In Depoe’s novel Robinson Crusoe, the main character found a handy helper in the island-domain in the person of Man Friday. A handy helper was an individual who could perform so many jobs at any time either on his own volition, as directed or requested. Such a type of a young man was found in the quiet barrio during the yesteryears. His name was Dendo.
Lanky of frame, bony-faced, deeply tanned, and standing about five feet and a quarter, Dendo was a typical farm lad. He came from a family of four boys and thee girls. Of the boys, Dendo was the shortest in height but his smiling friendly face made him look a foot taller than his brothers.
Dendo like his brothers and sisters quit school in the early grades to help their parents in the extensive farm. Though not in possession of sinewy arms and legs, the could endure like the many farmhands the chilling wind and rain while at work in the rain-soaked field aside from the pestering insects which abound during the rainy season. In short, he was not the ideal strong farm hand who could do the work with smoothness and expertise like those within his age group. But Dendo had other assets that would make him more popular than the others.
“Why did you go to barbering when this type of trade is never profitable as the customers would like to have their hair cut for free?” joke Aga, a neighbour and close friend.
“Well, if I cut the hair of my father and three brothers for say, ten years, the amount would run to more than three nipa huts. Much more, their hair grow faster than the ipil-ipil tree branches or the kangkong in the ponds” answered Dendo with a chuckle, with a sprinkle of native wit.
During the months after the harvest season, Dendo’s main work was to take care of the carabaos. He sees to it that these animals had enough hay or grass in their corral. Due to the summer heat, grasses in the field would dry and Dendo had to feed them with hay from the leftover of the threshing of the palay. There must be plenty of water too. Once in a while, he would take these animals to the river to let them wallow and cool their black hides. At times, Dendo would shave the overgrown hair and the best place was the river. His tonsorial skill would be put to good use in shaving the animals. Those with less skill usually ended up with so many cuts on the animal’s hide. For this type of job, Dendo would always be invited.
“Milk the lactating carabao early tomorrow morning, Dendo as I promised Aling Munda the milk for her leche plan” spelled out her mother that afternoon.
“Yes, mother”, would be the almost automatic reply of this handy man. Before the sun would peep from the hills beyond, this lad would have finished his job aside from feeding the animals and providing them the cool drinking water.
In the other mornings, Dendo’s sister would peddle the milk for added family income. Carabao’s milk would always be in demand as it could be used in many ways like pastries, nutritious drink, for coffee, and could be easily curdled in vinegar as white cheese. Dendo’s knowledge about carabao made him an advisor on calf weaning, training of young carabaos to pull loads, and medication when the animals would catch cold. If he were in university he would have received a diploma from university of experience.
One drawback of Dendo was his aversion for the dark. Probably, he heard about ghosts and ogres lurking in the night when he was a kid so that by nightfall, he would be home. This, in a way, never put him into teenage fracas and rumbles during night socializations in the barrio or other places.
Dendo belonged to a family of smokers. Seldom would one find any member of the family without a native-rolled cigarette in her or his mouth. The only time the members of the family would not smoke was when eating. Of course, the family in their patch raised the tobacco they consumed. Under their house beneath the bamboo flooring would be strings of dried tobacco whose odour would make one sneeze if not used to the pungent smell.
“Can you assist me in repairing my roofs tomorrow”, asked by his friend.
“Sure but prepare the materials and the snack for energizer” Dendo would reply with a wide smile without removing his smoke.
Dendo being a willing helper made him popular among the people in the community for his willingness is seldom found in others. When he would walk by along the barrio road, members of families would call him for a snack, a meal, or a cop of ginger brew. Many a time, eh would refuse, as he would be on the road, for another commitment.
When the occupation came, Dendo was fifteen years old. He had already a farm patch of his own occupying him during the planting and harvest periods. In-between, he would perform many odd chores to include his being a man Friday.
In the later part of occupation, the enemy detachment commander whose camp was not far from the barrio, imposed curfew due to imminent guerrilla attacks. To be sure that he would be safe in case the underground would attack the enemy camp, he built a dugout under their house complete with provisions. Every night, during bedtime, he would be in the dugout alone or with any members of the family.
After Liberation, this man Friday became a vehicle driver and he drove trucks, pick-ups, jeeps and cars. But this guy could not be away from home for a long time; otherwise, he would fall ill for reasons he could not explain. After returning to the barrio, he would be strong and well again. It could be boredom being away from home, missing his folk’s cooking, or missing the fresh dust of the barrio road as causes for that unexplained ailment.
“I heard you became a professional barber in the city but before you could save enough money, you fell ill and returned home”, queried Kikoy, a member of the local police force.
“I thought I could endure being away from sometime as a barbershop is always filled with customers, Kibitzers, rumour-mongers, and many more. I did not. After two weeks, I fell ill and I had to pack up and leave a well earning job”.
He drove vehicles for a priest, politicians, oligarchs and businessman and he did those jobs really well. But he could not be away for long.
One time, he drove a van for a coffee distributor together with the agent. While driving along a winding hilly road, a large python suddenly crossed the road. Dendo thought it was a dragon, and he swerved the truck and they fell in a ravine. He and the agent did not get hurt but was fired from the job.
Eventually, long past the marrying barrio age, Dendo became a heavy truck driver for a logging camp in the rugged forested area. The logging camp was an isolated spot and only the logging personnel were there. The air was pure and low clouds would at time cover the top of the tall trees. Many a time, fog would envelop the camp but would disappear when the sun would rise.
“You are the only man here who does not look like a logger”, spoke a buxomly and voluptuous woman who worked in the logging canteen.
“I elected to work here as a driver to be a real man unafraid of challenges”, answered Dendo, not mentioning his fear of darkness.
“I admire your sincerity” she equipped as she served him the best meal in the camp
In no time at all, this girl and Dendo fell in love. The intensity of their affection was fanned by sheer loneliness in an isolated place, and much more, that was Dendo’s first love. In the barrio, he spent his time being a handy helper and farmhand that he forgot all about the opposite sex.
So, Dendo brought home a wife amidst the rejoicing of the barrio people. Celebration followed other celebrations for the man’s Friday and hand helper.
The barrio people helped Dendo build a house and his wife Belen was truly happy. Dendo got a local driving job and he would be home by nighttime. He was still liked by his neighbours, as he was an uncommon helping hand in a world getting materialistic everyday.
“What made you fall in love with me, Belen? Do you really love me?” asked the man Friday as the two were cosily in bed for the night.
“Frankly, you are a good husband as I later found out. But while in the logging camp, I was there for more than a year, and no one even looked at me. You were the first and the last to discover my charm”, she ended with a hug and giggle.
