"Tatakbo at tatakbo ang mga paa ko, gusto ko na solving!" (My feet will keep moving, I want to keep progressing!)

– Gen. Antonio Luna

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[Capítulo Cuatro: Kalinawan (Better Understanding)]

"KASAMAHAN ka ba ni Doktor Rizal (Are you a companion of Doctor Rizal)?" the man continued.

"No habla Filipino, Señor, Señora (I don't speak Filipino, Sir, Ma'am)," I just replied.

"Saan mo siya nakuha, Tandang Sora (Where did you get him, Elder Sora)?" the man asked flatly towards the old woman standing beside him.

"Nakita sila ng mga kababaihang naglalaba sa ilog. Wala silang malay noong mga oras na iyon kaya naman ay nakaramdam sila ng takot (They were seen by the women who were washing clothes by the river. They were unconscious at that time, and that was why they felt fear)," replied the old lady.

My body, paralyzed with uncertainty, hesitated on the next move. Panic, a growing ember in my chest, whispered the idea of escape. Suddenly, a force nudged me towards the ground. Swiftly, I pivoted, transferring my weight to my right foot.

"Did you just-" The mischievous smile on the annoying girl's face hinted at an orchestrated push, a move made with purpose.

"Ineng, ano ka ba (Young lady, what are you doing)?" The old lady's gaze fixed on the young lady, eyebrows furrowed in disapproval as she questioned her actions.

A grin played on my lips, subtly conveying satisfaction at the situation unfolding before us. It seemed like a lesson well-deserved for the spirited young lady.

The man, dagger in hand, inquired, his expression devoid of emotion, "Ikaw ba , Binibini (How about you, Miss)? Nakakapagsalita ka ba ng wikang Filipino (Do you speak Filipino)?"

"Yes po, Manong (Yes, Sir)," Marianne asked.

"Yes?" The old woman, bewildered by the unfamiliar language, questioned. It seemed she struggled to grasp the peculiar tongue.

Why couldn't these people understand English? Perhaps the reason might be because we went to shoot far from the cities.

"Maaaring kasama nga sila sa mga illustrados (They might me a companion of the illustrados). Marami ang alam nilang lenggwahe (They know a lot of languages)." I heard the man whispered to the old woman.

"Ah... Hindi po kami illustrados (We're not illustrados). Mga actors at actresses po kami galing sa malayong lugar (We're actors and actresses from a far place). Isang giling lang may wantawsan shetemel na (Slang: One shake and we have a thousand seven hundred)," the crazy girl replied. She glanced at me and swayed her belly, perhaps convinced of her prowess as a dancer.

"Tila kayo nga'y nagmula sa malayong lugar (Perhaps you really are from a far place). Hindi ko mawari ang 'yong tinutukoy (I couldn't understand what you were pointing out)." The old woman's face registered confusion, grappling with the meaning behind the girl's uttered words.

"Bale 'yon na po ang naging trabaho namin ng asawa ko, 'di ba, Love (And that became the work of the both of us, right, Love)?" the spirited lady responded, approaching me. She enveloped me in a tight embrace.

Attempting to free myself, her piercing gaze locked onto mine. "Stop struggling or you're dead!" she whispered, her words carrying a chilling warning.

"Ano ang inyong trabaho (What is your job)?"

"Siguro'y nagtratrabaho kayo sa mga sugalan (I guess you work on gambling areas)," the man in front of us uttered.

"Hoy, Manong (Hey, Sir)! Hindi (No)! Sa ganda kong 'to (In this beautiful face of mine)?" she spoke. "Artista kasi (It's an actress)... 'Yung nagtatanghal sa teatro (The ones performing on the theatre)," she added, waving her hand in a conductor-like motion. Met with silence, she eventually snapped out of it and distanced herself from me.

"Mga nagtatanghal pala kayo (So you are performers)," said the old woman.

"Hey!" I whispered, attempting to capture the attention of the girl behaving erratically.

"What do they mean by Illustrados?" I whispered.

"Illustrados are like Jose Rizal. They are people who study hard... you know, to overseas? They study outside of the Philippines," the spirited girl replied in a hushed tone, still having grammar issues.

She stared at me, as if questioning whether I comprehended her response. "You know... they are rich people who can study outside of the Philippines-" She repeated, possibly muddling some grammatical details, but I caught the essence of her explanation.

"I get it! I get it!" I interjected.

"Berigud (Slang: Very good)!" she replied.

"Now you will be my translator," I declared, regarding her as my diminutive assistant.

"'Yoko (I don't want to). Ako (Me)?" she asked, her face contorted in confusion, frowning at me.

I comprehended what 'Ako' meant and sensed her irritation through her tone.

"Sí, tu (Yes, you)!" I replied.

"C2? Nauuhaw ata ito (I think this man's thirsty)," she spitted out.

"Nasaan kaya si Dad (Where could my Dad be)? Dapat i-report ko ito sa kaniya (I need to report this to him)," she added. "Ito ba ang nasa script (Is this what's written on the script)? Maling-mali 'to (This is so wrong). Beri ekis (Slang: Very wong)."

The lady continued her incessant babbling. Intriguing as it was to discover she was stuck with me, another matter piqued my interest. While the animated lady carried on like a lunatic, my attention shifted to the two elders engaged in whispered conversation.

