THE TRAVELING PANTS

by Yas Jayson Friday, October 05, 2007 0 palagay

(eto na naman ang inyong lingkod, nagtangka mag-send ng article sa youngblood. sana ma-publish.)

THE TRAVELING PANTS

Elias Jayson R. Tolentino, jOMI-1

It has been always a joy for a teen like me to venture once in a while far away from home. The thrills of being independent and a distant from my comfort zone give me avenues for new things be it of any sort. I have always loved to see my self packing six to ten shirts, pair of jeans and toiletries in my black traveling bag to go to places giving my mother a kiss on her cheek before closing our green noisy gate. It was quite routinary for her to see me waving my arms goodbye whenever I decided to join a field trip, have excursions or attend conventions and activities of those types. Mama was my greatest secret-keeper and storyteller every time Papa does not know my unacademic whereabouts. I love traveling and returning home with beaming smiles carrying with me pasalubongs which fitted my budget. But on my next trip, I won’t be coming home for long.

Six months from now, I will be kicking-off to South. With not just six to ten shirts but with all things my drawer contains. Not with my loyal black bag but with two medium-sized luggage bags. I will not be away for two or ten day but for years with scarce chances to return on summers. I won’t be saying goodbye to all because I will be away for a short while promising pasalubongs but I will be having a hard time explaining to them why I am going to South which was never familiar to me. Everyone is dissident on my choice and it is actually hard to voice out my lunatic answers to their whys. Questions that best look a lot like the vicious witch who tied Hansel and Gretel and tried to enchant them. For a sixteen year old like me, it is difficult.

Where everything started, I will put the blame on me. All these things started with my fad of traveling places and adventure seeking. The truth is that, still now, I really do not know why I pursued this strange dream of mine. To tell you straight on face, I feel like becoming a missionary priest. When I looked for a seminary that is just a matter of short distance from home, I said to my self to have a go. My first attempt was really disappointing. I paused but I did not stop. I looked on again. Then I found another. This one is just a tricycle away from my home. Ayos. I would still be able to stay connected with everyone. I entered. And with so much hope not to regret, I enjoyed staying for the reason that I know, just a tricycle ride away from me is my family, my friends and my home. I did not feel as homesick as my colleagues here who come from South. I stayed being a neophyte with little knowledge what the hell I am onto. My first week was in fact terrible. I woke up late and got scolded, tried to play darts and smashed the pin cleanly in two, assigned to lead a prayer but havoc went ahead of me, desperately attempted to play the guitar but to an expected dismay, pulled the string out of its position. With the least regret of abandoning absolutely the idea of becoming a documentarist someday, I am content.

But in one freakful coincidence when I am at peace that everyone’s just a throw away, rumors buzzed me that sooner or the soonest, we will be transferring in Mindanao and our place will be renovated as aged priests’ retirement home. My world stopped dead. All I would like to be those moments is to turn into vapor, transparent and of no object of freewill. The irony of choosing the nearest place as possible is to be in a far away promised land. The plan of being connected still with everyone I care for is enveloped by black inks of uncertainty and mocking realities. God must be writing some satiric lines for me. I would be faraway. Down to the unfamiliar South.

I told Mama, Papa and all closest friends about the rumor. My friends’ comments are very disappointing. The worst is that Papa made the most disapproving retort. “We all know that Mindanao is not that safe for now. Bad things of all sorts can happen there. I’m not generalizing but you, oh Elias, drop the idea blah blah blah…” With matching magnification of eyes emphasizing that he is really against me. To my greatest dismay, now I feel what Bernardo Carpio felt when he was between two moving stone walls. I’m chained it two equally good positions. It is now just for me to decide which handcuff I should get rid of. Removing rusty metal around my dreaming hand, things started to go against me. Chances are just either or. No more. No less.

Perhaps you will find me quite rebellious and unruly of some sort. I think that is the greatest exceptionality in me that I learned from my previous trips. You bet. I still insisted my unlikely dream. I would be ready to see whatever my chocolate box contains. After all, this is my life and I know what really excites me. I believe soon time will come when Papa and everyone will understand my madness. I do not blame my early runaways. The truth is that I thank them for somehow, I was able to learn the art of packing things and of goodbyes. Difficult it is still for a Mama’s boy to be away, I strived so hard to pull my self together facing the reality of what I opted. But I didn’t still learn the capability of detached. Cross fingers, wish me luck.

Six months would not be long. As of now I am still occupied with different strategies of reasoning out to Papa that everything will be fine there. I might be saying goodbye for a time but there will always be a time for me to say hello again. Where am I heading to is also a distant haze for me. I could have been happier on my other dreams but heart knows how to lead the feet where he can be the happiest. My love for adventure never leaves me so as my fondness to see more in my life.

Freaks love to be what they can be and dreams will always find its way out in the sun. The fear of the unknown must always teach us that nothing can be achieved without daring. Life may be ironic from time to time but regardless of thousand miles away to others, we are all in the same sky. No one can ever be that far.