Portents by Jessica Zafra - Plot

1. Portents By Jessica Zafra 2. Biography of Jessica  Jessica Zafra (born 1965) is a ction writer, col!nist, e"itor, pblisher, pblisher, an" for!er tele#ision an" ra"io show host. $he is %nown for her sharp an" witty writing styles. &er !ost poplar boo%s are the 'wiste" 'wiste" series, a collection of her essays as a col!nist for the newspaper 'o"ay (now anila $tan"ar" 'o"ay), as well as fro! her ti!e as e"itor an" pblisher of the !againe *lip. $he crrently writes a wee%ly col!n for +nter%syon.co!, the online news portal of '-5. $he resi"es in etro anila, where she is wor%ing on her rst no#el. $he also !anage" the raserhea"s "ring 199/s. &er wor% often are abot the crrent e#ents (both 0hilippine an" international), tennis, !o#ies, !sic, cats, boo%s, technology, an" her personal life. &er wor% has been the sbect of aca"e!ic st"y.  'he !ain ingre"ient ingre"ient to her wor% wor% is often often gn cynicis! cynicis! an" irony irony.. . $ettings }t the 34ce }t the estarants }21st entry }t the &ose

}t the hrch

} 'hey belie#e at signs signs

7. haracters 8 Jessica  the pregnant la"y who "ies not %now what to "o } a!on  can"i"ate for the baby:s father. &e is si!ple. } ;awrence  another !an whose chances are high of being father. &e is rich an" #ery artistic. } 
the worl". } *ilthy an  "irty !an whose been re#ealing i!portant secrets to Jessica. } =r. analo  Jessica>s "octor.

5. 0lot $trctre } lassic 0lot } $tart with the ?pository } 'he secon" one is li!a? } 'hen at last is onclsion

6. 0lot } ?position  the narrator learne" abot her baby. } o!plication  she is thin%ing abot the abortion of baby } li!a?  she "eci"e" not to abort the baby } esoltion  she can>t "eci"e whether she say or not abot the baby to the possible father. } onclsion  she "eci"e" to li#e with the baby.

@. onAict }an #s. &i!self }+n the story, she "oesn>t %now how she will face her proble! becase she "oesn>t ha#e any

e?perience abot what she>s facing right now. . 'he!e .  'he!e } 'he !essage of the story is that %now when or what to "o or thin% rst before yo "o so!ething so that when yo are alrea"y in the sitation yo will %now what to "o. 9. $y!bolis! } 'he en" is near near.. 1/. 0lot 'ypes or =e#ices };iterary =e#iceC &yperbole  D+ i!agine" a creatre ripping ot of !y sto!ach in a gory !ess, li%e the !onster in alien. }0lot 'ypesC lassic 0lot }=e#icesC Eone.