My grandmother had previously enlightened me about the organization called Katipunan. My eyes dropped to the corner of the room, fixating on the red flag adorned with the letter K, folded and freely resting on its tied pole.

Though the words were indistinct, a foreboding sense hinted at imminent events. A grin briefly illuminated the man's face as they conversed. However, it swiftly dissipated when his gaze returned to us.

"Maaari bang maging tagasalin ka ni Señor, Binibini (Can you be the lad's translator, Miss)?" the man inquired, his gaze fixed on the spirited girl who had finally ceased her incessant chatter.

"Sige po (Sure). No problemos amigoshipipay (Slang)," she replied. She bestowed upon him a smile, yet I discerned its artifice. A sense of wonder about the unfolding events began to occupy my thoughts.

.

THE old lady ushered us toward the seats in the living room. Crafted from bamboo, the chairs lacked the plushness of modern-day cushions, yet I found a certain comfort in their simplicity.

As the lady exited the room, we were left alone with the man, who discreetly stowed his dagger under the seat he occupied.

"Una sa lahat, ano ang inyong mga pangalan (First of all, what are your names)?" he asked. Seated in front of us, I found myself compelled to occupy the space beside the spirited girl.

"Marianne De Guzman. Twenty-three, all the way from Marikina," the girl responded with an air of politeness, her hands waving as if she were a contestant in a beauty pageant.

A few moments passed as they locked eyes, the man's gaze alternating between her and me.

"Ano po ang sunod na tanong (What's the next question)?" asked the crazy girl.

"Hindi mo ba isasalin iyon sa Espanyol (Will you not translate it in Spanish)?" the man asked.

"Espanyol (Spanish)? Naku po! Paumanhin (Oh, no! Sorry). Beri sorry (Very sorry)... Pero 'di ako marunong n'on (But I don't know that language). Payting kapag genggenglanguage (Slang)," the girl replied, and she raised her two thumbs up in the air.

"Kilala mo ba siya (Do you know him)? Maaari bang itanong kung paano kayo nagkakaintindihan (Can I ask how you two understand each other)?" the man asked once more.

"Serious na nga (Fine, I'll be serious). Ganito kasi iyon (It's just like this)... Naiintindihan ko siya (I can understand him). Ahh! Paano ba (How can I explain this)? English! Ingles pala (English, rather). Pang-alien po kasi ang salita ng lalaking ito, e (That man speaks in alien language, that's why)." The girl looked at me with a smile on her face.

The girl bestowed upon me a smiling countenance.

What was she conveying? Her joy seemed contrasting with the evident confusion of the man.

I had heard her speak English, and the current scenario suggested that those around us might not be well-versed in the language.

"Will you just play along?" I whispered to her, my eyebrows furrowed.

"Fine!" she replied conceitedly. "If you want to compete against my acting style, then it is on, boy!"

Her peculiar behavior once again surfaced. How I wish I had distanced myself from her before she could unleash...

.

YET, the realization hit me that my lack of proficiency in Filipino might pose challenges in communication with the locals. In this serious environment, any misstep could lead to dire consequences.

I still required her assistance, but strictly as my servant and translator.

"Ang nais ko po sanang sabihin kanina ay may sarili rin po kaming wika (What I want to say a while ago is that we have our own language). Medyo nahihirapan pa rin po akong intindihin iyon pero kung iyon ang nais niyo ay ibibigay ko (I'm having a hard time understanding it, but if that's what you wish, then I'll give it to you)." Thankfully, she adopted a more serious demeanor and agreed.

Thank goodness she finally became serious!

"Pwede mo bang itanong sa kaniya kung ano ang kaniyang pangalan (Can you ask him what is his name)?" asked the man in front of us.

The eccentric girl attempted to maintain seriousness as she inquired, "Uhm... What is your name?" It looked like she was grasping the role of a translator more effectively.

"Yo soy (I am)..." Fumbling for a Filipino-sounding name, I hesitated for a moment before replying.

"Hey! What is your name?" the crazy girl repeated, raising her voice a little more.

"Soy (I am)... Joaquin!" The name just swooped inside my mind. It was just like it seemed so familiar to me. "Joaquin Garcia."

The man's nod indicated acceptance, and I felt a sense of relief that my hastily chosen name seemed to pass without suspicion.

"Uh... Ang sabi niya po ay 'Toyo, Joaquin. Joaquin Garcia' (What he said is 'Soy, Joaquin. Joaquin Garcia')," the crazy girl interrupted. "Siguro po ay sinasabi niyang may toyo si Joaquin (I guess he's stating that Joaquin has a soy sauce or something)."

The man's sudden burst of laughter left me puzzled. What had the lady said to provoke such a reaction?

"Nakakaaliw kayo (You two are amusing)," the man beamed.

"He thinks we're like clowns, entertaining," the crazy girl translated, her eyes locking onto mine. The situation seemed increasingly perplexing, and I longed for a more reliable translator.

𝙻𝚘𝚛𝚊𝚒𝚗𝚎𝙹𝙳 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝙼𝚊𝚓𝚎𝚜𝚝𝚛𝚒𝚖𝚎𝚎𝚎

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