How I Met Serena

Sunday, 3 November 2013

There is absolutely no place in the Philippines that doesn't experience typhoon every year. In my small town, I can vividly remember that the worst and most unforgettable typhoon was in 2013, when we experienced flooding and there was no electricity for more than a month. While other people went crazy, not knowing what to do without TV, which was practically everyone's main source of entertainment, that week-long duration that turned The Pilgrim into a pool of water, was the most exciting time of my life.

Businesses were highly impacted, and everyone's daily life was a big nuisance because no one expected that the flood would not easily subside like it used to. Normally, after a typhoon, there's flood for one day, but then after the rain stops, the town would be back to normal the next day. In 2013, since it was pouring heavy rain for three consecutive days, the flood went above the knee. No one had experienced that before, so people weren't completely ready, and everyone suffered a distressing week. Well, except for me, because that week-long hassle that people had to endure, was the most exciting week. It was the week that I got to know Serena.

"I'm glad we secured all the books from the store. We did a great job, son." Papa and I couldn't believe that we managed to bring all the books to the school library. We do it every year before the typhoon comes, but there's always a feeling of accomplishment every single time. Imagine many, many boxes full of books and school supplies. It took us more than an hour of back-and-forth ride to my school's college library via 'kalesa' or carriage. The Pilgrim School's college department head had always been keen on the safety of our bookstore. Most especially because we are the main source of all books in their curriculum. So, every year, we are expected to close the store and temporarily store all our books in the college library.

Papa has always wanted to build a second story to serve as additional stockroom. That way, we don't have to go through this big hassle every year. But then since there's always just enough money for all of us and hardly any savings, he couldn't afford a second story. We're a family of five with only one source of income, so our daily expenses are crazy. We're not poor. We're not rich either. Our family is just average with little savings, so additional expenses would require additional source of income.

It was a sunny afternoon after the typhoon, which finally stopped the night before, and we were all situated at the second floor of our house because the first floor was flooded. Hailey and Robin who were only 3 and 4, and Marie who was 7, were all in my room, making a big mess. They had gathered all their toys and had not stopped playing since after lunch, and papa and I had been in the hallway doing our own thing. I spent my time at the built-in sofa, overlooking the fake river outside, glancing at it every once in a while, and papa made himself busy by playing Tetris, or Brick Game as he often refers to it. He never runs out of batteries for his Tetris, because it's the only thing he does when he's not watching TV. It's his second hobby. The TV was right next to him because we lifted it all the way upstairs, including the entire living and dining room, so they wouldn't get wet. They filled the hallway to the point that there was little space to walk on.

"Yeah, we did a great job. When do you think the flood will subside? It hasn't changed since this morning." I asked, while I looked through the window. I had finished the book I was reading and was ready to start reading another one, so I carefully moved through the narrow spaces left for me to walk towards my room.

"Don't expect it to subside today. It will take days for that much water to go down."

"I think this is the worst typhoon we've ever experienced." I opened the door to my room.

"I've experienced worst back in the day, son." He responded while still playing his Tetris.

"Wow, it's a Jurassic Park in here!" My room looked worse than I had seen it an hour ago. My clothes were everywhere as both Hailey and Robin kept on trying them on. They could barely walk properly with my shirt on. Marie, on the other hand, was on my bed, doodling something on my Reflective Writing book, one of my creative writing subjects. "Oh my God, Marie, please hand it over." I slowly approached her, scared that she might doodle more if I talk to her in a demanding voice. "That's for school…oh my God, why are you drawing on my book of all things?" I whispered this to myself while getting some bond papers from one of the drawers under my study table. I realized that Marie ran out of art materials to use, and that was the one important thing I forgot to secure before the typhoon. I was supposed to get some new supplies for her like sketchpad, watercolors, and a box of pencils. She tends to draw anywhere when she has no sketchpad. "Here, draw in here instead." I handed her the bond papers in exchange of my book. When I opened it, oh my God, it was full of drawings! I almost fainted.

I opened my backpack which was hanging on my study table's matching chair, to get the next book I wanted to read. Except, it was missing. I swear, I thought I put that inside my backpack after papa and I packed all the store's books in several boxes. Or did I? I couldn't remember, so I called out, "Pa, have you seen my Inferno book?" I quickly scanned the entire room as well as my study table for it and after confirming that the book was nowhere to be found, papa hadn't responded, so I stood nervously by the door. "Pa?"

"Ha?? What was that again?" He asked, still playing Tetris.

"My Inferno book is not here and that's my newest book. I thought I put it in my backpack."

"I don't remember." He was busy playing his game, but he kind of looked suspicious. I think he accidentally put my Inferno book on one of the boxes.

"That was in the newest arrivals before we packed all the books to be transferred to my school library. It came with the other Amazon bestsellers." My heart was starting to palpitate. I was so excited to read that book, and now, it's nowhere to be found. I thought I was going to faint.

"How can I remember that? We packed like 4 or 5 boxes of new arrivals."

"Okay, well, I'm swimming in that flood to get my own copy of Inferno from the school library."

"That's ridiculous, you don't have to swim. There's a community boat lurking around for passengers."

"Okay, I'm going to school!" I said aloud as I ran downstairs and outside. I was wearing beige cargo shorts, slippers, and a plain white shirt. My legs and feet got wet with flood when I got downstairs, but I didn't care. Luckily, I didn't' have to wait long for that community boat that papa was talking about because it came by quickly. "Kuya, I need a ride to the school please!"

When I arrived at the college building, I ran three flights of stairs towards the library as if my life depended on it. I didn't even think about the possibility that it could be close. I hadn't notified the department head that I was coming but luckily, the entrance door was open. Thank God!

I urgently went inside and headed to the very far end where we stacked the boxes of books. I was sweating so much, almost as if rain had poured down on me when it was actually a sunny afternoon. I sat on the floor to rest a bit, then after a few minutes, I started searching for boxes labeled 'new arrivals.' There were 5 boxes. I opened them up one by one and finally found all the Dan Brown books on the fifth box. It had Angels & Demons, The Da Vinci Code, The Lost Symbol, and finally, Inferno! They were all in hardback and paperback. I grabbed one Inferno paperback, removed the plastic as if I was opening a bar of chocolate, smelled in between pages of the book, then held it to my heart with a smile. I was too exhausted that I passed out, or rather, fell asleep, with the wall supporting my back. I couldn't remember how long I had been there, until an unfamiliar voice woke me up.

"Young man, are you okay?" When I opened my eyes, the first thing I saw was cleavage. RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME. My eyes grew wide open upon recognizing the pair of big breasts that had completely woken me up. When I looked into the owner, I saw a beautiful pair of eyes. "You're awake. Are you okay? What are you doing here at this hour?"