NAG-DELIVER AKO SA BAHAY NA WALA NAMANG ADRESS SA MAPA
Ako si Rommel, isang delivery rider dito sa Maynila. Tatlong taon na akong nagde-deliver sa isang sikat na food app. Sanay na ako sa kahit anong klase ng customer, may galit, may sobrang bait, may sobrang kulit. Pero may isang delivery ang hindi ko makalimutan hanggang ngayon.
Isang gabi ‘yun ng Biyernes, bandang alas-nwebe. Konti na lang delivery ko bago umuwi. May biglang pumasok na order sa app “1 order of fried chicken meal, cash on delivery.” Normal lang, pero napansin ko, walang street number at puro landmark lang ang nakalagay.
“Sa dulo ng Mabini Street, may lumang bahay na may malaking puno ng acacia sa harap.”
Nagtaka ako kasi wala akong maalalang ganoong address sa area namin. Pero dahil kailangan kong tapusin ang quota ko, pinili kong sundan. Habang papunta ako ro’n, napansin kong paunti nang paunti ang ilaw sa daan. Yung mga bahay, puro luma at halatang walang tao. Tahimik, pati mga aso, parang walang tunog.
Nang makarating ako sa dulo ng Mabini Street, nakita ko nga ‘yung bahay, malaki, pero halatang inabandona. May bakod, may kalawang na gate, at sa gitna, may malaking puno ng acacia. Tiningnan ko ulit ang cellphone ko, at nagulat ako kasi sa GPS, wala akong lokasyon. Blank. Pero sa chat sa app, may nag-message.
“Diyan ka lang, lalabas ako.”
Kinilabutan ako. Kasi kanina pa ako nakatayo ro’n, pero wala naman akong nakikitang tao. Ilang segundo lang, biglang bumukas ‘yung gate. Mabagal. Para bang may humihila pero walang tao sa paligid.
Naisip kong baka prank lang. Pero lumabas sa bahay ang isang babae. Payat, mahaba ang buhok, naka-duster. Mahina ang boses niya nung nagsalita.
“Salamat. Ang tagal kong hinintay ito.”
Hindi ko alam kung anong mararamdaman ko. Pero nilapitan ko siya, iniabot ko ‘yung plastic ng pagkain. Nagbigay siya ng bayad, puro lumang pera, mga lumang 20 pesos na may mukha ni Aguinaldo ba ‘yun? Naisip ko, baka kolektor lang. Tinanggap ko rin. Pag-alis ko, tiningnan ko ulit ang app, pero wala na ‘yung delivery record. Para bang hindi ako nakapag-deliver.
Pagdating ko sa bahay, nagkwento ako sa asawa ko. Sabi niya, “Huwag mong sabihin sa akin na doon ka sa dulo ng Mabini pumunta?”
Nagulat ako. Sabi ko, “Oo, bakit?”
Sagot niya, “Rommel, ‘yung bahay na ‘yon, nasunog daw noon pa. Wala nang nakatira ro’n mula nang mamatay ‘yung matandang babae sa loob.”
Kinabahan ako, kaya kinabukasan, pinuntahan ko ulit ‘yung lugar, liwanag na ng araw. Pero wala na ‘yung bahay. Parang bakanteng lote na lang. Walang bakod, walang gate, walang acacia.
Yung lumang pera na binayad sa’kin, dinala ko sa tindahan. Pero sabi ng tindera, papel lang daw, parang lumang resibo.
Hanggang ngayon, tuwing gabi, kapag may order akong dumadaan sa Mabini Street, hindi ko na tinatanggap. Kasi minsan, may mga address na hindi mo dapat puntahan, kahit pa may bayad, kahit pa trabaho mo.
Hindi lahat ng daan na tinuturo sa’yo ng mapa ay ligtas. Minsan, kailangan mo ring pakinggan ang kutob mo. Sa buhay, hindi lahat ng trabaho kailangang tapusin kung kapalit naman nito ang kaligtasan mo.
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I DELIVERED TO A HOUSE WHICH DOESN’T HAVE AN ADDRESS ON THE MAPI am Rommel, a delivery rider here in Manila. I’ve been delivering on a popular food app for three years. I’m used to any kind of customer, some angry, some kind, some naughty. But there’s one delivery I can’t forget until now.That one Friday night, around nine o’clock. Just a few more deliveries before going home. An order suddenly came in on the app “1 order of fried chicken meal, cash on delivery. ” It’s normal, but I noticed, there’s no street number and only landmark.“At the end of Mabini Street, there is an old house with a huge acacia tree in front. ”I was surprised because I don’t remember such an address in our area. But since I had to finish my quota, I chose to follow. As I was going ro’n, I noticed the lights on the road bit by bit. The houses, all old and obviously empty. Quiet, even the dogs, seems to have no sound.When I reached the end of Mabini Street, I saw the house, big, but obviously abandoned. There’s a fence, a rust gate, and in the middle, a huge acacia tree. I checked my cellphone again, and I was surprised because the GPS, I don’t have a location. Blank. But in the chat in the app, someone sent a message.“Stay there, I’ll come out. ”This gave me the chills. Because I’ve been standing there for a while, but I don’t see anyone. Just a few seconds, the gate suddenly opened. Slowly. It’s like someone’s pulling over but no one’s around.I thought it might just be a prank. But a woman went out of the house. Thin, long hair, dusted. His voice was weak when he spoke.“Thank you. I’ve been waiting to long for this. ”I don’t know how to feel But when I approached him, I handed him the plastic of food. He gave a fee, all old money, old 20 pesos with Aguinaldo’s face, is that? I thought, maybe just a collector. I accepted it as well. When I left, I checked the app again, but the delivery record was gone. As if I never delivered.When I got home, I told my husband a story. He said, “Don’t tell me you’re at the end of Mabini go? ”I was shocked. I said, “Yeah, why?” ”He answered, “Rommel, that house, was burned before. Ain’t nobody living ro’n since the old lady died inside. ”I was nervous, so the next day, I went to that place again, it was already daylight. But the house is gone. It’s just like an empty lot. No fence, no gate, no acacia.The old money that was paid to me, I took it to the store. But the seller said, it’s just paper, like an old receipt.Until now, every night, when I have an order passing through Mabini Street, I am no longer accepting it. Because sometimes, there are addresses that you shouldn’t go to, even if there is a fee, even if it’s your job.Not all roads shown in a map are safe. Sometimes you have to listen to your gut. In life, not all work needs to be completed if it is your salvation.FOR MORE STORIES, FOLLOW ME
