DUMB FOUND 5

          “I want to call you Pepe.” Gabby proposed. They were already in the mansion.

          The mute man was not paying attention. His eyes wander around the colossal house’s interior. It was his second time in the mansion but it was the first time he could fully view and appreciate everything around and every detail of the wondrous structure, as well as the modernity of the furnishings and designs.

          “Do you want me to call you Pepe?” Gabby repeated with a lower voice. He did not sound like insulting the dumbness of Pepe. It is given that every mute person is being called or named by that name.              

          A bit shy, he nodded. He tried to meet Gabby’s eyes. He actually wanted to say that the name ‘Pepe’ is the exact name, that people in their barrio were calling him. But he could not afford to make a vague sign language. He was sure his newly-found boss is not used to his language.

          “I’m Gabby.” he showed off a smile. “It will not of course demand from you to call me Sir because you are not able to express verbally.”

          Pepe smiled back. He knew that his employer is a kind one. He just wondered why he treated him this way. His distrust to everyone is not yet diminished> He was sure time will come, he will be shooed away from this isle although he has no intention of ruining the trust Gabby bestowed him. He has always been a good person. He could not remember if he has done ill-will to anybody before. He’s a sinner but God knows he’s not mean.

          I’m sure, you’re hungry.” Gabby stood up. “Stay here or if you want, you can wander around the house. Feel at home, while I make your breakfast.”

          He was so kind and accommodating, Pepe thought. It gave him uneasiness and timidity. He’s not used to it.

          Feel at home. He could still hear it. Thus, before he was covered with negative thoughts, he stood up and began roaming the vast living room. He touched every marvelous thing that was new to his eyes, with an iota of envy and frustration. Closely, he approached the striking painting of Malang, above the antique cabinet. Glancing at it did not content him. He ran his finger through the canvas. It was fascination as well as ignorance.

           It was more than a minute that Pepe’s eyes were nailed in the artwork. When they were unhooked, he was attracted by the array of framed photographs on the cabinet, He immediately recognized Gabby. He then believed that the two persons besides Gabby are his parents, not because they resembled to their son but because the three were very close in almost five pictures there. Also, the image of the elderly man struck his sight. His uncle. He thought. And, he admired the rapport between Gabby and his uncle.

          Birds’ noises changed Pepe’s pace. He went to the direction of the terrace. Again, he felt he was gone astray. He was supposed to be there. The place was very different to the one he was accustomed to.

          He seized up the binocular. He knew what it was. He searched for a view and found the bluish ocean ---the silent and innocent ocean. But suddenly he quitted it. There was something he saw that gave him rage in his heart and made his teeth gritted.

          “It is a nice view, isn’t it?” Gabby was holding out a tray of foods and drink. His presence confused Pepe, who did not know how to manage his uneasiness.

          The two made a deafening silence for the few seconds. Both asked wordlessly where they would put the things they were holding. Gabby was so quick. He put down the tray with hot coffee, sunny-side-ups and loaves.

           “Here’s your breakfast!” Gabby was cheerful. He wanted Pepe to feel comfortable and lax. “Don’t be shy. We’re only two here.”

          Pepe spoke in signs. Gabby received the telescope from him. “It’s okay!” Gabby answered. “You sit here.” while he positioned himself in front of the chair.

          He was really starving. Thus he did not mind the presence of Gabby, who changed the eye contact.

          Later, Pepe elaborately signed that he was apologetic of stealing Gabby’s hotdogs on the fridge. He just did it due to capricious want.

          Gabby stopped him from apologizing. “it doesn’t matter anymore to me”, truthfully, he uttered.

          Pepe thanked him and pursued eating. He was now beginning to gain comfort with gabby. He believed what Gabby was showcasing was not a trick.

          The sun was highly set. Sea birds were joyfully soaring up around the isle. They were making merriment as if there was something to be glad about.

           The isle was a total picturesque view from a neighboring island.

           Pepe and Gabby were in a room. The latter opened the built-in cabinet. “Feel free to choose anything you want to wear.” Gabby offered.

          Pepe was frozen.

          “These are unused,” handing down the underpants to Pepe. “I’m gonna prepare our lunch. I’ll leave you here. Feel free!” Gabby patted Pepe’s shoulder, as a sign of a brotherly love. He then left.

