“BULAGSAK”
by
Carlos Mapano
(Int. scene – description)
Arnold Cohen’s villa: Overviewing the enormous and fortified with Dorian pillars encrypted with the oriental calligraphy and in each corner accentuated with gigantic vase of magnolia-lit veranda.
Mona:
(Timidly)
Ako nga pala si Mona, Ramona Nunez, nanungkulan matagal na dito sa mayamang hudyo kong amo. Matagal na po akong nangangamo dito sa abroad, galing nga pala ako sa Jedda, for 3 years. Hindi pa ako naka-uwi ng Pinas, pero salamat naman at naim-bento ng tao ang Skype at Viber na kahit papano nakikita at nakaka-usap ko ang pamilya ko laona yung anak kong babae na ga-graduate na ng nars ngayung taon. anak ko ng isinilang ko sya. Pina-asa ako ng amo kong arabo maka-uwi sa isang ta-on pero sakalalaon, nag-iba ang ugali naging masungit hangngang sa kinonpiska ang aking pasaporte. Kaya nung pumunta sila dito sa London para magpa-gamut yung amo kong lalake sa Puso, may nakilala akong nars na tumulung sa akin sa pagtkas at eto nga nakilala ko etong amo kong hudyo nako, bait talaga ng Diyos, ang yaman pala nila at halus pag-aari nila ang buong lungsud dito sa countryside na kung saan ako nanilbihan. at lalo sa lahat ang bait ni sir, Sir Arnold Cohen hudyung propietor. Labing pitong taon na akong nanilbihan. Kung di sa kanila, hindi ko na sana makita ang anak ko, pinahintulutan nila akong umuwi at least once a year at sya nga pala laki ang pasalamat ko na naging Indefinite visa na ako. Kahit akoy hiwalay sa Bulagsak at taksil kong asawa. Maraming naitulung at natutunan ako. Ang pagkop-kop sa akin bilang isang katulung ay napakalaking bagay at taos puso kong pasasalamat hanggat akoy humuhinga. Sa mga anak niya para ko naring mga anak, habang pinag masdan ko sila nakikita ko yung sarili ko bilang isang magulang at anak. Oo nga pala si si sir sa akin. Lalo na sa mga anak niya. Ang panganay si Sir Erwin. Napakasipag, masinop, matalino, determinado, seryoso ,mapag-aruga sa lahat ng bagay,…(whispered) medyo istricto pero magalang. Eh, yung bunso si Sir James naman…
James (wryly):
Mona…Mona…is dad about?
Mona: (start panicking):
Naku nandyan na si Sir James., Ahh, Gud afternoon sir, James…yeah, yeah…he’s in the “sala”…i mean, in d’ lounge.
James
(smoking, facing the audience):
Aren’t you tired of this thick walled so called villa?…day by day is like a cage…a prison! only difference is that the bars were not made of steel but of the old trees and wild bushes nourished with fecal matters from our so-called hard-earned barns.You don’t know what Cohens are until you smells, that’s what it’s like in here, it stinks…couldn’t take this anymore…suffocating!
…Conventional wisdom says: You live your life,then your parents died and they give you get what’s left over…an INHERITANCE (chuckled), i’m sorry but wasn’t enough good for me. So,here i am, (looking around)…what? man…i too need to breath you know, I WANT MY MONEY NOW!(put out his lit cigarette on a vase upon hearing his father’s voice).
Mr. Cohen:
“James, my son, you were looking for me. Is everything ok?”
(facing the audience)
I want what’s coming to me right now, that’s what my youngest son saying to me. I want what’s coming to me…RIGHT NOW!
all i could think of that moment was,i’d like to give you what’s coming to you right now. I brought him into this world and i could do make another just like him….but he’s MY SON and i love him…so i gave all the money he wanted and if you wish to live your life you wanted without me…so be it. So he packed his bag and the last thing i knew was…
James
(playing with his guitar= Leaving on a Jetplane):
i was out there…out from that stinky fence…kiss that boring place goodbye. (thrilled) I have places to go and people to see and the first thing i’ve done was…
MR. COHEN
(walking around, worrying):
My son got lost…
(Ext. scene – description)
local pub…somewhere in Camden.
JAMES
Lost?…not in my “adventionary”…you know what i mean…, the point is, i was out there where i want to be and i started to live it up. Yep, i was eating like a king and wearing the finest clothing and gadgets and Ladies…(grinly smiled) well what can i say (entranced by the woman passed by).
