The ribbon on her hair

By Virginia Jasmin Pasalo

 

THE Shih Tzu, with a pink ribbon on her head wriggled out of Manero’s hands and fell on the pavement. He was about to bring her home. Concerned that the dog had gotten away, a mechanic joined the chase.

“Tulungan ko kayo, Sir, hulihin natin aso ninyo.” (I’ll help you catch your dog, Sir.)

She had small feet, so the Shih Tzu ran daintily in between the parked cars, hiding herself, then running again.

As far as I know, Manero had a mongrel and a stray cat. His children loved animals but they often run away to scavenge for food and to defecate on the street. Manero’s daughter was waiting at their door.

“Aso ninyo? Bagong bili?” (Is that your dog? Newly-bought?)

She nodded once, hesitating to say a word, and shifted her eyes to the ground. In the meantime, her father continued to chase after the dog, limping from an injury caused by diabetes, together with the mechanic who abandoned the car wheel he just detached on the street. The Shih Tzu ran, her pink ribbon dangling, almost going to fall.

“Huli ka!” (Gotcha!)

Manero and the mechanic collided into each other as they both pinned the dog, with Manero clasping one of her feet, and the mechanic clasping the dog’s hair that slipped from his hands, with the pink ribbon entangled on his middle finger. Suddenly a van slowly engaged the curve on Mabait Street, with a young man anxiously looking left and right. Then his eyes almost popped out with joy.

“Mish, Mish!” Aso ko po siya, kanina pa kami nag-iikot sa village. Ako po si Lean.” (Mish, Mish! She is mine, we were looking for her around the village since a while ago. I am Lean.)

Hearing her name, the dog snarled and wriggled out of Manero’s hands into the arms of Lean. Manero forced a smile, as the mechanic stared at him quizzically in disbelief. His daughter, who was on the lookout, slowly closed the screen door. Lean expressed his gratitude, started the engine, but realized something missing.

“Muntik ko ng makalimutan, nasaan po yung pink ribbon niya? Bigay po yun ng girlfriend ko kay Mish.” (I almost forgot, where is the pink ribbon on her hair? My girlfriend gave it to Mish.)

The mechanic, who forgot he still had it in his hands, handed the ribbon to Lean, which, in the struggle to catch Mish, was smudged with grime and black grease.

“Salamat po. Di bale, Mish. Lalabhan natin ang ribbon mo, magiging pink uli.” (Thank you. Never mind, Mish. We will wash your ribbon and it will be pink again.)

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