           Pepe was so touched. He couldn’t believe it. He blinked his eyes many times, assuring he was awake and not hallucinating. If it’s a dream, I don’t want to wake up anymore, he thought. But if it is a reality, I love it.

           It was so hard for Pepe to believe the reality of the things that are taking place. After the defiance of the people and of the world to him, he does not even know the difference between love and hatred: good and evil. After several emotional and physical pains he had gained, his heart was already shriveled but this time, he realized that not all is tyrant. There’s still a benevolent one, who is empathetic to his fellow.

          In the kitchen, Gabby was humming a familiar song, while stirring something in front of the gas range.

          Pepe was hesitant. He stood wordlessly, waiting for Gabby to notice him. Instead, his eyes wandered around the high technology and state-of-the-art kitchen. He wowed mutely, as if he never had been in the area yesterday. He also could smell the sweet and spicy odor from the dish being cooked.

          “You can use the bathroom in my room.” Pepe was startled hearing Gabby’s voice and seeing him smile at him. “There are three bathrooms in this house. There’s one in the guestroom. Other is beside you.”

          Pepe did not exactly know how many times he heard the words “Feel at home” of “Feel free” from Gabby’s mouth. Those expressions alleviated his timorousness anyhow.

           He opted to bath in a room beside him.

           It was a spacious room. It was as big as my house, Pepe surmised. But it is absolutely very handsome one. More comfortable.

           He immediately took off his tattered clothes, with excitement. He untied also his bloody gauzes in his feet and palm. Then, he looked for pail and dipper. He found nothing and thought that the mansion is not using ones. Instead, he turned on the knob of the shower. Like a child, he ignorantly turned it off and on repeatedly, before he soaped his entire body.

           The table was set when Pepe went out the bathroom. Gabby was not there. He felt guilty for spending long hours in bathing and doing personal grooming.

           Gabby was in his room’s bathroom when Pepe entered to put on his clothes. He did it quickly so that Gabby would not see him there.

          In the living room, Pepe was skimming the variety of magazines, while waiting for Gabby. He could not read thus he merely looked at the pictures. The photographs of different modern technologies bewildered him. He never thought that he was indeed ignoramus in the gizmos and trends. Nevertheless, he did not craved for any of them. These gadgets had nothing to do with his life and dreams.

           It was already noon. Pepe and Gabby were silently enjoying their meals. Though there was silence between them, their minds were in motion. Pepe admired the delicious taste of the foods, trying to reiterate the last time he had eaten sumptuous meal like the cooking of Gabby. While Gabby wondered the slight changes in Pepe’s physical attributes. He envied Pepe’s tanned complexion. How he wished he also had the same color. He hate being fair-skinned, like women’s.

           They were done eating. But they did not leave their seats. Pepe did not know what to do next. He wanted to start dishwashing but he could feel that Gabby has something on his mind. He kept on gazing at him. Thus, he spoke in a sign language, telling Gabby that the menus were great. He, then received a truthful smile.

           “Are you sure you’re full?” offering Pepe some bowl of dish. And before Pepe could react, he remembered something, “Wait, I forgot!” He opened the fridge and took out the leche flan. “Dessert!” He got dessert plates and sliced two portions. He offered one to Pepe.

           Gabby grasped for words. He wanted to open up a conversation –one that Pepe would surely participate. However, Pepe was incapable of verbal communication. He thought of Pepe’s oral problem. If he could only help him. Instead, idea popped out from his head. He would just talk and talk. In that way, he was making a channel. Comfort and confidence would be established as well.

           “You know what?! Gabby started. “Leche flan is my favorite dessert. I’d rather have it than chocolates.” He made sure eye contact was present. “Our fridge is containing twenty percent of this.”

           Pepe’s delight about it was manifested in his facial expression. Gabby thought that the mute was interested. He continued. “My Mom loves it too.”

           Gabby cheered up silently when Pepe asked him non-verbally.

           “Yeah, my Dad, too!” he exclaimed happily. “How about you? Did you like it?”

           Pepe smiled and nodded like a kid. He then used his hands to speak.

           Gabby translated it. “Your mother often cooked jelly or jam?”

           Pepe nodded.

           “I love it, too, especially in hot pandesal.”

           Silence took place. Pepe stood up and began to clean the messy kitchen. Gabby was thinking, why he was making all of these to a strange, mute man. I need a friend, he thought.

