Chapter I - continuation

continuation....

They would get up at two a.m. as normal, Ronn would prepare a sweet potato for breakfast, wake up his two younger siblings, and then sip coffee for breakfast. His two brothers have already planned what they will carry, including three basins, three paddles, a bolo, a thermos, coffee, and sugar. The nets they were planning to use were already put on their boat with a pitchfork the day before, so that when they set sail the next morning, they were ready to go.

"Come on, let's go", Ronn said to the two brothers and they said goodbye to their father who was also having coffee.

"We're leaving, Dad", the siblings said goodbye. Their father just nodded as he continued to have coffee and read the papers that came from the National Post Office. For a brief moment, he called Ronn's name.

"Ronn, wait," the father said to his eldest son.

"What it is that, Dad?" Ron asked his father.

"When you come back later, let's talk in the office," the father suggested. The office, he claimed, is at their Municipal Hall, around two or three hundred meters from their house, where their father works as Chief of Police.

"OK," Ronn replied to his father.

"We're going now," he said to his father, turning around to leave the house.

While Rocc was paddling and singing, and Hubb was singing along, Ronn was discreetly waiting to see whether there was a flock of fish in front of their destination. Slow Rocks is one of the siblings' favorite songs, as are songs by Queen, Gun N' Roses, Tom Jones, Franck Sinatra, The Beatles and many more. They keep paddling to the beat of the song "Ocean Deep," by Cliff Richard, following the rhythm of their stroke.

Ocean deep

I'm so afraid to show my feelings

I have sailed a million ceilings

Solitary room

Ocean deep

Will I ever find a lover

Maybe she has found another

And as I cry myself to sleep

I know this love of mine I'll keep

Ocean deep

Now, can't you hear when I call

Can't you hear a word I say

A little love is all I ask

A little feelin' when we touch

Why am I still alone

I've got a heart without a home

A little love is all I ask

And that is all

“Shhhhhh...”, Ronn whispered as he noticed a school of fish, "Get ready, we're going to cast the net," Ron told his two brothers.

"Yes, sir!", the two shouted simultaneously, and they prepared to cast the net. Their nets are the longest in their area, and they also have the largest sailing boats.

They started casting the net into the sea hurriedly as they paddled about, hoping to catch the enormous swarm of fish. After they let down the nets, they let down the boat's anchor so they could rest and wait for the sun to rise before picking up the net. It took them nearly an hour to cast the net, so they were exhausted and needed to rest and nap so they could lift their net later.

Ronn awoke at daybreak, so he awoke his two brothers, who had probably fallen asleep earlier since they were fatigued.

"Come and enjoy breakfast," Ronn said as he hugged the brothers. He poured coffee for the three of them and placed stewed sweet potatoes on the platter.

"It appears that our boat will sink now, ah," Rocc exclaimed.

"I certainly hope so!" "So, I can get new uniform pants," Hubb explained.

"Pants or billiards!" said Rocc.

"There you are again," Hubb remarked.

"You said the same thing last week, but where are the pants?" Rocc asked again.

"Stop!" Ronn yelled at the two.

When their older brother's voice sounds like that, they will remain silent because they already know what's going to happen. Ron was a quiet man, unlike the two boisterous brothers. They knew how angry he was since they had already experienced the "military discipline".

"Get ready and let's lift the net, before we'll have done at lunch," Ronn encouraged the two.

They've already begun hauling the net, but they're having difficulty since, aside from the wind, there are a lot of fish to catch. They're already bringing in the net without removing the fish, because they could be caught in the middle of the sea at noon. There are individuals that wait for them whenever they return from the sea, and they are the ones who remove the fish, primarily their friends or family, but there are also those who are curious and assist with the removal of the fish and cleaning the net, and then they bring home a fish dish. Because their family is well-known in town for being helpful, they simply let people get what they want, especially when they catch a lot of fish.

At the very same time, they expressed gratitude to the Lord for the grace bestowed upon them. It took them approximately two hours to get the net out of the water because, aside from the fact that it was a little windy, they had a lot of catch. Ronn's boat had nearly sunk with the last of their catch, so they paddled gently home. They were paddling softly home since they were so exhausted that Rocc couldn't whistle the melody they used to sing every time they headed home.

It's about eight o'clock in the morning when they arrive at his hometown's port. Many people were already waiting, smiling as they greeted them.

"Jackpot!" exclaimed Dagul. Dagul, their childhood friend and the son of their father's office caretaker, lives only twenty meters away.

"That's right," Hubb said.

"Is it true, Susmeyo, that Your boat almost sank?" Dagul asked, smiling.

"All good, Gul, you look after the fish." "We're still going to school," Rocc replied.

"No problem, I'll handle it," Dagul answered. "OK, and you may still take a bath," Dagul told the three.

They returned home while also bathing in a nearby well of water. They are rushing to act because it will be eight o'clock soon and they may be late for class again. Ron, their principal godfather, was still opposed to the baptism. However, it is especially beneficial if kids are seldom absent and consistently achieve high grades in tests. So, they can't just skip school since they are reported to their father, who always punishes them with military punishments like kneeling on bits of beans or salt, squats of about three hundred or a thousand push-ups, that is punishment for them once they commit sin.

