| Delayed Reaction |
[15 Jul 2009|02:34pm] |
Martin seemed absent minded when one of our colleagues asked him about figures of speech. It wasn't like him at all, and it wasn't the first time that happened. I learned months later the reason behind it.
When he joined a non-government organization, he was assigned to help a community in Davao in southern Philippines. He was wary because he thought Mindanao would be like Iraq. He was surprised that it was home to the friendliest and most generous people he met in his young life.
Then the unexpected happened. They have a mission in Tandag and Butuan. A mountain range separates both towns. He was on the border when armed men with improvised rifles ordered him and his fellow passengers to get out of the van. They were lying sideways on a dirt road while the same men took their valuables and shoes. Martin was alert enough to keep most of his cash inside his underwear. They took flight and headed to the nearest town when the men went away to join one of their comrades.
The incident happened in 10 minutes, but for Martin, it seemed like eternity. Every detail of the incident is still vivid to him. His fellow passengers admired him for his composure, but they didn't realize that his was a delayed reaction. His anxieties and confusion surfaced months later.
Martin assured us that he was over his his absent mindedness, but it happened once more when someone asked him about freelance essay writing.
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