11. 0oint of -iew }1st person 03-F 1st person narration

03'E'$ by Jessica Zafra 0ositi#e, she sai" cheerily, as if + shol"n>t go ot an" hang !yself this instant. + hel" on to the phone for a long ti!eG + was sre that if + let go + wol" fall "own. 'he coHee trne" to !" in !y !othI+ ran to the sin% an" hea#e". ongratlations, it>s a fets. o frigging i"iot. fterwar"s + sat at the %itchen table an" trie" to !a%e sense of the stH swirling aron" in !y hea". -isions of bloo" an" !bilical cor"s an" fee"ing bottles whirle" before !y eyes li%e !ale#olent frisbees. 'he newspaper was lying ne?t to the platter of toastG + rea" the hea"line abot two hn"re" ti!es. Day se poison gas, +raK warns.L Ee?t to it a pictre of a "ea" Mr"ish wo!an cltching the bo"y of her "ea" chil". other. hil". + felt li%e throwing p all o#er again. + i!agine" a creatre ripping ot of !y sto!ach in a gory !ess, li%e the !onster in lien.  'here was a 0ostNit note on the !irrorC D;nch with ;awrence, 12C/,L ;awrence being a ftyNfty can"i"ate for the father. + painte" a face on an" stare" at the !irror. + saw !y belly swelling p, !y clothes rising li%e a circs tent, an" all + col" thin% abot was the ten pon"s +>" st lost, an" the new "ress + boght to !ar% the occasion. *inally + got !y new "ress ot of the closet an" pt it on while it still t. +n the ele#ator !y ne?tN"oor neighbor s!ile" an" sai" Ooo" !orning. $he ha" this sort of %nowing s!ile, an" + fon" !yself won"ering if she %new abot !e. + wasn>t st being paranoi"G this is anila, the neighbors %now e#erything. 'hey are e?tre!ely sy!pathetic, an" if yo let the! they will ta%e o#er yor life. +t trne" ot she was st trying to sell !e a watch. &er hsban" ha" !anage" to get ot of Mwait by "ri#ing across the "esert, an" when he got ho!e the ban%s refse" to change his Mwaiti "inars. 'hat>s why she was selling his watches. + felt %in" of sorry for rs. $antos, setting ot with her i!itation Occi han"bag an" se#eral "oen gol" bracelets to sell her hsban">s watches. 3r was it rs. $an Jan, + can ne#er re!e!ber.  ner#os brea%"own wol">#e been in or"er, or a t of tears an" %eening, the %in" that co!es with a rnny nose an" s!eare" !ascara. Bt +>#e ne#er been one for hysterics. 'han%s to !y parents, by the ti!e + was eight, the sight of a chair being hrle" across the roo! was no longer case for alar!. aybe there is so!ething to be sai" for a losy ho!e life. a!on says !y e!otional range is li!ite" to rage, gilt, an" occasional hilarity. &e neglecte" to !ention blan%nesssIthere are ti!es when + st "on>t feel anything. a!on also clai!s he can rea" !y thoghts by loo%ing at !eIhe says +>! transparent. + hope soG it>s e!barrassing to tell so!ebo"y there>s a fty per cent chance that he !ay be a father in se#eral !onths. By the ti!e it occrre" to !e to catch a ri"e + was halfway to !y o4ce an" "eci"e" to wal% the rest of  the way. + was swallowe" p by the crow" of people hrrying to wor%G rising abo#e the "in of tra4c, their footfalls son"e" li%e the !arching of a "istant ar!y. +n front of the chrch where rosaries an" goo"Nlc% char!s were sol" n"er the balefl stare of the rchangel ichael>s state, a strange gre appeare" on !y rightG a lthy !an with long, !atte" hair.  tattere" bag was slng across his bare chest, pon which his ribs protr"e" li%e spi%es.  thic% layer of soot co#ere" his e!aciate" bo"yIhe loo%e" li%e a wal%ing pile of ashes. &e starte" spea%ing to !e in rgent tones, as if he were re#ealing i!portant secrets, an" there was a cray glint in his eyes. + n"erstoo" nothing. &e was spea%ing either in "ialect of in gibberish, + col"n>t tell, + loo%e" on stpi"ly. 0eople stare", e?pecting perhaps that he wol" pro"ce a clea#er an" hac% !e to "eath. 'he !an went on with his weir" recitationG why he chose !e + ha" no i"ea, !aybe he col" see past the "esigner clothes into !y "ar% an" gri!y sol. fter a while he frowne" li%e a teacher who ha" st gi#en p on a particlarly !oronic st"ent. 'hen he wheele" an" "ashe" into the chrch, stopping a !o!ent to rb with his lthy han" the scowling face of the rchangel ichael.  'hrogh the glass + col" see the cashier,
D+t>s e?actly as Eostra"a!s sai",L 0ocholo sai". D&e pre"icte" earthKa%es signaling the en" of the worl", an" we ha" that big one last !onth. 'hen he sai" a lea"er fro! the i""le ast wol" lanch a worl" war. + thoght it wol" be Mha"a4 bt no, it>s $a""a! &ssein. D$re,L + sai". + watche" t thin% $t. artin ro"e a horse.L DEo, stpi",L he sai". Do>re thin%ing of $t. artin "e 0orres. re elating abot $t. artin of 'ors. n" yo %now whatP y ant says they saw the sa!e #ision st before s really the en". + !ean, + "on>t e#en ha#e a %i" yet.L + loo%e" away so he wol"n>t see !e gri!ace, an" was st in ti!e to see s a""ress. $he wol" gi#e the a""ress, + %new, e#en acco!pany !e to the place. 0robably so!e "ecrepit woo"en hose in the feti" alleys of 'on"o, where the gangs hnte" each other "own with ho!e!a"e re#ol#ers. s insi"es, as torn an" bloo"y as a battleel". $he sai" she>" regrette" her last abortionC it was a girl, she>s always wante" a baby girl. $he pt the fets in a ar of for!alin an" %ept it in the "rawer where her we""ing "ress, which ha" otlaste" her !arriage, lay yellowing a!ong !othballs an" "ea" Aowers.  'he others she>" Ashe" "own the toilet.

