Jack Of Arts

"Where are you going?" The Caucasian man asked in awkwardly pronounced Teungebian. "Okuba." Tayaw replied in Teungebian. "Huh?" The Caucasian man was confused at the answer. "Okuba Township" Tayaw clarified in English. "OH! Where is that?" The man asked, relieved that Tayaw spoke English.

"The next town over." Tayaw replied. "Alright. Hop in. Shotgun!" "THANK YOU." Tayaw sighed in relief, opened the front passenger's door, and settled himself in.

"What is a young man like you doing in the middle of the highway at this hour? Barefoot too?" The man asked after taking a closer look at Tayaw. "Wild night. Hahaha." Tayaw did not explain. "Hm. I remember those days." The man chuckled. "How about you? This is the first time I'm seeing a foreigner, an Australian too, driving early in the morning in the mountains." Tayaw asked in curiosity, guessing the man's nationality from the accent.

"Ah. Well. I'm driving to Kangpan to pick up a friend." The man explained. "Oh. Looks like you're familiar with the roads around here." Tayaw asked. "Heh. I've been living in Benbenna for a while now." The man said proudly. "Ah. No wonder your Teungebian is alright. Awkward pronunciation but smooth delivery."Tayaw started getting curious.

"But… why there of all places? Looking at your car, you don't seem to be living in a city either." While foreigners indeed settle down in Teungeb since the 80s, it's still rare for them to live in rural places, much more the mountains. Not only that, Benbenna is a municipality that is thirty or so kilometers past Alib and Nacotu villages where Kilat and Liboo grew up, respectively. It is at the edges of Nabla Province.

"My wife is from there. We got tired living in Los Angeles so we started a weaving business there. Traditional Benbenna weaving. My mother-in-law's expertise." The man said proudly. Tayaw's interest was piqued at this. Benbenna Weaving recently became famous in Ouigab and Gonto for their sturdy products. From jackets to bags, especially bags.

"You own Benbenna Weaving?" Tayaw asked in interest. "Nah. We own Yaran Weaving. You probably have not heard of it, but at least we're second to Benbenna Weaving." The man replied. "Ah.." Tayaw understood. It's one of those weaving companies that are riding on the coattails of Benbenna Weaving's reputation.

"What's with the face? Our products are just as good as Benbenna Weaving. They were just first." The man said. Tayaw almost blushed at being called out. "Well. Yeah. Sorry about that. Back when I can't afford it, I bought a cheap bag made in Benbenna. Because it's local and of Benbenna's reputation, I thought it was gonna last long. I was wrong and felt cheated. 30 BGC was not cheap for me back then." Tayaw explained.

"Ah. I get it. Just because Burgundy has Conti wines, does not mean that all wines from Burgundy are Conti." The man nodded. Tayaw does not know about wines, but he knows Conti, so he nodded at the man's analogy.

"By the way, Mister. Why are you driving this early to Kangpan?" Tayaw asked, switching the topic. "Call me Dexter. I'm going to pick up some friends. They have business in Ouigab." Dexter replied. "I'm Tayaw. Teungebian for Fly… Are your friends musicians? Or academics?" Tayaw asked. "Neither. Movie people." Dexter said. "Movie people? Business in Ouigab? Shouldn't they be in Clambu instead?" Tayaw mumbled.

"Well. I remember them saying that they're going to look for T.L.D Grimmauld. You know? The author of 'The Halfling'? They're planning on making his book into a movie." Dexter explained. Tayaw felt goose bumps at this. "Oh? He's from Ouigab? I didn't know that. How'd they find him?" Tayaw asked, trying to look cool.

"They didn't. But if I could guess, they will go first to the publisher that printed Grimmauld's books. Before I retired from the movie business, I used to find people like that author too. So if I were the one to look for Grimmauld, I'd look at the publisher of the book first and start from there." Dexter said. Tayaw understood. It is clearly printed in a page in his book 'Published by Topaz Publishing Co. Ltd. – Taragea Road, Ouigab City, North, TB'.

"This is the first time I'm hearing this." Tayaw said, fishing for more information. "Are you kidding? He's the biggest author Teungeb has in the recent years! My friends from LA have been looking for Grimmauld since the release of 'The Halfling' last year. They even asked me for help to look for him, but I'm busy at Benbenna. I guess hiring Ouigab locals didn't work either, so they personally came." Dexter explained.

