I'm a grown ass woman now. I have a family – five girls. (Yes, you heard right. Five.) I have a job selling balut to tourists, and the money is really good. People who are adventurous, or bored, like odd foods. My husband is real good to me. He's an army guy, so I don't see him as much. But it's alright. The kids keep me company. As for all those horrible things that happened when I was younger...I don't tell the kids anything about it, and I asked my relatives to do the same.
Maybe when they're older we can talk about it. I really don't think the kids are ready to hear such nasty stuff. They won't be able to stomach it. They're still soft. One time our youngest, Mel, got into a fight with a school punk right in front of me. She lost. She embarrassed me. I took her by the hand and then I kicked that bully right in the gut. He went flying back like a little doll. I almost laughed. As for my daughter, I shook her and said that next time some bully throws a punch, she should move to the damn side and go for the kneecaps. I don't get it. Any fool knows THAT.
We'll be moving soon. Mike and I have been saving up money to make it happen. I miss home. I miss Hawaii. Even after all the bad stuff that happened there, I just wanna go back home again. It's okay now. Things there have blown over. Not like here. The Philippines is far too dangerous. Too many monsters. Hawaii is safer. I can raise my kids well there. Raise them right. I feel connected to that island.
I feel called.
Cebu
2011
Raymund Hensley is the author of the humorous books Aloha Mannequins, A Revelation, How I met Barbara the Zombie Hunter, and The Zombie Hunter’s Bible. He lives in Honolulu, Hawaii.