I sent the following email to my boss…
I showed it to my Hindu colleague and said, “Orlee, that is so smart. I’ll definitely do this on Diwali.”
Because we still have not found a box to put the Christmas decorations, everything is wherever they are since last month.
One houseguest asked, “Wow! Ano ‘to? Christmas Forever?”
“Gagawin kong Turkey Casserole ang tira nating handang turkey,” Ronald said.
“Aaaahhhhhh lechong paksiw,” one of us asked.
“Turkey Casserole! Mas sosyal,” he screamed.
“Sige nga,” one of us tried to challenge him, “Spell casserole…”
” Umm…. Sige na nga lechong paksiw na lang.”
“Huwag ka nang malungkot, Orlee,” Zinnia told me before she went home to Manila.
“Ang lungkot kaya nun! Wala akong kausap na Pinoy dito sa office tapos Pasko pa! Shet! Homesick!” I told her.
“Huwag kang mag-alala. Uuwian kita ng Starbucks Planner.”
After a week or two…
“Orlee! Nag-e-LBM na ako sa Toffeenut Frapuccino ‘di pa kumpleto ang stickers! Lagi kaming nasa Starbucks para makuha ang planner. May two weeks pa ako.”
Being the sadistic friend that I am, I told her “Z! Wala kang choice, pangako mo ‘yan. Hehe.”
Something spiral.
That’s what we have agreed for our monito-monita back in my BDO Dasmarinas days (2007).
I was supposed to give Shiela, one of the Marketing Staff, a spiral fluorescent bulb. Realizing that the Department Store has ran out of stock, I’ve decided to give her a regular bulb.
She was clueless who gave it to her and asked, “BUMBILYA!?!? Paano naman to naging spiral?”
All of the people from the branch tried to hold the bulb and asked themselves what was spiral about it – they have agreed that the screw of the bulb is the ‘something spiral’.
During the reveal, she told me, “Orlee! Pundido ‘yung binigay mong bumbilya!”
Paano di mapupundi eh pinag-pasapashan na ang ilaw?
Since Susan and Anthony needed to attend the 12 MN Christmas mass in St. Mary’s, they requested, “Pwede bang agahan natin ang Exchange Gift?”
I told her, “So… Makikikain lang talaga kayo, mag-e-exchange gift at aalis na? KAPAL!”
“Sige na!?” Susan pleaded.
“Paano kung ‘yung regalo ko ang makuha mo? Malaki ‘yun!”
“Sana huwag naman!” she crossed her fingers.
Of course that didn’t happen. Aside from Susan ending up with the largest gift, Anthony got the second largest package.
Everybody was laughing hysterically imagined Susan and Anthony standing in church holding such big gifts.
“Iwan na lang namin? Balikan namin bukas?” and they did.
Merry Christmas!
Last July, when I went home to the Philippines, I was trying to surprise at least one person: Karol, my college friend and chorale-mate (she had no facebook back then so she was not able to read my announcements).
When people from Chorale asked if Karol knew, I would tell them online, “Huwag nyo sabihin kay Karol kasi surprise sana ‘yun.”
When I arrived in Cavite, I immediately went to church that weekend. Heck! I didn’t plan it well because she was there.
“Anong ginagawa mo dito!?” she was shocked at my unannounced arrival.
“Surprise sana kita pero nandito ka pala. Pupuntahan kasi sana kita sa school,” I answered. Surprise: spoiled.
“Nakakaasar ka! Di ka nagsasabi!” She screamed but she was excited.
“Basta text na lang kita ha?”
“Sige.”
Unfortunately for me, I wasn’t able to get her number so when it was time to visit her in DLSU-Dasmarinas, she teaches English Literature there, I took my chances whether she was there or not. Sana nandun sya.
Well, luck didn’t go in my favor as she was not there. I was able to see some of our friends though: Ms. Joy Parohinog, our former CAO (Cultural Arts Office) coordinator, and the 15th batch of the DLSU-D Chorale (I belonged to Batch 4 so you could just imagine how ‘old’ I felt).
