DUMB FOUND 6

          “I changed my mind!” Gabby exclaimed. He was holding a comforter. “I don’t like the idea. You’re not going to sleep over that tent. You’re not safe there.” His eyes were sympathetic.

          Pepe was listening intently. He did not know what to say.

          “Last night, you’re feverish.”

          The mute man thought that Gabby saw him last night while he was in delirium. He then concluded that Gabby was indeed true to his intention.

          “I can’t afford to see you on that situation again. Please!”

          The word ‘please’ echoed on Pepe’s mind. Why he had to say please when he’s my boss?, he thought.

          “Stay in this room. Own this. You’re safe and comfortable here. Is it okay?”

          Pepe nodded. He did not smile but he gave Gabby a sign of gratitude for his care and sympathy. Gabby was glad for it. Then, he oriented him about the room and facilities. “I’ll leave you here now. Feel at home. Do whatever you want to do. Have a good night!” He patted Pepe’s shoulder before he left the manly room.

          Quickly, Pepe uttered a bizarre word merely to call Gabby’s attention back.

          Gabby turned his back with a bit of amazement. He began to interpret hand signals of Pepe. “You’re ax?”

          The mute nodded.

          “Wait. I’ll get it in my room.”

          “Aaah.” Pepe stopped Gabby then he made a long sign language, which perplexed Gabby. He repeated it.

          “You’re giving me your axe?” He was joyful.

          Pepe nodded. He signed a language.

           “No! You don’t have to pay me gratitude. I’m doing it without asking for return. But, I really liked your axe. So, I will take it.’’ He smiled. “..as a token of our friendship. Is that right?”

           Smiling, Pepe agreed.

          It was already ten thirty in the evening. Pepe was still watching TV, while Gabby was planning for Pepe’s welfare. He wanted the mute to learn about sign language. He then got up and went downstairs.

          Three consecutive knocks on the door were heard by Pepe. Before he was able to open it, Gabby has unclosed the door.

           “I can’t sleep.” with a smile. “Would you mind, if I’ll stay with you while I am having these?” Gabby showed him the cans of beer.

          Pepe nodded with a handsome smile.

          Krrrst! It’s a sound from the opened can of beer.

          “It’s yours.” Gabby offered it to Pepe. He knew the mute is not drinking.

          Pepe was so quick. He accepted it without further ado.  He believed that beer is not too bad for the health. It made Gabby grinned--- smiled. Then, he opened another can for himself. And, he raised it cheerfully. “For your new life!” offering a toast with Pepe. 

          Pepe raised his own can. He was glad for Gabby’s presence and effort of cheering his new-found life. His decision of joining him is worth it. He will learn how to drink, he thought, if it is what Gabby wants. He knew that if it is not the only time they will bond.

          Their first cans of beer were almost empty. Pepe was not okay. It was his first time. Gabby’s the same one, as he entered the room. He wants more. He has something to say to Pepe so he must gain confidence.

          Gabby gulped the last drop from the can. “I’ll get some more.”

          Pepe wanted to say no but he did not verbalize it. He couldn’t afford to disappoint Gabby. Okay, he said silently. He’s a new man now, nothing to worry about budget and finances. He’s free. No one would reprimand him if he’s drunk although he was a little bit scared of himself that he might disgorge.  It’s okay. He believed Gabby is understanding. He would do it, as one way of thanking Gabby.

          When Gabby returned, he has two plastic bags on his hands. “Lets’ celebrate!” He put out the potato chips, two glasses, a bucket of ice cubes, cigarettes and a dozen of canned beers. “Ah, thank you ‘pala’ for not disappointing me tonight.”

          Pepe smiled. He made a sign language.

          “No, don’t thank me yet.” offering him an opened beer. “I haven’t changed your life yet. Besides, you’re here to serve or to secure our place. What you will get is your income. Huh?”

          He nodded and raised the can of beer, asking Gabby to toast.

          They toast.

          “You know what?! Sometimes, living solo is miserable. Although it could help me a lot in healing my problems, but most of the times, I craved for companion, who is.. who is.. you know.. someone I can trust and someone whom I can entrust myself.”

          You already found that someone, Pepe said in his mind.

          “I thought I already owned everything but the truth is I’m incomplete.”

          Pepe knew what Gabby meant by his words but his incapable of talking. He’s afraid he might be misunderstood when he speaks. T’s been a long time since he orally spoke up. It was when his brother was still alive. Then, the night when his brother died, flashed back to his mind.

