Chapter 11
2263 Words
Chapter 11 - Wala Naman Akong Masasabi Sa Kanila
Just as I expected, when we got to the venue, the professor started to nod off and was soon fast asleep at the back of our stall. At 11:30, the tailor came and personally fited him with his new suit. He looked stunning in the mid grey slim fit attire, but when the time came for him to make his appearance on stage, he was nowhere in sight.
“Did you see Prof. Antonio anywhere?” I asked Pedro who was manning the stalls.
“Si Sir? Natutulog lang s’ya kanina sa likod...” he looked around. “Baka naglibot s’ya sa lugar?”
“Sandali, doc, ipapa-page ko...” said Pilar who hurriedly went to the stage area.
I decided to look for him as well, but had no luck finding him. In the end, we had to postpone the speech for the next day.
“Oh, tapos na ba? Uwian na!”
“Sir! Saan po kayo nagpunta? Kanina ka pa po namin hinahanap para sa speech n’yo!”
”Ah, naglibot lang ako nang sandali, `di ko napansin `yung oras...”
”Sir, pina-page po namin kayo, `di n’yo po ba narinig?”
”Ah, baka `di ko napansin, masyado ako’ng na-engross sa mga bagong equipment, eh, nakita n’yo na ba? Umorder na `ko para sa lab natin!”
”Talaga, sir?” Pedro asked excitedly, ”May nakita rin po ako’ng magandang equipment sa MedFab, dumaan po ba kayo doon kanina?”
”Ah, oo, may napili nga rin ako doon.”
“Ano po? Gusto n’yo po balikan natin?”
“Bukas na lang at mukhang pagod na ang Habibi ko.”
He looks at me and grins.
“O, ba’t nagdidikit ang kilay mo?” he had the gall to ask. “Nagtatampo ka ba dahil `di kita sinama?”
“I told you, you had to go on stage at six o-clock!”
“Pasensya na, `di ko napansin ang oras. May bukas pa naman, `di ba?” he grins at me and faces Pedro. “Bukas may darating pa raw na ibang equipment, nagrequest ako ng para sa microbio lab natin, magdadala raw sila ng samples, ayoko kasi ng puro catalog, gusto ko nakikita ko at nahahawakan ang equipment,” he went on.
“Just make sure that you will make your stage appearance tomorrow.” I took hold of his arm and faced him. “Now, it is time for us to go.”
“Maaga pa, ha? Alas nueve pa lang!”
“I’m buying you a watch.”
But the same thing happened the next day.
He was asleep all morning, and at the time when he was supposed to make his speech, he simply disappears.
On the third morning, I caught Prof. Antonio sneeking into his room from the laboratory.
“I told you to sleep.”
“Ah... oo, may sinilip lang ako sa lab sandali!”
“Go take a nap. We leave at eight.”
He hurries to his room and soon, I find him snoring on his bed. I woke him up at 10 am to give him six hours sleep, then got him ready in his new navy suit.
We arrived at the venue around lunch time, and I stayed with him at the stall, but as soon as I turn my back on him, he was gone again.
“Where did he go this time?!” I asked our two researchers.
“Nakaupo lang s’ya kanina, kumakain ng merienda!” said Pedro, ”Sandali, hahanapin ko sa stalls.”
“Dr. Abdel, how are things going around here?” I turn around to see Dr. Gonzaga with Dr. Gregorio and Dr. Heathlow behind him.
“Fine, Dr. Gonzaga, but I’m afraid Prof. Antonio is currently missing,” I told him honestly. “Again.”
“Missing?” Dr. Gonzaga’s eyebrows creased. “What about his speech later? Wasn’t it already postponed two days in a row?”
“Hay, napaka iresponsable talaga ng propesor kahit kailan!” said Dr. Heathlow in a loud voice.”
“Don’t worry, our team is searching for him as we speak.” I assured him.