;awrence ate his lnch the way he li#e" his lifeC #ery careflly, as if he wol" cho%e on it. #erything abot hi! was reson"ingly correct, fro! his hair to his +talian shoes, fro! the schools he>" atten"e" to the fashionable gy! where he wrestle" with !achines three ti!es a wee%. + %new that as he rea" the !en he was gring ot how !ch cholesterol, how !ch so"i! an" fat were in the entrees. D+t>s going to be ba",L he was saying. DBy ne?t year the o4cial e?change rate col" be 2 pesos to the "ollar. 'hat>s a conser#ati#e proection. t consi"ere" oil prices an" the "a!age fro! the earthKa%e.L =aintily, he chewe" on his #egetable. D+nAation will go throgh the roof,L he a""e", al!ost with relish. tI+ ha" no illsions abot his n"ying lo#e an" "elity, bt + trste" his fear of +=$. D! + boring yoPL he sai" at last. r. $ensiti#e. &e pt his han" on !y %neeI!aybe he e?pecte" !e to sali#ate li%e one of 0a#lo#>s "ogs. D+>! sorry,L he sai". D+ %now we ha#en>t seen each other !ch lately, bt it>s been hell at the o4ce.L
was s!ooth, no one wol">#e sspecte" that the earnestNloo%ing yong !an in the pinstripe shirt col" be "oing so!ething as ignoble as gi#ing a girl a feel in a restarant. D'hat gy fro! the hea" o4ce is a !aor asshole. Ooes aron" trying to catch people loang. 'he o4ce feels li%e a...L brptly he with"rew his han" an" stoo" p.  large, re"Nnose" white !an in an illNtting brown sit was approaching or table. Dr. *owler,L sai" ;awrence. Dl#ara"o,L sai" the !an, sha%ing the han" ;awrence e?ten"e". D&ow was the beachPL ;awrence sai". + ha" to restrain !yself fro! calling the waiter an" as%ing for a receptacle + col" p%e into. D*ine,L sai" *owler, Dt e#en rea" his boo%s. 'hey were line" p accor"ing to height on his antiKe boo%shelf, neatly co#ere" in plastic. 3ne ti!e + too% a boo% ot of the shelf, an" it ha" been there nopene" for so long the pages stc% together. Dnyway,L ;awrence sai", Dwhere were wePL Do !ean ntil yor sahib ca!e alongPL Ds the !atter with yoPL he sai". *nny he shol" se the e?act sa!e wor"s he sai" co!ing p to !e at =i"ay>s birth"ay party while + stoo" in a corner hol"ing !y breath to get ri" of !y hiccps. &e sai" he was ;awrence an" + shol" breathe into a paper bag, so we went into the %itchen an" r!!age" in the closets. 'here weren>t any paper bags, an" when he fon" a plastic shopping bag + "i"n>t nee" any!ore, !y hiccps were gone. &e got !y na!e an" !y telephone n!ber, it was as easy as that. Diggy,L he sai". iggy, for hrissa%es. + %new ;awrence wasn>t going to follow !e, he hate" scenes Ian" + wal%e" ot of the restarant, it was as easy as that. + wan"ere" aron" the !all for a while. + went into stores an" loo%e" at things. 'here was this ott that loo%e" li%e or nifor! at the ca"e!y of 3r ;a"y>s $e#en $orrowsIwhite blose, ble nec%tie, an" a na#yNble s%irtIonly the s%irt was too short. t $e#en $orrows, s%irts ha" to co#er the entire %nee area. +f yor %nees were e?pose" the nns wol" gi#e yo a lectre on !o"esty. 'here was no span%ingIthe nns were an enlightene" bnchIbt after fteen !intes of ha#ing gilt lai" thic%ly on yo, yo>" wish they>" gi#e yo ten lashes instea" an" get it o#er with. orporal pnish!ent wol" si!plify e#erything. *or sleeping with a gy yo weren>t !arrie" to, yo>" get, say, #e hn"re" lashes. *or sleeping with two gys, neither of who! yo were !arrie" to, one thosan" lashes. *or e#en thin%ing abot abortion, ten thosan" lashes. n" +>" been sch a goo" girl too, ntil recently, anyway, so +>" probably get #e hn"re" e?tra lashes for being sch a "isappoint!ent. + !a"e a !ental list of the reasons for an" against ha#ing this baby. 0roC 'his chil" wol" be !ine, really trly !ine, which col"n>t be sai" of a lot of things. 0roC aybe +>ll trn ot to be a genis who will in#ent so!ething benecial to !an%in", li%e a "e#ice that wol" case worl" lea"ers to selfN "estrct if they got the rge to wage war. ntiC +>! not sre +>" be sch a hot parent. + ha#e serios "eciencies in the responsibility "epart!ent, as the cre"it car" people will attest. ntiC 'he lac% of a hsban", the reslting social stig!a, an" if not