Ms. Joy told me, “Naku nasa kabilang school sya ngayon nagtuturo. Rogationist school. T-Th s’ya dun.”
“Oo nga pala,” I suddenly remembered, “Dun nga pala s’ya pag Huwebes.”
I was due to fly out the next weekend so that was the last chance to see her.
In the Airport Gate before my flight, I was trying to consume off my Philippine mobile load by calling and texting people that I’ll be leave behind. While browsing thru the names in my contact details, I saw Karol’s number. It was there all this time! I called her, “Karol?”
“Orlee?”
“Sorry-sorry! Aalis na ako ngayon.”
“Ha?!”
“Nasa airport na ako.”
“Ah ganun?”
“Sorry talaga.”
“Sige ok lang.”
“Bawi ako next time.
“Sige.”
We left it at that. But I know Karol too much and I know she was crossed.
I kept it low for the next few months: No message. She finally signed up for facebook but it took months before she added me. Ethel, our friend, told me, “Galit pa rin s’ya sa’yo, Orlee.”
“Kelan kaya ako mag-so-sorry?”
“Try mo sa Pasko.”
December 24-
Karol: Hello?
Orlee: Sorry na. Patawarin mo na ako.
Karol: Who’s this?
Orlee: Si Orlee. Merry Christmas…
Karol: Hay naku! Oh bakit ka tumawag!?
Orlee: Babati lang ng Merry Christmas at alam ko naman wala akong magiging valid na kahit anong explanation kaya di na lang ako mag-e-explain.”
Karol: Buti alam mo!
Orlee: Merry Christmas. Patawarin na sana ako ng busilak mong puso.
Karol: Oo! Busilak talaga ang puso ko. Leche!
She then explained some scenarios that would eventually added to her anger for a no-show Orlee.
Ms. Joy: Oy! Dumaan si Orlee! Nagkita kayo?
Karol: Hindi!
Ms. Joy: Kakamustahin ka sana eh.
Karol: Huwag ka nang magsalita pa Mam Joy.
Ferson (a chorale-mate): Hey! Susurpresahin ka raw ni Orlee, eh. Kamusta ‘yun?
Karol: Huwag na nating pag-usapan please!
Coralyn (Chorale-mate): Umuwi raw si Orlee? Super close kayo nun ‘di ba? Ano pasalubong sa’yo?
Karol: Wala!
Karol: Ate! Sino nag-add kay Orlee sa Facebook ko!?
Emerald (her sister): Ako. Nakita ko kasi naka pending eh. In-add ko na.
Karol: Pakialamera ka talaga! Di ko nga in-a-accept eh!
Emerald: Si Orlee ‘yun ‘di ba?
Karol: Pakialamera!
After we laughed about her supposed snob, Karol indeed had a pure heart for forgiving me. I didn’t promise a “Next time I go home,” because I knew she won’t buy it anymore.
Karol: Bahala ka sa buhay mo!
Orlee: I miss you.
Karol: Ewan!
Orlee: Merry Christmas.
Karol: Merry Christmas din.
Before we close the Christmas Season. Today is the last day of Christmas (Three Kings). Let me summarize the funny pictures I found on the web relating to our favorite time of the year.
“I’m so gonna do this whenever possible.”
Minimalist Nativity
Origami Christmas Ball (with Instruction)
Until next year! Merry Christmas everyone! Ho! Ho! Ho!
Speaking of Ho! Ho! Ho! One more picture (not necessarily related to Christmas) but you’ll get it.
All pictures came from this site.
As much as possible, anyone who’s taking Medicine or Law doesn’t want to preempt any thing as to not humiliate themselves in the future.
Well Rommel forgot that Arlyn was still taking law… not yet a lawyer.
Seeing her gift, Arlyn uttered, “Nakakapressure naman! Kakayurin ko muna yung ATTY.”