          It was a night of December, thirty first, when everyone was happy. A twelve-year old Pepe and his eight-year old brother were commanded to buy a bottle of cooking oil.

          In a store, there were four suspicious men who irked his brother by pulling down his shorts. I hailed him. We’re about to go to another store when they saw a passer-by fell to the ground and the four men ran away.

          “Hey! You killed him!” cried by Tommy, Pepe’s brother. He ran after them. Before Pepe could stop him from shouting and tracking the goons, Tommy fell to the stony ground, half-dead. Pepe quickly ceased his brother.

          “Tooommy!”

          One of the four men came back. “You wanna die?” He’s pointing a revolver to Pepe’s mouth.

          “No.. no!” He was so sacred.

          “Good!” The goon then ran away.

          No one was there. NO one saw the murder of two different people. Only Pepe knew exactly what happened. He could not forget the faces of the culprits. However, he decided to gag his mouth. He didn’t want to die.

          Pepe stopped the tears that were about to fall.

          “Hey, are you okay?” Gabby saw him wiped his eyes.

          He nodded and quaffed his beer, bottom up. He opened another one. The, he made a sign language. It was not understandable to Gabby, though he repeated it.

          “Okay…  okay!” Gabby cleared his throat. He’s half-sober, half-drunk. “I have a proposal for you. It is okay if I hire someone who can help in your muteness?”

          Startled, Pepe was asking by raising his eyebrows.

          “For you to enhance your sign language. Or so that I can learn your language. Is it okay?’’

          Pepe thought awhile. Then, he told Gabby that he wanted to learn how to write and read.

          “So..I will tutor?! It’s interrobang. It was a question and exclamation. “Okay! At least you can write your name, alphabet and others and you can read whatever. It’s a very nice idea. I’ll tell Mang Jack about it.”

          Pepe was blank. He was so glad yet nervous. Inferiority complex struck again. He thought, he would not learn. He’s an oaf. He’s a dumb. Learning is too late for him.

          Gabby noticed his silence. “Don’t problemize the payment. Isn’t it you’re gonna receive a monthly wage? I will not let you pay the whole. Fifty percent of your tutor’s salary will be shouldered by me.”

          Pepe made a hand language. It’s what he’s thinking. It’s the hardship that a tutor will encounter in teaching him.

          “I believe you’re not an idiot. Believe in yourself. Education and learning are ageless. It’s not yet late.” He gave him a handsome smile and offered Pepe a toast. They toast. “Lets’ celebrate!” He turned off the TV and turned on the component. He played an alternative rock music CD. “Coz when you look beyond/ real friend remains.. oh/ Yes. It is certainly true/ I will stay the same.” He sang along while simulating a guitarist’s act.

          It made Pepe smile. He’s great, he thought.

          The two enjoyed the night. They have drunken seven cans of beer each. They almost heard all the tracks in one compact disc. It just replayed.

          “Thank you, Pepe.. You don’t know how much.. Pepe?”

           Pep ran through the toilet. He vomited there.  Gabby was so abrupt. He rubbed Pepe’s back as he throws up. “It’s okay! I’ve experienced it when I first drank liquior.”

          He helped Pepe in walking back to the room. He lied him down the bed and began cleaning the mess.

          It was already two o’clock in the morning.. The room was reorganized already. Pepe was unconscious on the bed. He’s across it, feet on the floor. Gabby noticed the terrible sweats on Pepe’s entire body. So, he undressed him and put him to the pillow.

          He’s about to leave when he remembered that the aircon was on. Pepe might get cold. He would put on his comforter. But before he did, he made a good look of Pepe’s entirety and nakedness. Pepe has what it takes to be what I am, Gabby thought. I wonder why he has no girlfriend. Then, he noticed Pep’s covered part. He felt ashamed of himself and immediately covered him with the comforter.

          Before he made an exit out of Pepe’s room, he felt that his schlong became tough. He touched and fondled it, as he was walking away outside. “No! He exclaimed. He was glad but very much disappointed. “I’m not gay!”

          When he was in his room, he put off his clothes, as well as the underpants. And saw the erected penis of him. He missed it. He was happy that he has no penile problem. Yet he was worried that he might has a gender crisis.

          He turned on the air conditioner and went to bed. He enjoyed the sight of his erection while he reminisced the drinking session he first experienced with Pepe. It’s nice, he thought.

          Five-twenty in the morning, Pepe woke up, astonished when he saw his nakedness. He was not used to it. He wore shirt and shorts every time he sleeps. Then he saw his clothes near the pillow. They were folded. He did not think deeper about it. He knew gabby did it to him like his mother did to his father every time he’s drunk. He felt so ashamed to Gabby. He threw up and he forgot himself.

