The Train to Granada

The train left Madrid at six in the morning. Half the seats were empty. Elena chose a window seat and watched the city give way to dry, open fields.

Umalis ang tren sa Madrid nang alas-sais ng umaga. Kalahati ng mga upuan ay walang nakaupo. Pumili si Elena ng upuan malapit sa bintana at pinanuod ang lungsod na unti-unting nagiging tuyong bukirin.

A woman sat across from her. She was older — maybe sixty, maybe more — and she had a small bag with a sandwich wrapped in foil. Soon her phone rang. She answered quietly, but the train was very quiet too.

May babae na umupo sa harap niya. Matanda na ito — siguro anim na pu, o baka higit pa — at may dalang maliit na bag na may sandwich na nakabalot sa aluminum foil. Maya-maya ay tumunog ang kanyang telepono. Tahimik niyang sinagot, pero napakahimik din ng tren.

"No, I haven't told her yet," the woman whispered. "I will, but not today. Today I just want to see her." A pause. "She doesn't know I'm sick. Please, don't tell her either."

"Hindi, hindi ko pa sinasabi sa kanya," bulong ng babae. "Sasabihin ko, pero hindi ngayon. Ngayon gusto ko lang siyang makita." Sandaling katahimikan. "Hindi niya alam na may sakit ako. Pakisuyo, huwag mo rin siyang sabihan."

Elena looked out the window and pretended not to hear. But she could not stop listening. The woman talked for a few minutes more, then hung up and ate her sandwich slowly.

Tumingala si Elena sa bintana at nagkunwaring hindi nakarinig. Pero hindi niya mapigilan ang pakikinig. Nag-usap pa ang babae ng ilang minuto, tapos ibinaba ang telepono at dahan-dahang kinain ang sandwich.

When the train arrived in Granada, the woman stood up and looked at Elena. "I'm going to see my granddaughter," she said, as if explaining something Elena had already asked. "I haven't seen her in a year. Have a good trip."

Nang dumating ang tren sa Granada, tumayo ang babae at tiningnan si Elena. "Pupunta ako sa aking apo," sabi niya, para bang nagpapaliwanag sa tanong na hindi naman tinanong ni Elena. "Isang taon ko na siyang hindi nakita. Magandang biyahe sana."

Elena watched her walk down the platform and disappear into the crowd.

Pinanuod ni Elena ang babae habang naglalakad sa platform at nawawala sa karamihan ng mga tao.