Sa Dulo Ng Mga Kuko

Nela Custodio (Eng.)

December 28, 2006

   

Although
I didn’t plan to leave yet, I was forced to prepare to go home. Hoping
I might catch up with Nela so we could walk together on the way to the
terminal and on boarding the train.  Nela was a symbol of a bright
future.  But through the thousand doors we opened and crossed, we never
had a chance to share even a single word or conversation.

Nela
knew nothing but to avoid me.  She was like oil on water, a criminal to
a police,   a white dress on mud; because to Nela’s knowledge, I was a
disciple of Judas.  The only good news that reached her about me was
when I confessed to breaking the eye glasses of Maestro Hubi – our
professor of economics.  But I didn’t do it.  I only claimed
responsibility to save one of my classmates, because he was one of the
school’s scholars.

There would be time for Nela and me.  If not then, all the days of the year waited for me, for us.

Economics
finished again, everyone stood up to leave; time to go home again.
Nela acted like before.  Quickly, she put all her things inside her
colorful bag.  All of a sudden, her pen fell and rolled towards my
feet.  I picked it up, and was about to give it to her, but she was not
around anymore.  It seemed she didn’t even notice that it fell.

Like
an investigator, I placed the pen in a plastic bag, to prevent any mark
or dust from contaminating it.  When I get home, I will put it near my
clock so I can look at it when I wake up every morning as I open my
eyes.  One morning, I saw Nela’s pen at once.  What if I try it?

The
first thing I thought was to write my name, but suddenly, her name
crossed my mind and that was what I wrote - Nela Custodio.  I tried to
write my name again, but still, it was her name I wrote - Nela Custodio.

I will return this pen; for sure tomorrow.

I
blinked my eyes thousand times, and searched around the classroom, but
I didn’t see Nela.  She didn’t come today.  I missed the chance again.
While I held the pen, I tried to write my name again, but I wrote her
name instead - Nela Custodio.

While
walking on my way to the school canteen, I spotted Nela alone in front
of a table.  She had a look of wonder and delight while looking at a
paper.  I gathered courage to approach her and hand over her pen.  Who
knows, possibly this might be the chance I have been waiting for so
long.

“Nela, here’s your pen,” my voice trembled as I told her.  She looked really surprised.

“How long have you had my pen?” she asked softly.

“I’m sorry Nela.  I should have returned it earlier, but you didn’t come to the class that day,” I explained nervously…

“Thanks”
she said with a smile.  “You’re welcome.  Okay, Nela, I have to go
now,” I said, as I walked away from her.  But suddenly she called me.

She showed me the paper and said:

“It’s
kind of weird.  This is not my handwriting.   I’m hopeless in
economics, that’s why I didn’t take our last exam.  I’m so happy, I
passed!”

Only
then, I realized that on the day of our last exam, it was not my name I
wrote on my paper.  It was her name.  I wrote - Nela Custodio.

 

Entry Filed under: Mga Kuwento Ni Lex. .