Marven’s First Novel, chapter #12

“A Bunch of Potatoes”

Aldo went out to their community’s little wet market or talipapa to buy the ingredients for the supper he said he would take care of. There, he was seen going from one stall took stall, carrying an eco-bag that he also bought there and looking for the ingredients that he needed, especially the main ingredients. Some of the stalls in the talipapa have turned on their warm, bright yellow bulbs.
This is one of the things that Aldo would do from time to time of his own accord to get himself acquainted with how things are done there and to memorize the prices of the goods so that he can learn how to budget and thus fulfill his dream of excellent motherhood.
As he was rummaging through a wooden enclosure brimming with potatoes, he heard a female voice to his right that said menacingly:
“Hey. What are you doing here?”
He turned his head. It was Greta, his cousin. He was surprised. It was the first time he came across her in such a place. He didn’t know she goes here too and does this kind of thing too. He could have asked her the same question. But instead, he replied, “I’m preparing our supper tonight.”
“Oh. You do that kind of thing now?”
“Yes. I taught myself. In my solitude, I tried to learn as many worthwhile things as I could. And I’m still learning. I’m not yet as good as you.”
“Is that for the whole family?”
“Yes. They let me. And somehow, it’s acceptable to them.” Aldo selected some potatoes, asked them to be weighed, and paid. As soon as he received the change, he said, “I’m done. See you around.”
“Wait. Wait for me. Let’s go home together. Don’t be a loner now. I may have one more stall to go at; and after that, I’m also good to go.”
Aldo followed her as she went to another stall where she bought a few more spices that she needed. After that, she looked down and checked the items that she has bought and said, “All right. I think that’s it. Let’s go.” They left the talipapa and walked towards home side by side.
In the streets, they came amongst people apparently about to conclude their day and to prepare for the coming night in the same way that they do.
“Actually, I want you to come home with me because there’s something you need to see.”
“What is it?”
“Let me rephrase that. There’s someone you need to see. I have a visitor in the house who says wants to talk to you.”
“Who is it?”
“Someone close to me.”
“A relative?”
Greta didn’t answer.
Aldo felt alarmed because the first thing that came to his mind was her father-in-law, to whom, he owes his current job. If not him, maybe someone from the company to reprimand or fire him. Is it because of his closeness to Cassandra? he wondered. “Is it about work?” he asked.
“You’ll see.”
Hearing this uttered in such a menacing way, he dreaded this possibility all the more.
When they reached Aldo’s house, Greta entered after him and was warmly greeted and welcomed by his mother whose hand she took and touched her forehead with. Aldo set down his grocery items on the kitchen table, while Greta sat for a while and chatted with her aunt. Aldo went to the sink and washed the edibles he bought and afterwards prepared the ingredients, the pan, and the stove.
“Let’s go.” Greta shouted from the bamboo chair. Then turning to her aunt, she said, “I’ll just get him to talk to someone at home.”
“Ah. Okay,” Aldo’s mother replied. Then the latter likewise shouted, “I’ll take care of that. Go now with your cousin.”
When everything was set, Aldo left his work and decided to go. Quietly and seriously, he went ahead towards the door and then outside. Greta stood up, said goodbye to her aunt, and rejoined Aldo who was already waiting outside. Once there by his side, she resumed walking with him until they got to her house.
As they entered, Greta likewise went ahead towards her kitchen, carrying her groceries, saying, “I’ve found him,” without looking back, and leaving Aldo to settle himself in the living room.
When Aldo turned his head towards the sofa, he saw that the visitor was seated demurely and not proudly as he expected. First, he was astonished; afterwards, he sneered. Turning to Greta, he said, “Is this the person I’m supposed to talk to?”
“Yes,” Greta replied.
“You scared me,” Aldo said humorously. Then he looked back at the visitor fiercely.
The latter caught his look, stared back at him meekly, and then greeted, “Oh, hi. It’s you. Good to see you... again. Why are you here?”
Aldo was triggered. “Why am I here? Why are you here?”
Greta noticed the tone in Aldo’s voice and glanced at him, slightly surprised. Then she went back at what she’s doing and said abstractedly, “Hey. What’s going on there?”
Affected by his tone, the visitor answered Aldo’s question hoarsely. “I’m here for Greta.”
Aldo was likewise affected by the gentle, meek, and apologetic way this was uttered and became remorseful and said with a consoling gesture, “I’m sorry for raising my voice like that, Michal. You don’t deserve that.”