that, !y own paranoia. + wol" "ri#e !yself cray won"ering if so!eone was going to cast stones at !e. ntiC !y !other wol" frea%. $he>s in alifornia, rnning a *ilipino restarant, an" she>s always going on abot the "ecline of tra"itional *ilipino #ales. + "on>t thin% she wol" appreciate ha#ing !e pro#e her theories. + can st see her tal%ing to !y father, bla!ing hi! for "ying yong an" lea#ing her to raise his "aghter to a"lthoo" (+ was always Dhis "aghterL e#eryti!e + screwe" p). s going onPL + as%e" 0ocholo. &e was alternately sKirting his asth!a !e"ication into his !oth with an inhaler an" st4ng fol"ers into his briefcase. D'here>s going to be a big earthKa%e at 2C/,L he sai", only there were no pases between his wor"s. D$ays whoPL + "e!an"e". D+t was on the ra"io,L he sai". &e snappe" his briefcase sht. 0eople were rnning into ele#ators. s cray,L + sai". Do can>t pre"ict e?actly when an earthKa%e will happen.L Q+t was on the ra"io,L 0ocholo repeate", as if !e"ia co#erage were an infallible conr!ation of trth. D2C/. 0owerfl earthKa%e, intensity nine.L D! not lea#ing,L + "eclare". D+>! not going to fall for an i"iotic pran%.L D'his bil"ing col" collapseRL he screeche". D;i%e the &yatt 'erracesRL Do can>t pre"ict an earthKa%e e?actly.L Ds al!ost ti!e.L D+t>s a pran%,L + sai". D+>! not lea#ing.L D'hey>re closing the bil"ing,L she sai". D#eryone>s getting ot. =o yo want to get loc%e" inPL $he ha" a point. + got !y bagI+ col" se the afternoon oH, anyway.

