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| Boom “Those Japanese ships are coming too close to shore. They’re gobbling up all our fish. Where’s the Filipino Navy?” Peter asked his barkadas at the resto bar. “The Filipino Navy? Their sails are ripped,” a witty and cadaverous-looking fellow answered. “We don’t need the navy when we have the U.S. Army taking care of us,” the only bearded man at the table growled. “They left us a nice Christmas present in the caves outside of town.” That reminded Peter of his family’s shopping trip to the crowded mall the night before, as they used Uncle Louie’s money to buy so much of what they hadn’t needed the day before, and then wait an hour for a crowded Jeepney to finally take them home. “The U.S. Army is giving gifts? Is McArthur returning again?” “Even greater. He left behind his better half. ” “You hooked me, beard-o. What are you hiding in your hair besides a thousand lice?” “You’re a joker, Peter. Let’s go to the caves and you can hear for yourself.” “Don’t you mean ‘see for yourself?’” The two paid for their beers, and weaved an uncertain line towards the rising full moon. A rooster fooled by the lunar light crowed their way forward. “Peter, Peter, Pumpkin Eater/ Had a wife and couldn’t keep her,” a voice sang from the beard. “What’s a ‘pumpkin?’” “’Put her in a pumpkin shell/ There he kept her very well.’ Must be a house you can eat,” Peter guessed. “No wonder all the Americanos are so fat!” The bearded one led the way with a flashlight, shining into the beady eyes of a second rooster, who hurried them on their way with another cocka-doodle-do. They reached the caves, and frog marched their way inside the small entrance. The narrow beam of the flashlight traced their way between the black walls. Peter stayed so close to the small light he was stepping on the heels of his friend. “I hope you have extra batteries.” “We’re here already. Look at this.” “This, this, this,” the walls echoed. The room was bigger than the biggest church Peter had ever seen, and more solemn. Only the sounds of bat wings welcomed them to an underground world. There was room for a large army inside, if soldiers could have tolerated the hellish cavern without constantly dreaming of their coming deaths. “Hurry up and show me the surprise.” And there it was in the corner—box after box after box marked “Property of the U.S. Government” stacked halfway up to the high ceiling. The bearded one pried open the top of the nearest one and shined the light inside revealing rows of perfectly preserved dynamite. The flashlight went out, and Peter discovered what black meant. A match lit a tiny part of the darkness and a sparking fuse, then let Peter discover what noise meant. A piece of World War II went off inside the world’s biggest bass drum. “Did you hear that giant explosion last night? I rolled over, and you were gone,” his wife asked him right before dawn after he returned to bed. “I didn’t hear a thing,” Peter replied, ears still ringing. Just then, a third cock crowed. |
| Rocky Times |
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| December 22, 2007 |