Michal rested her chin on her palms and probed Aldo's face for about three seconds. “Yeah. What’s gotten to you? Are you angry at me all of a sudden?”
Aldo shrugged his shoulders, chuckled, and turned and looked away. "To be honest, I don’t know what to feel anymore. You keep popping up at unexpected moments." Aldo may not be talking about Michal only. "I want to believe this is fate. I’m convinced now more than ever that this could be fate." He turned back at Michal. "But you won't believe that, of course, because some other trivial things are more important to you.”
Michal sat back up, looked away, turned her head towards Greta, and whined gently, “Greta, why is Aldo here with you?” Then turning back to Aldo, she said with a gesture, "You don't have to keep standing up. Please sit down."
"Of course, I'll sit down," Aldo replied. Then he did as told and sat opposite her.
Greta answered, “I told him you wanted to talk to him... No, I told him somebody wanted to talk to him. I didn’t say it was you, at first, to keep it as a surprise. Just my thing. Luckily, I saw him at the talipapa, and I instantly thought it great to bring him to you now. Because why wait?
"So you wanted to talk to me." Aldo said to Michal.
She directed her gaze back at him and replied, "Well, not right away. I just told Greta I wished I could apologize to you. But she's right. Why wait?"
“So the two of you are indeed talking to each other already... Nice.”
"Apologize? Why do you have to apologize to me?"
“How are you?” she asked.
Aldo chuckled. “How am I? I’d be lying if I said I’m okay because I’m not... although I once said I'd be.”
"I'm sorry if I caused you any inconvenience in any form."
"No. You didn't. Not at all."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes. You're out of this. This is all my doing. I brought this upon myself. This misery is self-inflicted."
"Because you might have held to the belief that I played with your feelings, that I toyed with your emotions, that I led you on despite having no intention of taking you seriously just to spite a man whose attractiveness he can't use to his benefit and I couldn't get to burn for me. I don't enjoy at all the notion of being instrumental to someone's emotional ruin. Your past meetings with me will likely have this effect on you, and you might curse me for it. And I can't bear that fact because I know I don't act wantonly. I don't use whatever I have to feed my ego and lash it on others to make myself appear superior. You don't deserve being done like this if I ever did something like this, and I feel it my obligation to reconcile."
"I'm not blaming you at all. No, not you. I get your point. I know malice when I see one. I can't get angry at you even if I wanted to."
"Well... Thank you. You did me great service by reassuring me."
"Obviously, I still can't get over you. Maybe that's my issue. My life has never been the same since I met you."
Michal looked down remorsefully. "I don't have to be like this to you. I refuse to be. I'm nothing."
"It's refreshing to see someone unaware of how precious a person they are."
"If it makes you feel any better, I want you to know that I consider you a special person for me too, not just an ordinary friend."
"Really? In that case, I thank you. Now I don't know what to even think."
"I sincerely care for you. I just can't have you. I hope you understand."
"Yeah. That's what you've said."
Aldo and Michal talked more about lighter topics. After that, he bade farewell to her and Greta.
"Are you okay now?" Michal asked.
"Yes. This conversation really helped. Now I can go on with my life with a renewed purpose. I'm glad I was able to talk to you today."
"You sound like you're leaving me forever."
"I don't know... But if you keep talking like that, I'll never be at ease."
"Okay, I'm sorry. Good luck with your endeavors... and in finding your true love."
"Goodbye, Michal. I'm going home now, Greta."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes."
"Are you and Michal okay already?"
"Yes."
"Okay," Greta replied.
Aldo went out the door, out the gate, and down the street. He started to make his way home. Once there, he smelt the aroma of the dish made from the ingredients he bought. When he glanced at the kitchen, he saw that the freshly-cooked viand was already being ladled for serving. Seeing he had nothing more to do, he went straight into his room and reclined, or rather slumped, on his wooden bed as if he had worked the whole day. Then he stared at the ceiling for a few minutes, seemingly thinking things over. From being calm, his face became heavier; and afterwards, he tossed and turned, rolled left and right, now grimacing. He repeated this action many times for a few more minutes and thus became a picture of anxiety. His state of mind seemed to have changed. Suddenly, he sprang up; as if by doing so, he now wished to shake off the troubles that now have started to beset his mind. He looked abstractedly before him as he sat for a few more seconds. Then he heaved a deep sigh and said, "No." Finally, he stood up resolutely and let his legs carry him outside in the street.