          In the living room, the LCD television was on, while Gabby was in front of his laptop. From the kitchen, Pepe came in.

           “Join me, Pepe. Come and watch TV,” handing him the remote control. “Choose a channel you want to watch.”        

           Pepe took it and sat in front of the wide-screened TV set. Gabby was on a single seat couch, sensing Pepe, who did not change the channel. It was a noon-time news program. Pepe was more interested on the gadget Gabby was into. He kept on glancing it.  

           “Wanna try?” Gabby offered.

           Smiling, Pepe shook his head. He said, “You’ve got lots of friends.” in sign language.

          “They were my barkadas”, Gabby was referring to the images on the screen of his laptop. “We used to hang-out here every Friday nights.” His face gloomed. The gleams disappeared.

          “What happened?” Gabby interpreted Pepe’s actions, as if it was the actual words he said. “We’re not friends anymore. It was my fault, anyway… I fooled them. I have been unfair. I never listened to them.”

          It made Pepe interested. He leaned forward, facing Gabby and maintaining eye contact. He then asked for more.

          “I woke up one day that I had nothing.” He stopped. He doubted if he would reveal his problem or not. “I mean, one morning, I wanted someone to talk to. I had a big problem. However, I remembered that all of them are mad at me. I had a fight with some of them, physically. Some scorned and condemned me.” He paused awhile to shut off the laptop. “I hang up the phone realizing I lost my friends. Instead, I decided to stay here and anticipated someday, someone will call me.”

           They were both dissimilar individuals to each other--- from color to wealth and from education to social status and ability. However, Pepe regarded Gabby as a person like him who was suffering from humility. They both needed solace and peace of mind.

          The sign speaker signalled again.

          “Did I apologize to them?” Gabby made sure.

          Pepe nodded.

          “Many times, I sent them text messages and e-mails. But I received no reply from them.” He was sullen. “We can’t live without friends, can we?”

          Pepe agreed but abruptly shook his head.

          “What do you mean by that?” Gabby was confused. “You mean, you can live without friends, but sometimes you can’t live without them?”

          The mute man pantomimed. It was an indefinite expression that Gabby could hardly understand. He repeated it when he saw Gabby’s slightly curved eyebrows.

          “You have no friend at all?” Yes Gabby interpreted. “You preferred to be alone than to mingle with others?”

          Another yes.

         “And your deceased brother had been your friend?”

          Pepe looked down, breaking a direct eye contact to Gabby before he confirmed it.

          “Why?” Gabby was excited to know. “Why he passed away so early?”

          That question created a wide clear conversation tween Gabby and Pepe. It took place in the midst of signing language and interpretations. They spent three hours in the living room over that issue. The two had latently built a bridge. The gap has gone. The queer language of Pepe had been understandable to Gabby. Laughters were confidently voiced out. Smiles were abundantly made.

           After their conversation, Pepe visited his encampment. He was now more at ease and comfortable with Gabby.

          Pepe glanced directly to the island, where he resided for more than two decades. He missed it somehow but he did not crave to reside there anymore. He just wanted to come back yonder so that he could get some of his memorable and valuable stuffs and belongings. However, he was not sure when the opportune time will come.

          It was 5:30 when Pepe came back to the mansion.

          Gabby was on the terrace, holding a mobile phone. He could hear Pepe’s footsteps. Thus, he met him halfway.  “Come with me. Take your snack, as I prepare our supper.”

          Pepe followed him silently.

          Gabby made a fresh mango shake and served it to Pepe with reheated hamburgers. “What dish you like me to cook?” He noticed a bit of shock in Pepe’s facial expression. He waited.

          Pepe signed that he was letting Gabby decide.

           “Okay!” He started checking out the stocks. After a while, he was determined to cook chopsuey and fried porkchop.

            “I really didn’t have talent in cooking. I just used to it when I regularly settle here. It made me independent. Besides, cooking is not a tough job. I enjoy doing it.”

           Pepe was listening.

          “My friends enjoyed staying here. They liked my menus, especially the calamares. It’s our favorite ‘pulutan’. Anyway, are you drinking liquor?”

           Pepe thought a while before he nodded. He wanted to say that he was only drinking ‘tuba’, a juice collected from coconut flower or inflorescence. But he was sure, Gabby could not understand him.       

          Speaking of tuba, he remembered his ax. Where was my ax?, he thought . He expedited his eating.