Ena Bustrillo

Narrative (short story)

                                                  “The City Boys”

           After their introduction to their Uncle and their cousin Ena the two city boys, freshly arrived for a vacation in Mati , started complaining.Their remarks embarrassed Ena

Ena tells the story:

I heard Cj grumble, "oh,this place looks very provincial and backward!"

         We were all riding in Tatay's cart, and I was thinking that the attention of my cousins- Cj and CharlesWould be arrested by the tranquillity of the place, the cool and shaded places, the twitter of the birds, and the drumming of the cicadas. But all they saw was the narrow road with the loose dust flying in all direction under the carabao's hoofs. I saw them both shaking their cuffs and flicking the dust from their clothes with their fingers.

       "Here we are," announced Tatay as we reached the front yard of our house. Lines of eager faces of boys and girls greeted us with hands, Cj looked at all barefoot crowd and said.

"Ena, don't tell me that the whole people in Mati was here to meet us. Where's the band?"

" Well , in a way, yes. As for that band, we haven't any." I said shyly.

"We're so well-dressed and so intelligent-looking that they're dumbfounded, ehem!" said Cj haughtily.

 "It's very seldom that we see city folks here," I stammered.

" Come and meet you Tia Julia," Tatay said.

"Cj, the first ritual," Charles said in an undertone which I could not help overhearing. I kept quiet.

"So my nephews have come. Welcome! You'll have to bear up with our poverty." Nanay said. I moved over to Nanay to kiss her hand. Mano po."

"Well Charles, another ritual and we didn't take part," whispered Cj. They eyed each other questioningly.

       That evening we listened to stories about the city. Tatay was eager to know about her sister. Soon we all got tired. Before retiring, the boys said they'd like to ride horses.

"Show us the uncivilized ways here. We're tired of sophisticated city life," Cj said. We all laughed.

        At the farm, when they had became good at mounting and dismounting, I said, " Give the horses a little kick at the side. It will gallop beautifully." I showed them how. Charles looked apprehensive. He did not want to try, but Cj was not afraid.
"Go ahead," I encouraged him. "Give it just a nudge with your foot. He's a good horse. He's been tamed. Even a girl can ride him."

        Cj gave the horse one to many. Away it went at breakneck speed. I chased them with my own horse and shouted at his mount. "Ho, ho! I told Cj to pull the reins with both hands, which he did and his horse gradually came to a standstill. Cj was as white as Paper, but he tried once more. With a nudge from Cj the horse galloped excitedly, "Ho, ho-o" the horse slackened its speed.

"You see, Cj you've done it! You can ride a horse!" I said, and he excitedly told Charles how he did it. Then said, "Thanks Ena. You gave me a challenge. I had to make good."

" You're really good, intelligent" I told him.
Charles learned from Cj to ride  horse. The two of them learned other things too- to hunt birds and fish ,to hust a coconut and to pick duhat and mangoes.

           One day they played a game of kahig with fighting cooks. I had no interest in it because cock fighting is taboo for tatay and me. That's Nanay's law and we respect it. I excused myself and helped Nanay washed clothes. Soon Cj called out, "Ena, is the water clean?"

"I guess so," I said. Before I knew it,they had returned the roosters to their pens and were back. They began washing T-shirts too.

"Give them to me," urged Nanay, "I'll do that. What will your mother say?"

"No, Tiyang, mother will say nothing. By observing you and Ena, we already know how to wash," said Cj. "But we'll surprise her when we get back."

Nanay smiled, her eyes sparkling with pleasure.
         
            Since then, at the Angelus, my cousins joined us at the prayer, and kissed my parents hands. They made their papag beds in the morning and helped with the dishes. Before they were to go back to the city, they had washed all their dirty clothes.

"Ena, we're sorry we called this place backward and uncivilized," said Cj

"Forgive us being proud," said Charles. "The truth is we learned much from you."

"Not for a fistful of money. You were our great teacher Ena."

On the dusty road to the Muelle, they looked up at the trees, filled their lungs with air heaved sighs. Their eyes followed the flight of bird. They coked their ears to listen to the crickets.

Cj asked Tatay, "Can we come back next summer, Tiyong?"

" I certainly hope you will. You're intelligent boys, just like your mother," said. Tatay.
                                  (The End)..

Writing Directive

Philippine Airline Company

Date:  January 23, 2017
To:  All flight steward
From: E. Bustrillo, Flight attentand
Subject:  Best advice in confronting your customer.

Sorry to hear about your first confrontation with a customer. Here’s  a response that’s always worked for me. The next time you face a customer who has every right to be upset say something like this:
 
           I don’t blame you for feeling as you do.If I were you, I’d feel exactly the same way. What would you like for me to do?

These are magical, healing words and you’ll be surprised at how reasonable people become when they feel someone is on their side. Thank you very much.



Order Letter
                                                                                                                                        January 24, 2017

Order Department
Celine Shoe Company
Brgy 22-c super blk-7
Piapi Blvd, Davao City

Subject: Purchase order 10 pairs of shoes

Dear Sir or Madam

This is with a reference to the YES! Magazine when I looked your new arrival designed of shoes. And now, I would like to purchase of shoes for my collections.Please ship the following order’s below:

                                                                                             Amount
CLN 15I-CINNAMON Oxford (Beige)                                ₱ 1,199.00
CLN 13G-LYNELLE1 Sandals (Yellow)                            ₱    619.00
CLN14G-ROSETTA Sandals (Navy)                                ₱ 1,299.00
CLN 13A-Pebbles Ballerina (Blue)                                   ₱    999.00    
CLN 15I-CINNAMON Oxford (Brown)                              ₱ 1,199.00
CLN 14G-OBEY2 Sandals (Beige)                                  ₱     899.00
CLN 13G-NANETTE1 Sandals (Blue )                            ₱     999.00 
CLN 13A-Lilith Ballerina(Black)                                       ₱     999.00 
CLN14G-SARAH Sandals (Peach                                   ₱     999.00 
CLN 13E-Cybil Pumps (Black)                                         ₱  1,199.00

All of these are size 38 and I would appreciate if  the orders delivered at the address given below latest by February 10, 2017 so that I can wear it on my date. I have enclosed a check for the total amount.Please feel free to contact the undersigned for any clarifications or discrepancy in the order details.


                                                                                                    Best regards,
                                                                                     
                                                                                                           Signature
                                                                                                    
                                                                                                     Ena T. Bustrillo