Tayaw is surprised at how famous his author persona is. Tayaw was also confused as to why he never heard any of this from Chala. But remembering that Chala joined him in New York shortly after 'The Halfling' was released, Tayaw realized that Chala also has not been contacted.

Considering also the honeymoon state of Chala and his girlfriend before Tayaw left America, it's a safe assumption that Chala ignored all of his professional responsibilities once he started his vacation.

"'The Halfling' into a movie, huh. If they make that into a movie, I hope they don't butcher it." Tayaw said sincerely. "Haha. That is true. In my years of working, I saw many writers, novelists, and comic book artists lose their shit because their works were made into terrible movies." Dexter nodded.

"By the way. Do you know anyone working at Sorrento Film Festival?" Tayaw asked, switching the topic. "Hmm? That's the first time a Teungebian asked about Sorrento. Are you interested in movies?" Dexter asked back. "Yeah. But the movies lately are all the same. Sports, Romance, Basketball, Love, Baseball, Love. Or… OR! Remakes." Tayaw said, priming another round of fishing.

"Hm? What's the problem with those? Sports is already wide enough of a genre. I especially love last year's 'Yellow Card'." Dexter defended the genre. "It's just. Don't you think they're all the same story? It's either an underdog team or athlete, gets a coach with weird methods, they succeed. The end." Tayaw said. "This… Aherm." Dexter has no answer.

"Romance. You have two people of very different characters, of differing outlooks in life. They spend some time together, learn more lovable things about each other, then they slowly fall in love. Then you introduce an obstacle to their love. A parent, an ex, or sometimes, existing relationsh.i.p.s. Then when they get through that, they live happily ever after." Tayaw's tirade continued. "That… Aherm.. If you put it that way." Dexter has no answer. Basically all of the romance movies he's ever liked were already covered by Tayaw's simple summary.

"I get that success stories are heartwarming. They sell, but they are slowly losing meaning if they follow the same formula. But imagine this. You've read 'The Halfling' right?" Tayaw asked. "Yeah?" "There would have been a movie made similar to that by now if film makers didn't stick to tradition. Imagine? A new world. A magical society. It's awesome." Tayaw concluded. Dexter cannot concentrate finding a reply because he's driving, but he's also thinking about Tayaw's words.

"By the way, heard anything from Sorrento this year?" Tayaw asked, finally fishing for information about 'September Ninth'. "Nope. At this point, only the jury knows." Dexter shrugged his shoulders. "That's a shame. Oh. We're in Okuba." Tayaw said after seeing the familiar fences surrounding the entrance of business part of the town.

"Oh. So this place is called Okuba. How did you end up to where I picked you up?" Dexter said, confused. "You know Tabila right? The town you passed by before you saw me? I drank with friends there last night." Tayaw lied. "I see. I don't see any houses here though?" Dexter said after looking around. "Yeah. This is the business part. There's another side-road going to where I live… here it is. I can walk home from here." Tayaw said after arriving at the opening of the road going to his neighborhood.

"Are you sure? You're barefoot!" Dexter said as he stopped his Jeep. "I'll be fine. It's well paved. The road also ends in my neighborhood so you have to drive back up again. The road is steep too, so I don't want your Jeep roaring, disturbing the sleeping neighbors." Tayaw said. "Haha. Alright. Nice meeting you Tayaw." Dexter said, tickled at Tayaw's way of talking.

"Thank you for the ride! I'll make sure to purchase some good Yaran products when I get the chance." Tayaw replied before getting out of the Jeep. "Then I hope that's a promise." Dexter yelled over from the inside of the car.

Dexter then watched Tayaw jog down the dark road until Tayaw disappeared into the darkness. *Sigh* Dexter sighed recalling Tayaw's tirade about the movies earlier. For so long, Dexter thought the movie industry was booming but as if Tayaw pulled a veil in front of his eyes, he realized that the movies are somehow getting repetitive, safe, and rotten.

"I mean. Luca said there's a movie gaining buzz among the juries this year. Something about revolutionary cinematography and acting. I hope it's good." Dexter said and he stepped on his accelerator to resume his drive. "Too bad, it's romance. I would have told the kid."