Page 22

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Interview

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NAKATUTOK lamang sa lalaking kaharap ko ang camera na hindi pa nagsisimulang mag-record.

I smiled seeing him on the monitor fixing his bow tie. He then smiled when he saw me staring at him.

"Okay, na ba? G'wapo na ba ako sa camera mo?" I rolled my eyes, nang magsimula na naman ang pagkahangin niya.

I folded my arms and said, "Mister, I'm interviewing you for my school paper. Hindi naman required na magsuot ng formal na damit since limang tanong lang naman ang itatanong ko," bagsak ang balikat ko nang hindi pa siya tapos sa kalokohan niya.

Humamblot ito sa katabi niyang bag ng suklay at nilandas nito ang kanyang buhok. Halatang gumamit ito ng gel dahil hindi man lang nagalaw ang buhok niya pagkatapos masuklay.

He even moistened his brows with saliva to firm them up -- yuck! Ang dugyot ng ginawa niya!

Nagmukha tuloy siyang si Jose Rizal dahil parang dinaanan ng baka ang kanyang buhok.

"Look. No matter how short this interview is, I really don't care. As long as ikaw ang mag-i-interview," he then playfully raised his eyebrows, which made my cheeks burn red.

"Okay, whatever! "Let's start with the interview, Mr. Dan Rigor."

I pushed the camera button, and it started recording.

"So, why are you interested in archery?" I asked him as I looked at my paper.

"P'wede bang sumagot in Filipino, Ms. Jace?"

Ugh! He's such an annoyance.

"Yes, you can, Mr. Rigor."

"Uhm, archery kasi na-inspire ako kay Hawkeye. Kilala mo 'yong namamana tapos lahat ng ninanakaw niya ay binibigay niya sa mga mahihirap."

Nangunot ang noo ko sa kanyang sinabi. What the hell? Kailan pa tumutulong sa mahihirap si Hawkeye?

"Did you just mean Robin Hood? Hawkeye is part of the Avengers!" naiinis kong wika at tinapunan ito ng masamang tingin.

Ugh! Why can't people distinguish between those two? I mean may kalayuan naman silang dalawa. Sa pana at palaso lang talaga nagkakakaprehas.

"Ay! Hindi ba si Hawkeye 'yon? Basta 'yong tumutulong ang naging inspiration ko kaya ako nag-archery?"

"Ibig mo ring sabihin ay gusto mong mamana ng sibilyan para may maitutulong sa mahihirap?"

"No, I mean, Robin Hood is such a good guy. Bukod sa magaling siyang mamana ay may prinsipyo rin siya. May puso rin siya para sa mga mahihirap. He's really a good guy!" he answered, astonishing me.

Kahit hindi man gaano kalalim ang sagot niya ay medyo may sense naman.

"Okay, the next question. At a very young age, despite all those hindrances you encountered on your archery journey, why did you still choose it even though it put you in danger?"

The question itself is not about his archery challenges, but rather, I want an explanation from him about the incident last month.

Sana nga lang ay ma-gets niya ang tanong ko since ayaw ko rin naman directly itanong sa kanya ang pangyayaring 'yon.

My memories of him shooting his arrow into the sky during practice are still fresh in my mind. Hindi man lang siya umalis sa kanyang p'westo that time no'ng bumalik ang arrow sa kalupaan. Kung hindi lang ako tumakbo papunta sa kanyang direksyon, baka diretsong ulo niya tatama ang pana kung saka-sakali.

Hindi ko alam, pero parang nang go-good time siya no'ng oras na 'yon. O 'di kaya ay napagpasyahan na talaga niyang kitilin ang kanyang buhay sa pamamagitan ng pana lalo na't hindi siya gumalaw sa kanyang kinatatayuan no'ng mga sandaling 'yon.

I was scared that time, knowing that this guy loves playing pranks and jokes on the people around him.

A smile crept onto his lips, which made me stare at his face on the camera screen.

"You know what? Matagal ko na 'tong tinatago. Gusto ko nang sumuko sa buhay at some point in my life. My greatest downfall came last month. Hindi ko na alam ang nangyayari sa buhay ko. I was blue, and everything around me made me even more blue. My parents divorced." My eyes widen. "I am my father's disappointment because I failed the college entrance exam. Ang daming nangyaring hindi maganda no'ng araw na 'yon. Even my favorite dog died on the same day."

Dito na ako tuluyang napaangat ng tingin sa kanyang inamin. I could see the pain in his eyes. His eyes were teary, and I couldsee he's still grieving.

"No'ng panahong 'yon ay nawalan na ako ng pag-asa na isang magiting na archer dahil nawalan ako ng ilaw sa panahong sobrang dilim ng araw."

Dito ko na tuluyang nakita ang takas na luha sa kanyang mga mata at hindi man lang siya nag-atubiling punasan ito.

Sobrang bigat ng atmospera sa aming paligid dala ng kanyang mabigat na dinadala na ngayon lang niya binuhos.

This guy is full of surprises. Who wouldn't think that clown and prankster Dan Rigor has a deep cut from his past that he has already surpassed?

It really made me realize that not all people who wear a mask of happiness are truly happy. Sometimes they're just hiding it since they're afraid to show their side to others because of judgment.

Hindi ko namalayan na basa na rin pala ang aking pisnge dala ng kanyang pagk'wento. Kahit hindi ko man naransan ang kanyang naranasan, nakaramdam naman ako ng kirot sa aking dibdib.

Knowing he really wanted to take his life that day, I saved him.

"Pero hindi ko alam na magbabago ang pananaw ko that time no'ng dumating ka. You ran in my direction, and we fell to the ground, hugging each other. Do'n ko lang din nasabi na may tao pa rin palang ayaw na mawala ako. Hindi mo man ako kilala that time, but hindi ka nagdalawang isip na isalba ako."

To my surprise, I cried while looking at him. He's staring at me too.

Reality hit me.

I watched his interview.

I was about to confess my feelings for him after I realized that I'd fallen. I didn'texpect our love story to end in such a short time.

Because Dan Rigor got hit by a moving vehicle after I called him to meet me on the ground where I saved him.

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