TALE OF THE THREE BARANGAYS

[November 21, 2013 at 8:44pm]

One of the hassles of my job related to the word “deliver,” as I sometimes moonlighting as a rural tracker, at times urban hunter, is when it happens that the address of the object of my desire belongs to the three barangays I most dread in the city proper. These are Barangay. . . well, “Tinapay,” as I call it here as it is to avoid not to be misunderstood since albeit the real word sounds like bread literally, others might take its unprintable homonym and malicious significance because of the Barangay’s notoriety for coconut wine and women with the latter’s anatomy.

Secondly is Barangay “Ambot,” a word of reply in Hiligaynon language which literally means “I don’t know,” because each time you ask around the place about anyone or anything under the sun, I guarantee you, to the extent of betting an in-law, any resident of the said Barangay, from the crawling toddler to a cracking rocking chair-bound dying old man, would be surely innocent and ignorant.

Lastly but surely not the least because I’ve just been there a few hours ago where I gave my very best after they gave me direction and assurance, that my purpose did truly there exist, would be the Barangay “Patalang,” in Kinaray-a and Hiligaynon it means “misleading” or “to mislead,” for after they gave me a sketch there in exchange for a hefty sum, I ended up being misled thus ending my world with a whimper rather than a bang.

I have no doubt that those abovementioned barangays could not just be found here in Iloilo City but also elsewhere in the globe. And I could take Barangays. . . well, “Tinapay,” and “Ambot” anytime sans a friend’s goad, but “Patalang” is so difficult to be swallowed.

Imagine, you are so proud of finishing college despite doing it for nearly a decade and a half though, but only tread upon by some people without anything better to do but make an incurable fool out of you. The incident was enough to bring you at your wit’s end, bring yourself back there too, bring out your Smith and Wesson, and shout “Make my day!” to every fellow.

It’s easy to exact revenge as there are a thousand and one ways to design evil if you only let yourself consumed by fury in slaughtering mood. But you always believe, “Vengeance is mine, saith the Lord (Romans 12:19),” and “overcome evil with good” (v.21). And you remember likewise how many times in your life that it was like you made your God a fool also. Breaking your promises made before Him in every twist and turn during happy times, forgetting those vows in painful moments you did do.

Yeah, you’re just blessed to know that He is gracious, plenteous of mercy and slow to anger (Psalms 103:8). Always giving you second, third, and counting chances just to let you and your heart be His forever.