WOMAN:
Mmmm, smells like a man needs a direction huh?…i know exactly where to poke …oops, i mean point you at, ooops again…come follow me.
james
(resurfacing as if from swimming)…yeah, life was gooood…
(tapping his clothes for his wallet)
…until..
Mr. Cohen
…until my son’s money ran out and at the same time the recession hit the country.
james
and there’s no jobs at all..i mean i try and try and eventually i found a manager’s position.
WOMAN
(whilst manicuring)
errrrr
JAMES
associate at the…
WOMAN
Errrrrrrrrrr
JAMES
Ok…Bacon preparation assistant
WOMAN
which means?….tagapag pakain ng mga baboy! Bulagsak ka!
JAMES:
Yuck, I really hated that job. Didn’t pay much,… i didnt have money to pay for my place to live, there were many days i didn’t have anything to eat…sometimes i was so hungry that i would gladly eat the disgusting scrubs i was feeding the pigs but just couldn’t..pigs wont let me…i looked up the sky to whisper to the stars gave me a constant reminder of how i squandered everything that my father has given me.I live in agony…day after day, after day…
MR.COHEN:
…DAY AFTER DAY..i’ve watched, i’ve waited for him to come home. And my heart would ache as only a parent could for his own child, buthear me on this, I NEVER GAVE UP ON HIM. I knew that it would happen one day.
but what if he never comes to his senses, what if his pride just get in his way? No…NO!, I WILL SEE HIM AGAIN
JAMES:
again and again…it’s starting to my head, again…as i began to journey back to my father’s house. (sighed)…I knew what i would do…(reluctant)…uhmmm, ok, at least i could ask his forgiveness, i would not expect him to take me back as his son…so i would ask him to hire me as one of his servants…maybe, just maybe.
MR COHEN:
Maybe today, he’ll come. The day that my son will come home. That’s what i will say every morning…that when i wake up his familiar silhouette and smell from afar would be somehow and soon will show up as he makes his way…home.
JAMES:
home…that word means a lot of things…comfort,care, security…(sighed), love…home
i couldn’t believe i’m just few yards away from it.
MR. COHEN:
my eyes become misty as that day i thought i was just dreaming, was indeed real…that familiar contour of his posture and stature from a far have somehow brought butterflies in my stomach…YES it’s him (jumped and leapt)…i just knew…and did you know what i did next?
MR COWEN/ JAMES:
i ran
JAMES:
and kept shouting…
MR. COHEN AND JAMES
welcome home…welcome home…(then hugged each other)
JAMES
(pool of tears dripping):
i’m so sorry…i’m so sorry 2x, i don’t deserve to be your son…
MR. COHEN:
hush now, my son, …Mona…mona…, my son is back, my son is back…get him some clean clothes..give him a meal…ah…no, a feast…for my son will no linger live as an orphan…(sighed), For all my hopes will all come true.
EXT. scene 3:
ERWIN, the eldest son was astonished and jaw-dropped-surprised of the loud music and sounded like a big feat and hurriedly called Mona, who was carrying a young fat calf to the house.
ERWIN:
Hey Mona, what’s with that calf and has everyone gone deaf that music should be that loud , gee…what’s this madness all about?
MONA:
oh sir…you didn’t know?
ERWIN:
Mona, enough of your untimely stupidity…Could someone explain to me at once!!!where’s dad?
MR. COHEN:
OH MY ERWIN, rejoice for your brother has came back!(Mona exits)
ERWIN:
ahh So James’ back but one thing i don’t understand from you was that, this so-called son of yours was the one who doubly killed you when he left and squandered everything you give to him. Because he hasn’t left …he just come to Big ol’ daddy all the while…huh, now you call him …son and wait, my brother has since died..i aint got any besides i havn’t felt that he’s been and never will be. How about me dad, never had any single bowl of soup for me and for my friends when i was the one with you all the time…but never had a fine clothes for every season changed that have swept through our farma snd properties…it’s NOT FAIR, dad. NO
MR. COHEN:
Erwin, Erwin my son…you’re always by my side and yes you have been my right hand for all our success…hush now from that envy and guilt…forgiven, forgiven…it’s all forgiven and i will never bring up ever again and from now on there’s no shame, no guilt..for my son..your brother was lost but now he’s found.