“Dr. Abdel, may I suggest, checking nearby arcades?” said Dr. Gregorio as the two turned away, “Mahilig tumambay sa arcade ang isang `yun, parang bata.”
“Thank you, I will.”
I left the stall and went to the nearest mall directory, looking for the farthest game arcade in the building. I went there first, and sure enough, saw Prof. Antonio playing a fighting game with two teenagers. He has taken his coat off and loosened his tie, the top of his shirt was unbuttoned and his hair was a mess.
“Professor!” I called his attention, to which he nearly jumped.
“Woah! Ang bilis mo ko’ng nahanap, ha?”
“Professor, please return to the Expo immediately. Dr. Gonzaga is already there, he expects you to give your speech today.”
“Sandali lang tapusin ko lang `tong laro.”
“Oo nga, kuya naglalaban pa kami!” said the highschool students on the other side of the row of video games.
“It is already past 5 pm, your speech is scheduled at 6, we need to get ready by then.”
“Bakit pa? Eh mag ha-hi, hello, and goodbye lang naman ako on stage.”
“You are expected to say something inspirational to the crowd.”
“Wala ako’ng maisip.”
“I have a speech ready.”
He looks up to me.
“Ayun naman pala, eh! Eh, `di ikaw na rin ang magbasa!”
I check my temper as he went on to play his game.
“Professor, if you don’t come with me, I will be forced to drag you back to the Expo.”
“Eh, `di subukan mo kung kaya – WOAH!” he yelped as I picked him up and carried him like a sack of potatoes.
“Kids, you can have his tokens,” I said, pointing at the stack he left.
“Oy, sandali! Ibaba mo nga ako!”
“No, we are going straight back to the Expo.”
“Sandali lang, Aahmes, ano ba, nakakahiya!”
That made me stop at my tracks.
It was the first time the professor seriously called me by my first name. I let him down and fixed his shirt while I held his coat for him.
“Put this on, we need to go back to the Expo.” I said again.
“Hindi ba p’wedeng ikaw na lang ang magsalita? Kayang-kaya mo na naman `yan, eh! Sanay ka naman humarap sa mga tao, `di ba?”
“I am not you, Prof. Antonio. The people want to hear from the person who discovered a suppressant that would help omegas control their estrus without giving them adverse side effects. This is the first time someone actually created something that would help them, not simply stop them from being a menace to society.”
This made the professor look at me.
“Do you know that about 65 percent of the guests in the Expo are omegas?” I asked him.
“Pa’no mo naman nalaman?” he asked, “May attendance ba?”
“I can smell them,” I replied. “For the past 2 days, the number has been steadily increasing. It is probably because this is the last day and they are all hoping to see you.”
“See me? Wala naman ako’ng masasabi sa kanila,” he mumbled. ”Gusto ko lang umayos ang pakiramdm nila... dahil alam ko kung gaano’ng kahirap maging omega... alam ko ang pinagdaanan ng kuya ko...”
“Then tell them that.”
“Ha! Ano naman ang karapatan ko, eh, isa ako’ng beta?!”
“That does not make your words any less sincere.”
He fell silent as we made our way back to the venue.
“If you still can’t think of something to say, you could always use the speech I prepared for you.” I told him.
“Nahh... bahala na...” he stopped by a native goods store and looked inside. “Sandali lang, may bibilhin lang ako.”
Thirty minutes later, we are back at the venue with the professor wearing an off white barong worth 350 pesos, and a small salakot.
“Sir Eric! Buti nandito na kayo, kanina pa kayo hinahanap ni Dr. Gonzaga!” said Pedro.
“Hay nako, hayaan n’yo si Godzilla, napuntahan mo ba `yung mga stalls na nasa listahan ko?”
“Opo, sir, na-order ko na po lahat nang nilista n’yo.”
“Good,” he grinned. “Habibi, saan na tayo?”
“Let’s go to the stage area,” I told him, “and don’t call me Habibi.”
