a book

A Life With Delan..

A Strange Dream!?

“You’re finally here!”

“Yes, I am”

We kissed and Delan embraced me so lovingly.

“Ten minutes to go!”, shouted Boss.

“Yes, Boss!”, Delan shouted back, happily. I’m very glad to see him that way.

It was at the end of fall when a chance for me to go abroad came up. A friend of mine in the US wants me to spend some time with him and his family I gladly accepted the offer. Who would not accept such offer? I mean, hey, there’s a rare chance offered for you, a chance to go abroad, who won’t take that?

I really wanted to go abroad and see different places but I can’t afford the expenses so until then it was just a dream.

So I got busy processing my papers. This would be my very first to go abroad so I did all the preparations with caution. My friend is too kind to shoulder almost all of the expenses. And I thank him a lot for that.

I applied for a visitor’s visa since I won’t be going there for a work. I played hard that the American agency would accept my request. It took weeks and I was about to lose hope when almost a month have passed. I was about to tell my friend the bad news. Actually, we are chatting on that day when the agency called me and told me they’ve approved my visa. We were both very happy at that time. I was so excited! So I told my parents and they got excited. They’re telling me have fun there, to bring them some souvenirs for them when I come back, and other stuffs. What would you think excited people would say that time?

I lived in a small barrio. And as what to be expected in a small barrio, news spread as fast as lightning. I going abroad become a very popular topic for almost a month.

So when the day for me to go came, I asked my parents and friends to let me go alone. I’m glad they allowed me to but with a condition that they’ll meet me in the airport when I came back. There’s nothing I could do but to agree because I know what will happen if I won’t.

My flight was during the morning. I really can’t remember what time it was but I’m sure it was quiet early. So I had to get on the early bus. I arrived at the airport exactly two hours before my departure. I still had plenty of time to rest and I thought of what my parents and friends had told the day before I left.

“You better go look for a job there. Who knows that this trip of yours will serve as a blessing in disguise? You might find your luck there.” Mother told me.

Actually, my friend also suggested for me to find a job there. But I stopped him, saying,” It’s way too much for you! Thank you for your kindness but if I will have to have there I’d better do it myself.”

“But I can give you work if you want!” he insisted.

“Yes, I know you can but I can’t really rely on you all the time. This is enough. Actually, I had also thought about that when you told me to come over. So just let me do it own my own, okay?” I replied.

“Okay! Well, if you want it that way, it’s fine with me! You’re pretty stubborn at times you know.” He agreed.

“Thank you Bro!”

I didn’t notice how long my trip was because I slept all the way until I reached my destination. I never heard the time was announced then because I was asleep. I only wo9ke up when the stewardess woke me up. I was ashamed so I got off the plane in a hurry and coming out of the airport, I saw my friend waiting amongst the excited crowds of friends and relatives awaiting for their love ones arrival. We greeted each other.

“So how was the trip?” he asked happily with a big smile on his face.

“I slept all the way, so I really can’t tell.” I told him sleepily. I am not used to go on a very long trip so I got nauseas and I felt really tired. My friend laughed and told me I look funny. He helped me load my luggage on the trunk of the cab he hired then we went straight to his home in Arizona.

Yeah, I had been to Arizona! Even now I can’t still believe that I had been there.

Just like in the plane, I slept all the way too thinking that I will have plenty of time to take a look at the beautiful landscape soon. My friend never disturbed my slumber. Then we finally arrived. My friend’s house was nice. That’s all I could say.

I felt really at home during my stay there. I had playing with the kids. I chatted with his wife about some sort of things. My visa only allowed me to stay for a few months so I told my friend I have to roam around and look for a job. It was on my second month when I decided to go looking for a job. My friend and his wife told me places and shops that I could go to apply. So I went there alone. I insisted but I was a bit scared that time.

I wasn’t really familiar to that place, so I bought a map with me and marked the places that I’ve been. While I was roaming around looking for potential employees, I tried to memorize every corner and streets because I badly want to remember all of them. I was bringing with me the camera my mother borrowed from our neighbor. As I was strolling, I took pictures of places I went and anything that I might view as beautiful.

A whole month passed yet I wasn’t able to find a job but I continued searching. A week before my predefined departure back to the Philippines, m y friend suggested for us to have a picnic.

“That will be great, daddy!” he’s daughter agreed.

“Yeah, honey! It’ll be great and the kids can play the whole day with our guest. I am really saddened that she has to leave next week.” Risa said. I’ve come to like her since she was so warm - a picture of a good mother and a friend. She insisted that I’ll call her by her name. We have become friends since the first day I set foot on their home. Their family – all of them – is so warm and kind – a good, happy family. One could just wish to stay there forever!

I just said”Yeah, me too.” coldly.

So I think that was Tuesday that we had our picnic at a nearby park. I played with the kid. We played the whole day and wore ourselves out. On the afternoon, we decided to take a nap. My friend and his wife just came back from their short stroll when we decided to stop. I told them that I want to go somewhere in the park for while. They allowed me and stayed with the kids who were already asleep.

I went to this part of the park where there is a small man-made lake and was surrounded with big trees. Winter season was coming so it was getting cold yet it was a fine, sunny day. Sunny but not that warm like on a real sunny day. It was a great day after all. I lay down on the grass because I love to lay down its soft grasses. I lay there staring at the great sky, leaves are falling from trees. Birds flew from tree to tree. It was very pleasant to look at. It was a very solemn day. I can hear people passing. I can even make glances of couples searing on the benches surrounding the lake set at the sheds of the trees.

I was on that situation when I felt dizzy so I decided to doze off a bit and closed my eyes. A few peaceful minutes passed, and then I noticed something blocking the light on my face. Though my eyes were shut, I wasn’t asleep because I can’t really go to sleep. I pretended to be asleep. Though you close your eyes, you can still tell if the light in a room is being turned off or not. That was what I felt. Someone was blocking the light above.

I didn’t open my eyes thinking that it might be a bird or a leaf that suddenly blocked the light but it lasted for a couple of minutes and so I got conscious. A couple of minutes passed but nothing’s different so I got puzzled and opened my eyes. I was a little pissed off because I really loved the way sunlight shone on my face then I saw someone looking down at me. We stared for a few seconds and I noticed he never winked. I thought it was my friend playing some sort of a prank so I smiled. He smiled back then I figured out he wasn’t my friend because his smile was different. So I stood up in a jerk.

“Why am I smiling to some stranger? Why is he looking down at me in the first place?” I thought and I looked up at him. Thinking that he might be some kind of a pervert, my blood boiled and I shouted unknowingly.

“Hey! Why are you looking down at me like that? Who are you> I don’t even know you! How dare you! You….. you…! Pervert!” I said angrily in a single blow that I was catching my breath when I got finished. Instead of defending himself from me calling him a pervert, he just smiled at me and asked if he could set next to me. With his response I got more angry and told him, ”No way! Why would i? I don’t even know you! Pervert! Why would I let you? Okay, that’s it! I’ll go now. Thank you for ruining my siesta!” Then I stood up and dusted my pants. I was starting to walk when he suddenly grab hold of my hand. I got totally pissed off and tried to shook my hands to let go of his grab but he’s grasping it too tightly.

“What the he