WHY THE SKY IS BLUE

WHY THE SKY IS BLUE

carmelvillar

Gigi Perez, Evelyn Santos, Dina de la Cruz and Mae Corpuz have been classmates and neighbors since they were born.  They are not related but they call each other’s parents Tito and Tita.  They grew up sharing tables, beds, secrets and clothes.  They went to the same school from preschool to high school.  Their high school graduation was the saddest part of their lives.  After their graduation, each one left their hometown, Visares, in pursuit of their college degree and their dreams.

Gigi left for Cebu to take up medicine; Evelyn to Dumaguete to take up Pre-Law, Dina to Davao to take up Architecture and Mae to Manila for her first step to fulfilling her dream of converting their beach front property into a resort and tourist destination in their town. 

That they are rich and famous in their hometown is an understatement.  The Perez family owns vast tract of land that span three municipalities.  Most of their land is sugar plantation and is the typical hacienda complete with tenants and sugar plantation workers. The Santos family owns the only private school in their town, the school where the four girls got their diplomas. Dina’s family, on the other hand, is into construction business. Their company has developed the first exclusive village in their area. Their company expanded to hardware, grocery, drugstore and appliance stores.  Mae’s family has been into politics for the longest time.  Her great grandfather was the first mayor when their town moved from being a barangay to municipality. This position has been passed on from one generation to the next.  And now her father is the mayor of their town.  It was her father’s utmost disappointment when Mae decided to take up Hotel and Restaurant Management instead of Law.  What made her father more uncomfortable was the fact that Evelyn was taking up Pre-Law.  “You should be taking up Pre-law instead of Evelyn,” her father appealed.  But Mae was set on her plan.  She already brought up the idea that Dina will design and build the resort, Evelyn will take care of all the legalities. “And I will be your loyal guest,” contributed by Gigi.  “I will hold all medical seminars in your resort, Mae. Don’t worry.” 

So it was set.  They will go each their different ways but agreed to reunite every semestral break, Christmas break and definitely summer break. “We have to come home for the town fiesta!” the four chorused.

But while they were geographically separated in pursuit of their dreams, their families were slowly being separated by politics.  On the second term of Mayor Corpuz, Mae’s father’s mayoralty post, his bid for reelection was being challenged by Dina’s father.  He is being supported by Gigi’s family in exchange for assurance that their land will not be claimed by Department of Agrarian Reform.   Evelyn’s family stayed loyal in support of Mae’s family.  Rumor has it that Evelyn’s family is financing Mae’s father’s reelection bid in exchange of getting all construction work and project in the municipality.  Their friendship for so long has not been spared by

The campaign period has become vicious.  The friendship shared by the four families which they had kept for the longest time has not been spared from gossips, innuendos and accusations.  Even the girls who were away from home were not spared from political related attacks.  All of the sudden the text messages they sent to each other lessened until one day, as the campaign was nearing its end, simply stopped.  They stopped communicating with each other.

The four friends were polarized depending on the political poles in which their parents subscribed. Gigi and Dina exchange messages but mostly on campaign matters, so did Evelyn and Mae.  Gone were the intimate messages, comforting words, inspiring quotes they loved to give each.  But their silence over the political landscape in their hometown felt like an ominous cloud that loomed over their homecoming to celebrate Mae’s graduation from college.   And of course, their summer vacation will be marred by intense campaign onto the final election exercise.  Not one of them was excited to go home, to have the reunion they all looked forward to, to do the groundbreaking for Mae’s resort.  The election scenario oppressed them all.  They all thought that this election has changed them, sadly, not for the better. Not one of them knows how to save their friendship.

“We can always forge another friendship.  What was the saying, “Meet new friends?” Mrs. Santos comforted Evelyn.

“But keep the old.  That’s the end of the saying, Ma.” Evelyn answered sadly.  “I don’t know how to keep our friendship anymore. So much damage has been done all for a position that won’t even last.”  There was so much pain in her voice, so much reproach.

Mae came home with her diploma.  Evelyn’s family joined them in the celebration and of course, the entire political party came.  Her graduation celebration turned out to be a grand political bash.  Mae and Evelyn were all smiles, greeting the greeters, partying with the people who wished her well.  But deep inside something was missing.  Mae would glance at the pavilion’s door wishing that Gigi and Dina and their family would walk in.  Evelyn stopped her wishful thinking, “They are not coming Mae. Stop glancing at the door. Try to enjoy your party as much as you can.”

“How can you be so level-headed?” Mae asked in frustration.

“There’s nothing to do but to be level-headed about this.  We can’t be emotional and dramatic. It wouldn’t help us get over this…” she was trying to find word to fit what happened to them. “… mess! Oh, what a mess this is, isn’t it?”

“Now you’re getting dramatic.  Let’s get back to the party.” Mae said.

Summer ended so swiftly. They moved from one campaign sortie to another. At the end of the campaign period, Mae’s family and Evelyn’s went scuba diving.  When they surfaced from their vacation, they were ready for the election.

Mae and Evelyn served as watchers for Mae’s father’s political party.  Gigi and Dina also served as watchers for Dina’s father’s political party.  On electionday, Gigi, Dina, Evelyn and Mae met for the first time since the election separated them.  They greeted each other civilly while the town folks watched them surreptitiously. Mae and Evelyn saw the under the hood looks of the town folks.  “Are they expecting cat fight among the four of us?” Evelyn commented slyly.

Mae looked back as they walked towards their precinct assignments.  As Mae looked back she caught Gigi and Dina looking back at her.  Was there pain in their eyes?  Are they hurting as I am? Mae could hardly hold back the urge to run to them and hug them.  But the eyes of the town folks stopped her from giving in.

At the end of the day the town folks were living in the edge waiting for the result of the election exercise.  Evelyn and Mae’s family stayed in Mae’s house as they await the result.  Mae and Evelyn decided to retire for the night, at Mae’s room.  For the first time since they left for college, Mae and Evelyn shared a bed.

“I could only pray that no one will get hurt from this election,” Evelyn wished.

“My prayer is that whoever wins, whether Dad or Dina’s, I just hope we can all get back from what used to be,” Mae uttered.

“That’s wishful thinking,” Evelyn said matter-of-fact.

Before midnight, a messenger came to announce the result of the election. Neither Mae nor Dina’s father won.  A black-horse candidate, a farmer leader, won the mayoralty position. In the most bizarre response, Mae laughed until tears fell down her cheeks then she cried.

Even before the sun could hit the horizon, Mae and Evelyn were already in the site of Mae’s dream resort.  They sat facing the horizon, Mae engulfed in her dream while Evelyn was busy texting.

“C’mon, let’s enjoy the beach,” Evelyn offered her hands to Mae which she took.  They strode playfully, like high school girls, playing with the waves until they were stopped at the sight of two figures from a distance.  Without so much as a word, just a gasp of pleasure and pain, Mae and Evelyn ran to meet the two figures.  Just like in the movie they met and hugged, cried and laughed.

Gigi, Dina, Evelyn and Mae met again in the place where they wove their dreams. And Mae’s dream is about to come true. 

“I wonder why the sky is blue?” Mae wondered.

“Oh, I love it when the sky is blue,” the three echoed.