Riding With Ranger Tomas

Polly woke up on the shuttle railing as the sun came up. A man in a brown uniform was unlocking a small office across the lot. His name patch said T. RODRIGUEZ. He looked at her and smiled. "You can ride with me," he said.

Nagising si Polly sa railing ng shuttle habang sumisikat ang araw. Isang lalaki sa kayumangging uniporme ang nagbubukas ng maliit na opisina sa kabila ng paradahan. Ang name patch niya ay nagsasabing T. RODRIGUEZ. Tumingin siya kay Polly at ngumiti. "Pwede kang sumama sa akin," sabi niya.

That was how Polly spent the morning in a ranger's truck.

Ganito nagsimula ang umaga ni Polly sa trak ng isang ranger.

Tomas had been a Yosemite ranger for fourteen years. He had coffee in a Thermos, a clipboard, and a radio that crackled. He drove slowly. He stopped often.

Labing-apat na taon nang ranger si Tomas sa Yosemite. May dala siyang kape sa Thermos, isang clipboard, at radyo na nagkakaluskos. Mabagal siyang magmaneho. Madalas siyang huminto.

The first stop was a wet meadow. Tomas walked into the grass and looked for signs that bears had been there. "In June, corn lilies grow here," he said. "Bears love them. We mark the meadows where they feed."

Ang unang hintuan ay isang basang parang. Naglakad si Tomas sa damuhan at naghanap ng palatandaan na may mga oso roon. "Sa Hunyo, tumutubo dito ang corn lilies," sabi niya. "Gustong-gusto ito ng mga oso. Minamarkahan namin ang mga parang kung saan sila kumakain."

Polly hopped to the open truck window. The corn lilies were not up yet. They were just small green spears.

Sumilip si Polly sa bukas na bintana ng trak. Hindi pa tumutubo ang mga corn lilies. Maliit na mga berdeng sibat pa lang sila.

The road climbed. The air cooled. At a switchback, Tomas stopped and pointed. A peregrine falcon was sitting on a rock. Polly's red head tilted. The falcon looked at them, then dropped off the rock and was gone in less than a second.

Umakyat ang daan. Lumamig ang hangin. Sa isang liko, huminto si Tomas at itinuro ang isang peregrine falcon na nakaupo sa bato. Tumagilid ang pulang ulo ni Polly. Tiningnan sila ng falcon, pagkatapos ay bumagsak mula sa bato at nawala sa wala pang isang segundo.

"They nest on the cliffs," Tomas said. "We have six pairs in the valley this year."

"Nagninid sila sa mga bangin," sabi ni Tomas. "May anim na pares kami sa lambak ngayong taon."

Polly watched how the falcon had folded its wings. She wanted to try that drop herself. Maybe tomorrow.

Pinanood ni Polly kung paano tiniklop ng falcon ang mga pakpak nito. Gusto niyang subukan ang pagbagsak na iyon. Siguro bukas.

At the next stop, Tomas walked into the woods alone. He came back with a metal cylinder. "Bear-proof food locker someone tried to bury," he said. He put it in the truck bed.

Sa susunod na hintuan, naglakad si Tomas sa kagubatan nang mag-isa. Bumalik siya na may dalang metal na silindro. "Bear-proof food locker na sinubukang ibaon," sabi niya. Inilagay niya ito sa likod ng trak.

At noon they came to Olmsted Point. The high country opened in front of them. Tenaya Lake far below. Half Dome from behind. Grey peaks fading into haze.

Nang tanghali, narating nila ang Olmsted Point. Bumukas ang mataas na kabundukan sa harap nila. Ang Tenaya Lake sa malayo. Half Dome mula sa likod. Mga abuhing tuktok na unti-unting nawawala sa ulap.

"This," Tomas said, "is the part most people drive past." He poured coffee into the lid of his Thermos and set it on the dashboard next to Polly. "Stay a while."

"Ito," sabi ni Tomas, "ang bahagi na madalas lang daanan ng mga tao." Nagbuhos siya ng kape sa takip ng kanyang Thermos at inilagay ito sa dashboard sa tabi ni Polly. "Magtagal ka muna."