Bataan Chronicles: Barefoot Hour

When the other pair of your slippers got lost, what’s the best thing to do?

I was at the beach way before the sun appeared in the morning. It was another day to celebrate the beauty of nature surrounding us ─ the blue crystal sea, fine gray sand, relaxing and unpolluted wind, and the clear skies. Since it’s summer, it’s pretty safe to do outdoor activities before lunchtime ─ you won’t get burns and the chances of getting too much tan will be lesser.

The late night celebration rendered everyone so tired that even the loudest alarm clock failed to wake them up on time. My roommates were all sleeping when I decided to go for a swim. Benj, one of my travel companions in Cagayan, was with me. He’s a very good swimmer and I had this instinct of him getting bored when I first asked him to join me. I just enjoy the water and that’s what makes me confident somehow when I swim, but not really in seawater. My legs easily get cramps and it won’t trouble me much if I am on a pool. There’s nothing to hold upon at the sea and should I drown, it would take time before the rescuer gets near me. In short, he has to wait for someone to join him swim a little farther. So while waiting, he asked me to bury him in the sand!

We made sand castle a few meters away from where I left my slippers. After I put him under the earth (the only body part visible was his head), I remembered to take photos of him so I went back to check my things only to know that one of my slippers was missing. I inquired from the lifeguards but they just swayed their heads believing that the waves took it. I went back to the sand-marinated-Benj and told him what happened. I was very hopeless ─ my slipper was nowhere to be found.

I asked him to have our breakfast first but the problem is… would I walk a kilometer barefoot? Benj is a real gentleman so even without asking, he volunteered to give me his slippers. He was the one to walk barefoot across the grassy pavement off to the resort’s dining area. I vented my disappointment to everyone during breakfast. Some simply brushed my story off, some got pity on me. I have no other option but to wear my rubber shoes when we go home. Thanks to another gentleman who willingly offered me his slip ons ─ Mao!

After a good swim at the sea, the two of us continued our passion with the waters at the pool. We spent the last four hours in the water and left afterwards for lunch and to check out. By the way, I let another man (gentleman) leave the area barefoot again to save mine from unprotected walking. I realized then how important that other pair of my slipper was. At the end of it, I was reminded of one friend’s love note: Love is like a slipper that needs a pair. When you lose one and replace another, something obvious seems wrong.

Moral of the story, never leave your slippers near the shore! Hahaha!!!

Posted in: itchy feet,key to sanity,Luzon,making sense of life