaibigan.
He might have fallen two feet to the ground but I salute him, I would never have the courage to say something like that. May point naman kasi, talaga namang medyo hilaw. It’s steamy and all but as I examine it, kulang talaga sa luto.
The bowl of mongo is just as hot, and my hand can’t tolerate it much longer so I searched for a seat. On the last table at the furthest back were Faye, Carl, and Kyle at may isa pang space. I walked towards them and was just about to ask nung biglang may tinawag si Carl.
“Hindi ka din nagbaon? Dito ka na umupo after mo pumila”, sabi niya.
Napalingon ako ulit sa pila saktong pagsagot ni Eden. “Sige Sige”.
Too bad, but I guess that’s fine. “Ay Henry, wala ka pang upuan?”, I returned my attention to the three of them as Faye called my name.
“Hindi pa, ok lang, hahanap nalang akong ibang upuan”, I smiled at her and turned back. Checking each table, there is no other space left to sit at. I would even sit with the ones I don’t know if that’s the only choice but there’s none.
I made the sensible decision, bumalik nalang ako sa room.
With my back towards the room, I held the doorknob of our room’s door, checked both side of the pathways, and slowly closed the door. Parang gumaan pakiramdam ko ng maisara ko yung pinto. Sa paglalakad ko, lumamig na din yung mongo.
Hindi ako sure if it’s fine na ilabas ng canteen itong mga to pero anong gagawin ko? Kumain sa sahig, at least here I can sit and eat properly.
“May pinagtataguan ka ba?”, someone said out of the blue.
Parang malalaglag ata puso ko sa gulat. “Pota”, mahina kong sabi, muntik natapon mga dala ko. When I calmed down, I slowly turned around to check who it was.
“Oy bawal magmura”, tawa ni Selena habang dinuduro ako ng kutsara.
“Eh ikaw naman yung gumulat sa kaniya kasi”, I panned my vision to the bookshelves and Cassie emerged from it.
“Bakit kayo nandito?”, tanong ko bago humila ng upuan at umupo ng patalikod sa kanila.
“Ikaw ah, bakit ka kasi andito?”, Cassie bounced back the question.
That question hit me deeper than it’s supposed to. I paused as I took my first bite. Why am I here you say? Was it because I chose to be here? Or is it because I have nowhere else to go, no one to accompany with?
“Luh, Selena, hindi na siya gumagalaw”, I heard Cassie .
“It looks like he’s on-screen saver mode, alugin mo lang yan, parang ako”, tawa din ni Selena na humila sakin galing sa pag-iisip.
“Ay, wala na kasing maupuan sa canteen kaya dito nalang akong kakain”, sagot ko bago ako ngumuya. “Kayo ah, hindi ba kayo umuuwi ng tanghali?”
“Dito kami kumakain every lunch time”, Selena explained.
“Nagbabaon kasi kami, tsaka madami masyadong tao sa canteen, at least here it’s peaceful and silent”, Cassie said seconding the motion. “Ikaw ah nag iisa ka ba?”.
Again, another question I can’t figure out why but it hits different.
Sanay naman ako kumain mag isa, laging wala si papa, sanay ako, walang problema dun. Wala lang talaga maupuan sa canteen kaya nandito ako. I’ll just fall in line earlier next time.
“Wala, naubusan lang talaga ng upuan sa canteen kaya nandito ako”, pag ulit ko sa sagot ko.
They are a cheerful duo, I just noticed that Selena was not this usually loud and talkative. It looks like Cassie unlocked something unexpected, like a secret reward from a side quest on a video game. I just ate as fast as I could as I listen to their chatter.
“May tubig ka pa?”, Cassie asked.
Selena replied, “Wala na, inubos mo na kaya, kuha ka nalang sa canteen, it’s free anyway”.
“Tinatamad ako maglakad eh”, sagot ni Cassie kasabay ng tunog ng pag urong ng upuan at tumahimik ang room.
It was my last spoon when they called my name.
“Henry…”, napatigil ako sa tawag ni Selena.
“Bakit?”, maikli kong sagot pero hindi ako lumingon. I have a feeling that they will drag me into their own dilemma.
“Oh, ayan tanong mo na”, Selena said.
“May tubig ka pa Henry?”, Cassie asked.
“Hah? Bakit?”, sabi na eh.
“Pwede pahingi?”
Now this calls for deep thinking, well not actually, the agenda is clear but I don’t know how to respond. I’m a bit hesitant about lending or even giving when it comes to things I possess and own.
I turned around and looked at her with bewilderment and a bit of surprise. To think na hindi kami close and she’s already asking a favor, maybe she’s just friendly enough to do so. Something I can’t do.
I looked at her for a good second and a thought came to my mind. Baka isipin niyang masama akong tao kapag hindi ako nag bigay, plus baka makapag dulot din ito ng mabuti between us being classmates and all.
I ingested the remaining food from my spoon and without any other word, stood up then walked towards my bag.