Written by Gianine Pantig

… it was just as much of a mystery as to how Bentong even wandered into the heart of the city and their campus in the first place.

It was like the opening of some weird anime series or movie, or a delusional dream you get when you catch the flu and your temperature rises beyond normal levels.

That morning, going into campus, and seeing an odd-looking carabao or some kind of cattle in the middle of the vicinity of that small college, as if it was just some sculpture entombed there overnight—it was something out of a Lampara children’s story book, so to speak. Ones that his grandmother used to read to him before bed time, or one that she’d share out of a memory from when she resided within the rural area of the country. 

It was a scene that seemed distant for an individual who grew up in the midst of the hustle and bustle of the city. Frankly, you’d barely witness animal diversity, be it with birds  (unless it’s a maya) or actual herd vertebrates, unless you visit a farm or the countryside. It’s either stray cats or dogs here and there, with apparent lack of care from the way their furs grow (or not) and the deformities on their meek physique.

Uneventful. Mundane. Boring.

This was how Shaun viewed the days before him, out of spite from repetition and having to follow through life like a routine. Yet this was uncharacteristically not one of those days, although he didn’t know what to feel about it, at that moment. Especially since he was already content, for once, with org week coming, and this occurrence might interfere with their preparations.

“I mean, seriously? How did a carabao or cow, or whatever horned beast this is, appear here, at this early hour, in this packed city, and sa gitna pa talaga ng campus, ah (in the middle of the campus, ah)?” he thought to himself, visibly scratching the back of his nape, as he watched the dark-coated, burly mammal’s snout twitch, like it was taking in the air within the vicinity.

Then he spotted the pots of lemongrass to the side, visibly gazed upon and grazed on by some hungry herbivore. Since the beginning of the Dengue Prevention Month back in June, their campus had been taking care of those, but now, it had become a mini pasture for the strange animal.

He let out a laugh as he muttered under his breath, “Pretty bold for some gentle-mannered looking creature. You’re more of a rebel than me, aren’t you?” He took a curious step forward to where the horned-cattle or buffalo was but he halted when it seemed to have realized his presence. It let out a grunt–or maybe a small sneeze–as it shook its head and flaunted its broad forehead adorned with V-shaped horns.

“Shaun!” He got dragged back to reality when some familiar voice called out to him from behind and had him looking back, only to see his friend and org mate together with their other members approaching him and his new friend. It was then that he noticed the other university kids and students, scattered with their own designated company, organization, batch, or friend group, yet everyone had the same subject in mind. The never-before-seen animal within the confines of their city. 

“Uh-oh. It ate the lemongrass… Papagalitan kaya tayo nina Prof (Do you think our Prof will scold us)?”

“Eh. ‘Di ‘yan. Sagot naman tayo nito ni Bentong eh (No way. Since Bentong has our back).” They laughed at the mention of the name. A made up name for the cattle, he assumed, as he raised a brow at them. 

“Its name is Bentong? No kidding? Whose pet is it ba?”

His friends laughed even more at how oblivious he was, and the one holding small bamboo shoots answered, “I don’t think anyone would be allowed to take care of a tamaraw as a mere pet, Shaunnie boy. Now help us feed it and bring it sa likod (to the back). Mas marami siyang space doon (He’ll have more space to move around there).”

That’s when the absolute bizarreness of the situation hit him. It was already an out-of-place image from the start, but to know that the mammal he’d been calling some cow or carabao from the beginning was actually an actual endangered buffalo species, was a different kind of surrealness. It wasn’t that he was not that familiar of “Bentong” and its family’s existence, but it was just difficult to come to the conclusion that its kind would ever wander into the siyudad (city).

But at least, now, it made even more sense how everyone seemed captivated and naturally charmed by Bentong. Like the baffling situation it created with itself at the center was inevitably calling out to them. Overcoming the mystery shrouding its sudden appearance among their crowd, and being replaced by the need to cater to its needs, even though it exuded an unyielding mien amidst them who might seem like a flock of oddities in its own eyes.

With a creased forehead reflecting his confusion, Shaun hesitantly took some bamboo shoots off of the hands of his org mates and he followed what they were doing, trying to entice Bentong with the bamboo they probably got from the Agriculture department. One of their members was even enthusiastically waving the plant before the mammal, and Shaun was not sure if it would even catch the animal’s attention.

“Look, oh, guys! Its eyes are so pretty. It’s trying to smell the bamboo din!”

“Guys, kahawig ni Shaun ‘pag maraming iniisip oh. Naks, pogi (it resembles Shaun when he’s over thinking oh. Wow, handsome)!”

Shaun shook his head with a low chuckle, disbelief laced on his tone with how everyone was just taking the event casually and even throwing jokes amongst each other.

“What do you mean kamukha ko (it looks like me)? Ang lakas na naman ng trip niyo (Your humor is too much again)!”

“No, we mean it. It’s because of his eyebrows-on-fleek. It’s like yours oh. Especially when you’re judging us, like, right now.”

It wasn’t that Shaun was ultimately judging them. To be fair, it wasn’t like they were being asked to lead a stray lion or some kind of ferocious beast to its cage, right? What was the harm in taking in the absurdity of the occasion and enjoying it? 

What was the harm in breaking free from their regular young adult routine once in a while?

Plus, it wasn’t everyday that he–rather, they–got to be in charge of taking care of an animal that could be considered one of the prides of the Philippines, being endemic only to the country. Besides, if he looked at it in a different perspective, this was the change in pace that he had been needing.

While the group had their playful banter, surprisingly, the tamaraw did take interest in the bamboo shoots they were carrying. It started to move along with them which had everyone cheering, even the students who were just watching. Eventually, the Day 1 for the org week preparations became babysitting day for Bentong. 

“Bentong, huh? Do you kids even know what this tamaraw’s sex is? Look at its horns. It’s not as big and bulky as males’.” It was what an expert told them at the end of the day after the tamaraw’s invasion of their university was reported.

After an entire day of bayanihan or teamwork with the goal of making sure that Bentong’s stay would be comfortable and undisturbed. 

Though, indeed, the students, even Shaun, and the wandering tamaraw truly weren’t so different. They were all looking for their place in the world, perhaps. Independent, curious, smart, and mighty, but still accepting of the fact that they would need help, at times, to find their way back to their path, but it doesn’t make them any less capable.

Like true Filipinos. 

Around the hour of the arrival of the animal welfare expert, the university students and staff had already done a huge clean up and reorganization of their domain, just to ensure that nothing could harm Bentong. Such achievements done in a day which were appreciated and commended.

Even though goodbyes could be burdening to the heart, everyone took the courage to wave farewell to their new friend, and Shaun, even he who was at first reluctant to approach and get to know the tamaraw, took a brave step to overcome all those doubtful feelings to not regret anything, and even carefully and affectionately caressed the top of its head. 

If they were ever going to meet each other again, it was just as much of a mystery as to how Bentong even wandered into the heart of the city and their campus in the first place. But who knew? If anyone is utterly eager to know, then they would just have to shake Shaun awake and ask him how his dream went and how it even started in the first place.

The thing is, would he even remember their rendezvous with the peculiar buffalo, or would he just wake up with residual feelings of zeal and ardor as he is suddenly filled with the desire to seize the day and try out everything he did not have the courage to see through, from the fear of losing his way?