The Boat Left Me in Camotes!

I said in the previous story I was back at the Pilar port early at 2:17PM, right? Yes I was! And I still had time for beer. Two bottles in fact! I was too early for the 4PM return trip of M/B JunMar to Ormoc. It was not even around yet as it would still have been coming from Puertobello and Kawit, then this port to take me back to Ormoc. So why was I left behind? Here’s the story…

About 2:57PM, I thought I’d go out unto the halfway mark of the long pier as that tower (whatever that is) is breezier and has good views of everywhere. My habal-habal driver already paid, but still with me, whisked me there – and we bought one more bottle of beer each. Happy! He even had to go back to town to buy for me an extra pack of Marlboro Lghts as we were running out of ‘supply’!

That tower / waiting area (whatever) was a happy place with a number of people when I walked in. I realized this is a wonderful strolling area for some of Pilar’s folks during breezy afternoons. Nita was there - the woman beside the boat pilot when we came, remember?! Yeah, the same woman who said she owns a little resort on the island. And it was only during this time that I learned (c/o my driver) that Nita actually owns Coraza’s! OMG yes! That resort without a sandy beach but with those concrete animals that made the whole place look like a fantasy land! So we were engaged in some conversation and banter.

A few minutes later, I realized there were already about 10 or so of us talking animatedly about so many things Camotes. Talk talk talk, laugh laugh laugh… ayun, when Nita looked further out to the docking area, JunMar was already pushing back from the pier! Everyone (including me of course) jumped and shouted for the boat to stop and wait for me. Nita even called up the captain to plead that they wait for me. No can do. Boat was already way far to still return just for me. Argh! Promise, none of the many of us noticed that said boat already arrived from Kawit. Hmp!

Now what?! I felt the stupidest person in the world at that time. In reality, part of my brain was saying “yehey I will stay overnight in Pilar” – for indeed it seemed like a very good idea hehe. C’mon, I already had instant friends and we were bantering in this place for more than an hour already! But the better part of my head was screaming with “you have a dinner meeting at Sabin tonight”! OMG, I had to think of something. No plausible alibi seemed proper for me to call and say I can’t show-up at the dinner meeting. Too important. And I think the hosts reserved that dinner just to meet with me. Golly!

So I asked if there was any other boat, even if late, going back to Ormoc that afternoon. It seemed like I heard a chorus saying “none”! Eh, as if I did not know. Crazy me, I already asked about that before I even set out for this island, right? Argh!

I saw Nita making another call. All I heard was she said “karon dayon”. I asked what was that about. She told me and the group that there is a little boat of some government office (DENR?) that could probably whisk me to Merida (the nearest mainland town) but I will have to pay for the gas. Without thinking I said yes I will. Can’t recall anymore how much that was, but I said yes please.

What happened next? Let’s know more of that in the next entry. Promise!