+ gre" +>" go ho!e an" get so!e sleepG !aybe when + wo%e p this whole thing wol" trn ot to be a ba" "rea! li%e the one that %ille" !y Sncle =an"ing. 3ne night he ate too !ch rice an" stewe" por%, then went to be" an" starte" screa!ing horribly in his sleep. 'hey slappe" hi!, pore" col" water on hi!, pon"e" an" bit hi!, bt he ne#er wo%e p. &e "ie" ttering strange garble" noises.  'he o4cial case of "eath was car"iac arrest, bt e#eryone sai" it was bangngot, the sleeping sic%ness. +t "i" see! li%e a "rea!, the crow" of people gathere" at the par%ing lot an" loo%ing at the bil"ing, waiting for the swaying to start. +"iots, + !ttere", as + Aagge" "own a ta?i. D
D'oo near,L he snappe", oo!ing oH before + col" get in the cab. 'a?i "ri#ersR 'his was not a great !o!ent for h!anityC e#eryone was being an i"iot or an asshole. ll the ta?is were ta%en, an" the bses were so fll people were sproting ot the win"ows. + col" see the passengers cra!!e" together li%e llings in an enor!os san"wich, b!ping an" rbbing against each other with e#ery lrch of the bs. aybe if so!ething as%s who !y %i">s father is, + col" say + too% a really crow"e" bs an" got %noc%e" p. By the ti!e + got bac% to !y apart!ent !y feet were throbbing.  !en fro! a pia parlor that "eli#ere" ha" been sho#e" n"er !y "oorG rea"ing it + ha" a s""en wil" cra#ing for ancho#y pia. 0regnant wo!en are sppose" to ha#e these wil" cra#ings, bt + was slightly worrie". +>#e hear" ol" people say that what yo cra#e "ring pregnancy "eter!ines how yor chil" will trn ot. *or instance, if yo cra#e ga#as, yor chil" will be stbborn. y frien" clai!s her cl!siness was case" by her !other>s fon"ness for noo"les. n" sing%a!as is sppose" to pro"ce fairNco!ple?ione" chil"ren, no !atter how "ar% their parents are. + thoght, if + ate a lot of ancho#ies, wol" !y chil" ha#e scaly s%in, or loo% li%e a shP + phone" the pia place anyway, an" when + pt the phone "own it rang. D&i,L sai" a!on. D&ow "i" yo %now + was ho!ePL + sai". Do>re always ho!e on $n"ay.L D+t>s on"ay.L D3h. re yo going ot tonightPL he sai". Dan + co!e o#erPL D3%ay.L s. 'hen people "o#e n"er tables an" s ra"io, an" the BN52s were singing, Dos!icR os!icRL + switche" the '- on. 'here was this soap opera abot a little girl who! e#eryone !altreate". 'he actress was playe" by a little girl was so goo" at being a !artyr, it was as if she ha" a sign on her forehea" that sai", DMic% !e.L 'he soap was interrpte" by a news broa"castC 262 !ore *ilipinos ha" Ae" Mwait.  !i""leNage" wo!an tol" a reporter she ha" been rape" by +raKi sol"iers. t want it to happen. +t was a!aing how casal she was. &ow col" she be so coolP t nee" yor own !other plotting to get ri" of yo.

a!on ca!e in at si?. &is hair loo%e" li%e he>" ct it hi!self, which he often "i". &e broght a ta%eN ot bo? of frien" noo"les an" a #i"eotape of oa" nner cartoons. + heate" the pia lefto#ers an" he ate the! on the car" table on the terrace. &e loo%e" e?haste". D+ staye" p late lling ot the for!s for !y grant,L he e?plaine", rbbing his eyes.

D+ ha" a weir" "ay,L + sai". + tol" hi! abot the street cray in front of the chrch, an" his strange !essage. &e rbbe" a spot of sace oH !y chin with his th!b. Daybe it was an obscene proposal. 3r !aybe he was spea%ing ra!aic. epent or else.L Dy o4ce!ate says the worl" is en"ing,L + sai". &e ate the last cr!b of pia. Daybe.L D=oesn>t it worry yoPL D+t>s not li%e + can "o anything abot it. +f it>s tre. s scary is being the last person on earth,L a!on sai". Q#eryone else is "ea", an" yo wan"er aron" the rbble an" slowly realie yo>re alone.L DOo",L + sai". Dre being !orbi" tonight.L D+ can>t help it,L + sai". Dll this tal% abot war.L +t starte" to rain, so we got p an" went insi"e. s + close" the "oor to the terrace + thoght + saw so!ething in the s%yIa !an on a blac% horse, ri"ing throgh the rain. Do want so!e coHeePL a!on calle" fro! the %itchen. Des, please,L + sai". y %nees were wobbly, + ha" to sit "own. o>re seeing things, + tol" !yself. 0regnant wo!en "o it all the ti!e, it>s hor!ones or so!ething. Ds wrongPL sai" a!on. DEothing,L + sai", an" in the pit of !y sto!ach + felt a little %ic%.