"How are your catches, children?" their mother said gently as Roc displayed their mother's favorite fish, "Buraw".

"It's okay Mom, quite a bit," Ronn said.

"Dagul is already taking care of those of us who are late for school," Hubb explained.

They said their goodbyes to their mother, who had just given birth to their youngest brother, Terr.

"We will be going, Mom," the three replied as they parted ways with their mother.

"All right, boys, be careful," their mother said.

At the same time, they enrolled in the Sacred Heart Academy, which was just around 500 meters from their home. They arrived right in time at eight o'clock and because the school’s gate will be closed at eight o'clock in the morning.

Ronn is finishing up his senior year of high school, Hub is in his third year, and Rocc is in his first. Ron is the Corps Commander of the Citizens Military Training, and Hubb is the Training Officer who is under pressure from their Adjutant Commander to be the next Corps Commander.

The siblings go home to have lunch after class at noon; their siblings in Central School are far away, so they have lunchboxes; only those in high school go home at noon to eat, then return to school before one o'clock for the afternoon class. Ron sent Hub and Roc to their younger siblings' primary school after the afternoon lesson, saying their father was sending him to its office.

The two comprehended their eldest son's response and went after their younger siblings who were in Central School, while Ronn proceeded to the town hall due to his father's order. The municipal personnel, particularly the guard who was usually mocking him, smiled at the entrance. And, much to Ronn's amazement, the majority of them saluted him. He simply continued to enter while smiling back at the Municipal staff he encountered. He knocked on his father's office door as he stood up at the door.

“Knock! Knock! Knock!”, Ronn knocking the door of his father’s office.

“Come in please!”, his father’s staff answered.

Ron entered his father's office and paid his respects to the office's staff member, Staff Sergeant Nina Agapito.

"Good afternoon," Ronn said politely.

"Good afternoon as well, you go straight there in his office, and the Chief is already waiting for you," the Sergeant added.

He nodded and paid his respects as he entered his father's office. Her father grinned, which they don't get to see very often. This is often very serious, especially if he is dealing with a large number of cases or is often harassed by rebels in his area.

"You're going to board the ship," his father said.

"Huh?" His reaction was nervous, and he was taken aback. He isn't ready, or he isn't ready to leave his parents' control.

"My colleague Commodore Guevarra sent you a telegram and recommended that you join the Navy," his father explained. "Because your graduation is approaching, I already sent an answer, and after your graduation, I will accompany you to the Naval Base in Camp Boni," his father said.

He said nothing but nodded in agreement. They are aware of their father's decision. None of them could stand in the way of its every decision. In truth, their father is quite cautious in his judgments because he is extremely educated and does not appear to enjoy making mistakes.

He said his goodbyes and left early to return home and recuperate before they set out again at daybreak. They've caught a lot of fish before, so they'll take advantage of the abundance now. Their lowest weight is two hundred kilos in late February and early March.

He walked out of his father's office silently. Everyone he meets in the Municipality's Hallway smiles and greets him. He gazed out to sea as he walked home. His spirit wanders as if drowning in the depths of the ocean, the current of the water sweeping away every memory they shared at sea and on their field with his siblings.

His thoughts wandered,

"What will happen to him on the ship?"

"How about his brothers and sisters?"

"Will they be able to function without me?" he wondered. He was already in front of their house unknowingly, and his mother had asked him earlier.

His mother inquired, "Do you have a problem son?" "Are you sick?", she asked, his insinuation returning as she caressed his brow.

Ronn kindly replied, "Nothing, Mom." To his mother's question, he said, "I'm just weary and awake. Please do not worry of me, Mom"

"All right, son," his mother said, "get dressed, have a snack first, and then relax in the room so you'll be ready to sail later."

Ronn replied faintly to his mother, "All right, thank you Mom."

Ronn entered their room, changed, and went to bed. Their three-bedroom house is constructed of hardwood. In comparison to other households in their neighborhood, this is significant. Only a few have large concrete houses in their neighborhood, usually the homes of Chinese businesspeople living abroad. They are generous, notably the Kwatseti family, who share a single residence. The Kwatseti have the most retailers in their area, with a wide range of goods ranging from household appliances to building materials (hardware), pharmacies and more. They also import products from farmers, such as copra and weaved hemp, to Legas City. Return ferries or large wooden motorboats with groceries, pharmacies, and hardware. They have young children Kwatseti, two girls Menin and Salli, the youngest is a boy who is only nine years old.

Because they are Chinese, Menin and Salli are the most attractive and rosy check in their neighborhood. Menin is Ronn's classmate, while Salli is Hubb's classmate, with whom he also forms. Menin and Ronn are great friends, and Menin is almost responsible for Ronn's homework because he rarely completes it due to their night fishing. Menin has a secret crush for Ronn, but the young man is a friend and treats the girl like a sibling. Ronn escorted Menin to his eighteenth birthday celebration, and most of his classmates recognized that he liked the young guy. Their peers mocked them often, but Ronn didn't seem to mind.