“Finally, nagpakita ka rin?” we found Dr. Heatlow and Dr. Gonzaga in front of the stage, waiting for us.
“Oo, magaling maghanap ang Habibi ko, eh,” he said, touching my shoulder. “Iba talaga ang mga omega, mas maabilidad, kumpara sa mga alpha na puro yabang lang.”
Dr. Heathlow was about to say something else when Prof. Antonio faced Dr. Gonzaga.
“Aakyat na ba `ko?” he asked.
“In a moment, Prof. Antonio,” said Dr. Gonzaga, “I will tell the MC to announce you first, maraming naghihintay sa speech mo.”
“See, I told you so,” I whispered to the professor as they announced his appearance in 10 minutes. “A lot of people came here specifically to see you.”
“Hmph. Ni `di ako kilala ng mga `yan...” he mumbled.
”On the contrary, Eric,” said Dr. Gregorio who suddenly stood beside us, “There has been a record breaking attendance this year, ang daming dumalo dahil ngayon inilabas ng company ang Omega-J formula mo. Dati rati, puros mga doctor at medical staff lang ang dumadalo sa Expo, dahil medical equipment and services lang ang laman nito, but now, look...” he pointed at the quickly growing crowd in front of the stage. “Prof. Antonio, hindi mo ba nakikita ang mga dumalo para makita ka?”
I look at the crowd as well. It was full of young people. Men in their teens, 20’s, 30’s, all of which posses the androgynous appearance of omegas.
They came in groups, some of them still wore their school uniforms, others came with family, and all of them were eagerly waiting for the professor.
“They came here for you,” I told him. “They look up to you, as I do, for you have given them hope, Prof. Antonio. You are a hero to them, you should be proud that you have made another milestone to help omegas in this world.” I placed a hand on his shoulder and squeezed it. “Your brother would have been very proud of you.”
There were no more snide remarks from the professor. He simply lowered his salakot and gave a long sigh.
“Are you ready, Prof. Antonio?” the organizers asked as the crowd grew restless.
“I’m ready.”
The MC introduced him as the crowd settled down.
“He is the 26 year old head of the Omega Strain division of Universal Laboratories, who graduated from Philippine Science high school at age 8 and got a master’s degree from MIT at age 13 for Molecular Biology and Secondary Gender study. He has recently developed a new omega suppressant that could be used without the usual adverse side effects, such as nausea, migraines, fatigue, and depression. And today, he has finally accepted our invitation and is here this afternoon to say a few words about his Omega-J suppressant. Ladies and gentlemen, let us all welcome, Professor Ericson Antonio. ”
The crowd cheered as the professor went on stage. The MC shook his hand and showed him to the podium. Prof. Antonio stepped up and checked the mic by tapping it with his finger.
“Hello?” he cleared his throat, his salakot covering half of his face. The crowd falls silent. “So... hindi ako omega... obviously...” he says, “Pero isang napakaimportanteng tao sa akin ang omega. Alam ko kung gaano s’ya naghirap, at kung paano s’ya minata ng ibang tao... kaya ito ay para sa inyo. Para wala nang dahilan para isipin ng iba na mas mababa ang mga omega. Dahil walang katotohanan iyon.” He paused and cleared his throat again. “`Yun lang.”
And that was literally it, as he stepped off the podium while the crowd clapped for him, but before he could climb down the stairs, he turned back and took the microphone again.
“Oo nga pala, first 3 months ng labas ng Omega-J ay 50% off para sa lahat ng mga omega.”
The crowd went wild. The venue was filled with cheers and shouting in support of the professor. Dr. Gonzaga, on the other hand, looked pale. He did not anticipate this form the professor who proceeded down the stairs and stood in front of me, shaking.
“You did great.” I told him. “I am very proud of you, Prof. Antonio.”
“P’wede na ba tayo’ng umuwi?” he asked, placing his head on my shoulder.
“Yes.” I took his hand, “Yes, we can go home now.”
- Writer
