Neighbor

Ben Contreras

THINGS happen for a reason!

While supervising the construction of my brother’s house at RER Subdivision Phase I, one of my daily worries was the scaffoldings that rose very above and near the perimeter of the neighbor’s house which is very close to the fence. For whatever reason, I never heard of any complaint. Perhaps, if there ever was any, it never reached my ears. I dread being called for any sort of disturbance. It can be very embarrassing.

Before moving in, I and my wife used to talk about walking every morning like many of the homeowners do. Alas, I moved in late January, this year, and after almost half the year, we still talk about it.

On Monday evening, however, I got to bed rather unusually early. It was only a little past 8 pm. At 3 am the following day, I woke up and could no longer go back to sleep.

I turned to my computer, checked Facebook and it occurred to me that it was my daughter Kathy’s birthday. So I sent her a greeting. A little of this and that, it was already 4 am. My wife, already awoke, said that if I can’t sleep anymore, we might as well go out and exercise. I thought it was the fulfillment of our much talked about early morning walk.

Passing by the house of Bro. Bobby Goking, I remember being informed by my nephew that Bob was looking for me days ago. After the walk, the sun was up already and I thought of going back to Bob’s house. He should be awake already.

Bob dropped by to invite me to join him, biking inside the subdivision. My knees are weak. A little biking exercise may help, aside from walking. I guess, I need to buy a bicycle. Less than an hour, I left.

While having breakfast, we heard noise from the neighbor. My wife jokingly said, “Nag-harvest na pud siguro ug manga.”

One time months ago, my wife told me: “Gang, nanugkit mi ug mangga sa silingan. Duol ra man gud sa atong bintana.”

My wife was right. The neighbor was harvesting mangoes–big Florida mangoes–that they planted many years ago. I struck a conversation and discovered many things about him. Of course, I confessed what my nephew did, picking their mangoes from our window.

It’s William Bacal, an agriculturist, a friend of my younger brother Kong Ngo, they being members of the XU dance troupe during college days. That explains the mangoes I saw in my brother’s house. After that conversation, I also got a few mangoes from his newly harvested ones.

I thought getting to know one another would be just one of those things that happen casually every day in our lives. But it wasn’t to be so.

The following day, I planned to see a few friends for business transactions only to find out that it was a holiday. So, I decided to see a relative, Evangelista “Dindin” Contreras Jr.

I forgot how our conversation led to the opening of an XU yearbook for graduates. Out of curiosity, I went over the names of the graduates, from law to arts and finally, the so-called Agis (Agriculture graduates).

Surprise! Surprise! I saw my neighbor’s name: William Bacal. I couldn’t help telling Dindin that we just met yesterday. Like him, Dindin is also a graduate in agriculture. (to be continued)