Serendipity Redux

“I’ll see you at dawn,” she said. It was more than enough to sober him up from the buzz of a couple of bottles of brew. Since they got to the island, he was aching for the chance to be alone with her. He was on-assignment, filming a documentary in the island of Culion in Palawan which was formerly a leper colony and earned the notorious distinction as, “The Island of No Return”.

They had met about a week prior. A close friend and colleague had been speaking praises for her—how amazing this young lady is, and how she could leave behind a good life in Manila to spend time with the indigenous, Tagbanua in the remote village known as Sitio Alulad.

His first glimpse of her was from the quay behind the inn they were staying in for the week. She was dressed in a rugged, almost androgynous fashion but her face bore the femininity which attracted him. He could tell she was from an Ivy League-ish university in Manila. She looked conservative but seeing her so far from the comfort of the city, he knew she craved adventure and that made her all the more interesting.

While nursing his last beer for the night, he couldn’t help but be anxious about the next day. He was bunked in with Raymundo, a very gung ho gaffer who knew about his plan to shoot the sunrise from atop the hill which allowed for a majestic view of the bay and most of the little town.

“I’m going with you up the hill, Direk!”

--“You don’t need to, brother. I can manage.”

“But you’ll be hauling a pretty heavy tripod! Lemme help.”

--“It’s alright, my good man. I’m not that old just yet! Get some rest. I’ll be dead tired once I get down from the sunrise shoot so you’ll have to cover for me for the rest of the day.”

Not long after the exchange, Raymundo was snoring while he lay restless in bed. Film projects and photo shoots have been his life for more than two decades. He was relatively in good shape despite the pack-a-day and occasional drink. He knew he could hump the gear. Question was, can she?

He was out of bed at around 4AM. He figured that with a full-sized video tripod and camera gear plus a liter of water, it would take him about an hour to get to the top of the hill with the “eagle” marker and the caduceus and the statue of Christ.

Armed with a torch and hiking shoes, he started off into the dark path where she said he would find the 333-step staircase leading to Aguila. He took on a slow pace, careful not to bang the heavy, Canon 5D Mk3 on his ribs, tripod already mounted on his yoke, flashlight illuminating the way.

The path cut through a winding road, apparently a short cut. In the dark, he struggled to find the steps when a nun emerged and he asked for directions. He was pointed towards steps which were hidden from his view by some shrubs and he continued his climb, maintaining his pace, fighting the urge to light up or else, die from shortness of breath.

Not bad for someone pushing 50. He thought. He was feeling the weight of the camera equipment but he was doing just fine—a little short of breath but otherwise, he was fine. The sky was slowly turning from black to a lighter shade of blue when he realized that he was alone. She was supposed to be at the inn half an hour earlier but that didn’t bother him. She might be close behind, he thought.

It took him close to an hour to get to the top. He was tired and sweaty and took a swig from the water bottle. He had a few more minutes to pick an angle and set up the “5D” then he sat down an lit up a Marlboro while taking in the view in the half light when he heard a pair of slippers flapping on the concrete steps.

“Direk?’ the female voice said.

--“Here!” he replied.

She had made it just in time. He was taking time-lapse footage when the sight of her came into view. Slightly disheveled, she looked just fine unmade up and that, just-got-out-of-bed look. To him, she was lovely regardless.

“I hope I’m not too late,” she apologetically said.

--“You’re just in time, dear. The fireworks were just starting.”

“Sorry, I hadn’t had the time for deodorant.”

--“I wasn’t going to put you on-camera like the last time. Besides, your smell wouldn’t show on video anyway.”

She laughed.

He smiled to himself, pleased that his plan to be alone with her had worked. He thought of a beer or a cigar would be a fitting way to celebrate despite the early hour. The dawn was spectacular and he was alone on a hill in the middle of nowhere in an island where few have ever returned. What’s not to like?

She was the point person for a Catholic institution which advocated the welfare of indigenous people in the area. She would go to the village and bring simple creature comforts like self-powered lights, toiletries and books for the small school for children and other stuff needed on the island. I was curious as to how someone of her stature would choose to endure days on end in a place where running water and electricity were unheard of.

“It’s a passion, I guess. Those of us who can, help out those with less.”

--“I rarely see that in people and I’ve been around some. Those with more would never bother with anyone who had less.”

“True. So, what about you?”

--“What’s there to know?”

“How does one sign up for a life of adventure?”

--“I’m a victim of circumstance, I guess. Once I had a taste of life on the road, I’ve not quite figured out how to get home.”

“Nothing to pull you back?”

--“Just my kids. My marriage ended 7 years ago. I’ve been moving around. Nowhere to call, “home” really.

“That’s sad.”

--“We all have our crosses to bear.”

“But you don’t seem like it bothers you.”

--“I can’t cry in public. I simply look at it from a different perspective.”

“How’s that?”

--“Well, if I had stayed married, I would never have gotten here in the first place. I would’ve been stuck in a call center despite my experience in the industry. I would’ve just worked for money.”

“Doesn’t everyone?”

--“Not ME! I’ve never worked for money even when I was earning a lot. I’d rather be out here with you watching a magnificent sunrise—for free—than work in an office and earn a shit heap of cash!”

“That’s an unusual philosophy.”

--“I’m not exactly a usual guy.”

“I can tell. You’re one of the few people I find remarkable. Hey, I’d like to get a one-liner from you.”

--“A one-liner?”

“Yeah, something only you would say or something that would distinguish you from other people I’ve met or will meet in the future.”

--“Well, I was a teacher once and I could only think of one thing and that’s been my advocacy all throughout—if I could touch at least one soul in this lifetime, my journey would be half complete.”

She gasped for a moment then said, “Wow, that is so, YOU!”

--“How could you say that? We’ve only been here about an hour.”

“That’s what makes you amazing, sir. You are such a unique character that you sort of wear yourself.”

--“Wear myself?”

“Yeah, you can almost tell if a person is boring or exciting by the way he or she wears his or her personality.”

--“That’s interesting. Never thought about it that way.”

“You are and you’re such a great storyteller. I love the way you change your voice according to the character. You can be a great actor!”

--“I’ve been on-camera.”

“What? Seriously?

--“Yes, seriously.”

“Wow, that’s amazing!”

--“Not as amazing as you are!”

They fell silent after he said that. There on that hill, while the dawn was breaking, he felt a sadness he could not explain. It was serendipity all over again. It was Cebu all over again. He knew from the depths of his soul, this encounter would leave another indelible mark.

He finished another cigarette then got up to turn off the camera. He had gotten the footage he needed. The sun was higher in the sky and they were starting to get baked. He had gotten a lot more. What better place than on a hill called, “Aguila” and who better to be with than her? He was roused from deep thought when she said it was time to go.

“You done?”

--“Just about. Lemme just tidy up the tripod.”

“I’ll carry that for you.”

“That’s fine, dear. I’m not that old yet.”

“Haha, you’re really funny!”

--“Yeah…I crack myself up sometimes.”

He may just as well have named the hill after him. He would be on top forever. He had touched one soul. His journey was now half complete. He knew it as they were walking back down to the inn for breakfast. It was the Island of No Return.