Once there, he started retracing the steps he took just a few minutes ago. It was already totally dark outside, as night had fallen. On the streets are people going to and fro in their night walks. Aldo was thinking deeply the whole time and surprised even himself when he found himself in front of Greta's house again. First, he stood still outside in the street that was mellowly-lit by the lamps atop the electricity posts. Through the open main door, he saw Greta sitting on the pair of the one he sat on earlier and Michal standing beside her. He watched the scene they were making for a few more seconds and then decided to re-enter through the gate he left open and which was kept untouched. Finally, he stood outside the door and leaned his hands against the doorframe. It was until he opened his mouth by saying hi that the two noticed he came back and was there and was surprised and stopped to look at him. It's been a long time since he's seen such a genuine reaction. It was Greta who spoke first.
"Oh. You came back. What's up? You changed your mind?"
"Yes. Exactly."
"You're just in time. We haven't started eating yet. I'll get things ready." Then turning to Michal, she said, "Are we finished, doc?"
"I think so," the latter replied.
Greta stood up, said, "Come on in," to Aldo, and went to the kitchen.
Aldo remained outside by the door as Michal was putting her tools back.
Michal faced him smilingly and said, "Hi, Aldo. I'm happy you came back."
"Oh, are you? Great. Because there is something I forgot to tell you."
"What is it?" Michal asked naively.
"Can I discuss it with you here outside?"
"Oh." Michal was surprised. "Why don't you just come in?"
"I don't want Greta to hear. Please. I'm not going to hurt or harm you."
"I'm not even thinking that."
"Great. Thank you."
"All right. I hope this isn't another prank."
Aldo has disappeared.
Michal looked back at Greta and said, "I'll just talk to Aldo a little bit here outside."
"Outside?" Greta replied. "Okay."
"I won't be long," Michal added.
Then she went out into the front yard and found Aldo there directing his gaze outside in the street, his body slightly bent down, and resting his arms and clasped hands on the rail.
Michal approached him, stopped at an arms's distance from him, also rested her arms on the rail, and also looked over the street. She said, "I told Greta I won't be long. It won't be nice to make her wait."
"Fine," he said listlessly. "Noted."
"What is it?" Michal looked at his face. "You look sad all over again." Then she turned again and surveyed the street to see whether the people walking could see them. It seems that they couldn't because Greta hasn't turned the porch lights on; and if they could, they wouldn't care, owing to that kind of scene being commonplace. She turned her head back at Aldo; and by the light of the lamps from electricity posts that barely entered the front yard, he saw his sad eye and face seemingly about to break out in tears.
Still facing the street, Aldo finally opened his mouth and said, "I've just found out that I can't. I just find it difficult to just walk away and totally forget about you. It's never easy when it comes to you. I don't understand."
Michal looked straight back towards the street. "Really? What are you trying to say?"
Aldo finally turned and faced Michal. After drawing momentum, he said, "Please don't leave me. Please don't turn me away. Accept me. Let me into your life."
"Well, you're no different person to me. I already told you that."
"No. I meant, let me be the man who will love you. My idea of true love is you. No one else. And I hope that you could love me as much as I love you."
"Oh." Michal paused and pondered for about five seconds. Then turning and facing Aldo, she continued, "Are you absolutely sure of what you're saying to me? Love? Really?"
"Yes. I think so."
"Are you not, in turn, toying with my emotions, messing up my mind."
"I'm just confirming to you what you may have known a long time ago. Nothing more, nothing less. I think I already made it clear in the past that I want to be with you."
"Uh... Yeah. I think I remember that." She looked back towards the street and rested her arms on the rail. "But hold on a second and listen to me. This needs to be obvious to you. Love is not as simple as it sounds. It encompasses a lot of things, entails a lot of responsibilities. It's serious stuff, perhaps only navigable by those who are able. And you're but a mere child."
"I know. You already told me."
"Then you should have already known that you may not perhaps be able to find what you're looking for, not in me and perhaps not in anybody else. Women need men. I'm sorry; but I, for example, won't let myself be bogged down by a man-child who can't even take care of himself and carry himself upright."
"You're a part of me now," Aldo said meekly and hoarsely. "The idea of you is already deeply ingrained in my heart and mind, for which reason, I think I'm going crazy."
"And I've also told you that you don't have to put yourself through that kind of thing. It's just such an utter waste. You're just showing yourself to be the child that you really are every single time. Only a grown man with an infantile mind would say something like that. Admit, Aldo, that you don't have what it takes. The earlier you do so, the better."