          His head was aching. He craved for cold water. Thus, he went downstairs after putting on his shirt and shorts. He consumed two glasses of cold water.

          Feel at home, Pepe heard it in the corner of his ear. So, he made a hot coffee. He took it ibn between munching of chocolate cookies, he found in the cabinet.

          Pepe peeped on Gabby’s room. His boss was still asleep. He closed the door slowly and went to the beach. He was fascinated by the sunrise. He appreciated the birds that flocked in the shore. He merrily exhaled the freshest morning breeze. These lose his headache.

          He decided to pick up the non-biodegradable matters in the beach because they ruin the beauty of nature. He must do it every morning. He proposed to himself. It’s not only the task to Gabby but the responsibility as a human being.

          It was eight-thirty in the morning. Gabby was taking a hot bath. Pepe was wandering in the shore, picking up plastics and any other jetsam.

          The sun was causing a pricking sensation to Pepe’s skin. He decided to stop. He rested in a shady place and began to contemplate. Minutes later, he saw his wrecked rowboat, thirty meters away from the shore. He hurriedly took off his clothe and swam to its direction.

          Gabby was preparing pancakes. He’s doing it in a hurry. He often glanced in the lock.

          Pepe swam back the shore, pulling the rowboat. It was his boat. He needed it. Someday, he would come back to their barrio, not to revenge but to give his buried family decent tombstones.

          Panting, Pepe successfully made the pulling.

          He missed his boat. It was manifested in his excitement and happiness. He planned to repair the rowboat in the soonest time. He would make a paddle.

           Pepe! He heard Gabby’s voice. He was calling him, he couldn’t reply so he pulled again his boat to the grassy part of the beach, where the tide could not awash it. Then, he grabbed the trash he collected and ran to Gabby’s direction, after putting on his clothes.

          “Let’s have breakfast. It’s already nine. What’s that?” gabby asked.

           Pepe spoke through his hands.

           “Nice idea!” Gabby patted his shoulder.

          Pepe smiled. He doesn’t know what to say…

          After breakfast, Gabby phoned on Mang Jack. Pepe could hear everything. He was told to do so.

         “Pe, what do you want Mang Jack buy for you?” He waited for Pepe’s response. “Anything.”

          He thought for a while.

          “Bolo?’’ asked Gabby, confirming his sign.

          Pepe nodded.

          “Mang Jack, please add bolo in the list. Okay? Okay! Bye! See you tomorrow.” He smiled to Pepe. “Tomorrow, your tutor will arrive. Are you excited?”

           Pepe tried to smile.

          “Come, I’ll show you the rumpus room.”

           In the rumpus room, Pepe’s eyes widened. He couldn’t believe a room like that existed in the mansion.

           “This is where I entertained my friends. They liked this place very well. We play billiards while sound-tripping. In the evening, we would watch movies and most of the time. We bond in this mini-disco, where variety of liquor is in abundance. It’s indeed my favorite room!”

          Pepe was speechless. He couldn’t react due to amazement. It is really great, he thought. But he believed that a single person will not enjoy the place alone. He or she must be with a group to satisfy the offering of the entertainment room.

           “I showed you this room because you’re part of me... of this house. You can come here anytime you want.” He smiled fist. “But, you’re off limit when you are being tutored. Is that clear?”

          Pepe nodded. Gabby laughed. They laughed together louder, when Gabby says “especially when you’re not with me, because it is not good to be alone.” He showed him the slogan posted on the wall. “Here!”

          They played billiards. They’re laughing because every time Pepe hits the ball it jumps. However, Gabby showed eagerness to teach him, who was learning fast.

           Then, they played computer games. It reminded Pepe of his younger brother, who loved to play same game in their barrio. He used to accompany him whenever there was time. Now, he understood the joy it brings to the player.

           While preparing lunch, Pepe and Gabby talked about girlfriend, which later came to the copulation matter. Gabby was astonished to know that Pepe was still inexperienced. It doesn’t matter, Gabby told him.

          Pepe started to handsign. Gabby’s comprehension was so quick. He translated it to his mind. “Have you gotten her name? Or number? OR address?”

           Pepe shook his head.

           “Do you see her often?” Gabby was interested, not to the girl, but to the story.

          The mute spoke with his hands, telling Gabby that the girl is a city-dweller and once took a summer vacation in their community. He also told him about the sadness in the girl’s eye.