Good Work, Tomas
With a discomfited look, Ronald Kidlat, the aspiring newspaper writer, was squatting on the sand, alone at the beach. Grumbling sound could be heard from his belly out of hunger.
"That stingy editor is really too much. The money he gave me was not even enough for me to last for a night here. I can't even get room to stay or even a good meal at least! I think I shouldn't have taken this job." He was grumpily yelling at nothing. He started to vent his anger and disappointments out of his chest.
"Brrr, the wind is getting cold ... man, where will I sleep tonight? I think that bench can accommodate me at least." He stood up, walking unsteadily toward a wooden bench under a small hut while rubbing his arms to warm them.
"Boy, what are doing here? The night is coming; the wind is getting colder nowadays. Monsoon season is almost here." Grand Daddy approached Ronald after hearing him shout at the beach, but he did not ask him to go back to his house.
The guy was not a local without money, and so he was careful. People going on vacation should at least have some money to spend on food and lodging. Based on his shouts, this guy was sent there by an 'editor' with unknown purposes with no cash at all. This could be dangerous. He was here to probe this newcomer.
"Oh, hi, Sir. Is it not allowed to stay here? Just for tonight?" asked Ronald.
"Well, no one said it's prohibited, but why here? There's a big resort over there. If you want a cheaper room, a lot of houses here can provide for you." Grand Daddy probed more.
"Ah ... it's just ... I'm in a difficulty now. Ah ... ah ... yes, I lost my wallet, and I don't have any cash. How about in your house, Sir? I'll make a call to my Mama tonight so she can send me some money. Ah, I can assure you I'm not a bad guy. I promise I'll really pay after I get the money."
"Hmm, boy, you're really a lousy liar. How about staying at the police station for the night?"
"Sir, Boss, Chief, please, I'm really a good person. Please have mercy on a poor young man with no money! I never had any girlfriend in my life, not even once in my 26 years on this Earth! I still want to get married to a good wife and have children.
"My father and my mother are already old. They still need me as they grow older. Who will take care of them if I'll be imprisoned? Please, Chief, Boss, have mercy! Just let me go, please, please!" Ronald helplessly begged while kneeling and kowtowing on the sand a lot of times.
Grand Daddy felt lost with this scene. Simultaneously, Ronald continued as if he was not going to stop unless the elderly in front of him leave him be.
"Ahem, get up, and tell me who you are and what's your purpose for coming here." Grand Daddy spoke with a strict face. The truth was he was unsure what to do after all that kowtowing, so he tried to look angry so that this guy would tell him the truth.
Ronald did not notice any abnormalities on the elder's face, and so he directly said, "I'm Ronald Kidlat, a newspaper writer, and I'm here to interview someone!" He spoke rigidly for he was frightened to offend the other person more.
"Oh? Then show me your ID if you are telling the truth."
After hearing that, Ronald became wimpy as he spoke, "ID ... ID, ah, actually I'm still on probation. The editor promised that if I'll get the news now, then I will become a regular." He was now fidgety, and at the same time, he was playing with his fingers. Then suddenly, he started to cry.
"Please,"—Sniff. Sniff—"Sir, that is really my name! I just want to work honestly as a newspaperman,"—Sniff. Sniff—"but I couldn't get a good job." Sniff. Sniff "It was only this newspaper company"—Sniff. Sniff—"who was willing to take me in, but I need to prove myself first." Sniff. Sniff.
Grand Daddy scratched his head as he felt lost all the more with what to do in this situation. His probing led the young man confessing and voicing out his frustrations in life while crying to him.
Suddenly, an idea came to his mind.
"Come, let's sit over there and talk." He brought Ronald to a small store selling daily necessities.
"Hey, Tomas, can you give this guy a glass of water, you know what I mean. Also, send out some 'puso' and barbecue to fill his stomach first. Just put them on my tab." He winked a little at Tomas as he spoke as if hinting something to the other man as his partner-in-crime. Tomas nodded and curled his lips into a cryptic smile.
Tomas gave them Grand Daddy's orders but slyly gave Ronald a glass of white liquor. Ronald ate right away, without even saying his thanks as he saw the food. He ate everything hurriedly and finished the white liquor in one go, without knowing what it was.
"Whoa, what the—? You gave me wine?" Unknown energy was surging inside his chest, and he felt bolder deep inside. Slowly, his eyes started to get red. He had gone drunk with no control at all. This guy clearly had a very low tolerance to any alcoholic drinks.
With his newfound boldness, he spattered out almost all the grief, disappointments, and secrets of his life, including the editor's bad intentions for sending him. After sputtering, he suddenly bumped his head on the table, knocking himself out and soon sounding asleep like a baby.
"Whew, at last, we got what we wanted. Good work, Tomas. Now, help me carry him to that bamboo bed in that hut. "
"How do you know he will get drunk and spit it out?" asked Tomas.
"I felt like he was quite innocent to the world by the way he talked to me earlier, so I just tried to experiment if my assumptions were true. And it worked!" Grand Daddy felt satisfied.