"You may wonder why I use the word love so loosely. Well, not really. Love is the only word that accurately describes what I feel for you. I'm not infatuated at you. I don't just like you. And I'm past being attracted to you. Every moment that I know I exist and know that you're there somewhere, nothing fills my consciousness other than love for you. This is what's going on inside of me for the past few months since I met you. Now I can't bear the thought of losing you."
"To which, I will answer you in this way: If you want to be with me, you simply have to meet my expectations and I'll fall straight into your arms without fuss and without you being that overly dramatic. You can spare yourself the heartache. The problem is that you can't. You can't because you're not a man but a little child with a stunted growth. I certainly won't have anything with a disgusting person like you even if I make it appear to you that I care, romantically. Well, anybody can dream; so this is what I'm going to say to you: Dream on forever for as long as you want. And I think that's what I want you to do. To pine for me. That's my objective. Every little trouble that I take is for that end. That's just life, Aldo. That's how the world works. You can't change it. So you're better off just staying away from me."
"I can't unsee now what I've seen in you. Nobody has touched my heart like you did. You've shown yourself to be an amazing woman and I saw it and was struck and never recovered. I was so awed by your beauty which complemented the beautiful soul that is already in you. It's something I've never seen before in my life. Where else on Earth can I find someone like that? And now that you're here, why would I still want to let you go?"
"I knew you wanted to strike up a relationship with me based on your outdated ideas of love. But let's face it, Aldo. Relationships, those that seem to work, are, for the most part, formed out of convenience. If you meet my expectations, if you cover for what I lack, if I can be stable with you, then I might just take you. Who cares whether one is in love? That phenomenon may not even be true. Love is just a state of mind, like the one you're having right now. And love, or rather comfortability, can be learned later on."
"I beg to disagree. I just know in myself that I love you. There's no doubt about it. The thing that I found in you is so remarkable that it took root deeply in my soul and grew inward that I've come to love you for everything that you are."
"The flatteries please. You will never sway me with sweet words, loser. That's all you're good at: throwing out big words. Other than that, you're nothing. You're useless... especially to me. I just know you'd just prove to be very useless to me eventually if ever I make the mistake of letting you into my life. There's a difference between you and me which I don't know if you still don't understand at your age. Listen. I'm a woman. You're the man. You must win me... as like a prize. Mere empty words won't do it. And even that still remains to be seen. And even if you do your best efforts, in the end, it will still be me who gets to decide. And I might just find it amusing to crush you like a worm.
"I understand."
"How are you going to support me with that artsy-craftsy and emotional lifestyle that you lead? If that couldn't get you anywhere, where would it me? You'll just drag me along with you in your miserable life and ruin me as well as you're ruining yourself every single day. I think you're just better off being alone for the rest of your life. You might be more useful that way. I'm sorry for being harsh, but you keep insisting your despicable self on me. But you know what? It's a good thing that you came back and told me these things. At least, now, you've made it fully clear to me and made me decide that I shouldn't ever have anything to do with a pathetic loser like you and you specifically."
"With all that said, I thank you for taking the time to listen to what I have to say. I feel better now. Do you have any questions?"
"What? Do you have anything more depressing to say?"
"None."
"Okay."
"I'll go home now."
"Here. Let me take you." Michal took Aldo's hand consolingly and led him to the gate.
Aldo stepped down into the street and sheepishly looked back at her. "Goodbye, Michal. It was great knowing you."
"You sound like you're about to get done with me totally, like you don't want to see me ever again."
"If that is for the best. Yes. And for your peace of mind."
"What are you talking about? Why are you quitting? Don't quit. You see, that's what I'm about. It's all about me. I'm the prize. Okay? If you really love me, you'll keep on loving me no matter what. You won't give up."
"Don't worry. I always will. You're already here in my heart."
"Would you visit me at work when you're vacant? I'll gladly receive you. Hopefully, I'm not busy at the moment."
"Sure. Why not? I guess I'll see you soon."
"Right. I'll be expecting you."
"Bye, then." Aldo immediately walked fast like an idiot and made himself disappear as quickly as possible.
"Bye. Take care," Michal shouted. Then she felt the cold wind blow her cheeks, and she covered them with both her hands as she looked before her abstractedly.
At that moment, Greta was already standing behind her. The former asked, "Why is he going home again all of a sudden now?"
Michal answered, I think he just came back for that something he forgot to tell me.
"Oh," Greta said humorously. "What could that be? No. Don't answer that."

tentatively titled, “A Bunch of Potatoes”
from The Simple Adventures of a Simple Simpleton
by: Marven T. Baldo