It was one Saturday afternoon. After work, I decided to leave early, go home and take a rest since I came from my cousin’s last night wake. But my stomach demanded something to digest rather than my unhealthy intestines; I grabbed a simple lunch even though my appetite was not for it. After the fifteen-minute stomach development, I spent a couple of minutes relaxing on the lobby’s couch. I glanced at the body clock and it said just ten minutes remaining before two pm. I chose to stay and wait Mai for a hitch down town.

We were traversing the same route heading to downtown when the moment suggested me to take a nap. I set aside the previous plan of going home and convinced myself to take rest on the cab. Yes, after a couple of minutes, I was sleeping like dead.

As soon as I woke up, the ambience was too unfamiliar. I am a hundred percent sure we were away down town. The cold breeze (the air condition was put on off) and the vast lands planted with different crops. I called it cacao republic since left and right of the road you could not see anything but cacao plants bearing enticing fruits. But moments later, bananas and then pineapples were all over.

Wangan nata jof, Mai uttered. Oh my God, my mind replied but my mouth remained shut considering that I just woke up made by the sudden turn of our silent driver Kuya Terence.  Imagine, I wanted to sleep a little before going home to continue but as soon as my eyes opened you were already in a place you least expected. By the way, Wangan is located 40-50 kilomters away up from downtown Davao. Whew!

My surprise of getting there added the beauty of the place. The old houses, all made from wood made me think of a simple yet happy life that these residents were living. Peace is of course is, not a doubt, reign here.

Sadly, the news that my colleague was about to gather about time was a no good news. An old man was found dead right at the center of his cornfield. Police investigators said he might be a victim of thieves who stole his money and not contended killed him (though there were only bruises on some body parts and gun and stab wound were not seen).