MESTISANG BUMBAY

February 2007, Summer Class, 

it was during  my first semester of Graduate Study 

when this middle-eastern looking guy walked in the room,

wearing a reggae-colored polo shirt, and jeans on flipflops. 

Cool! 

Foreigner? 

Nagta-tagalog kaya siya?

“Tito Mano nga po”  (ah, Pinoy)

Uncle-in-law pala niya si Joseph, 

ang seatmate ko at unang barkada sa graduate school. 

Joseph introduced us and we hit it off as friends since that day.

I save him a seat every class. He always find a way to see me 

during yosi breaks and lunch kapag na-late siya ng pasok.

I must admit may “spark” na noon, but I did not entertain it 

because he’s way too young than me, he call me “Momeh” actually,

and the fact that I was blindly in-love with another guy and

he was dating several girls at that time.

Madalas siyang tumatawag sa landline para makipag-kwentuhan ng

Kung-ano-ano lang. Minsan halata naman na yung tinatanong walang

Kabagay-bagay, obvious na nagpapa-cute lang (hahahhahaha!)

Kaya minsan pinagtataguan ko na siya, and nahalata na din pala niya yun.

Few months after, we were hired by the same institution.

Ironic kasi kung kailan kami magkasama na sa trabaho,

we barely talk and find time to be together.

Siguro nga dahil may kanya-kanya kaming “pinagkaka-abalahan”

and the fact that may awkward moments na kami dahil nga dun

sa “spark”. To even pushed him away, I tried to arrange blind dates

for him to some girl friends and a cousin of mine and for some unknown

reason laging hindi natutuloy.

To cut the story short, we get to become close again July of 2009. 

Nasa isang bangka kami - sugatan, talunan at nangangailangan

ng kalinga at atensyon. Both we’re crying over spilled milk. 

Our friendship was renewed.

Since then mas lalo kaming naging close.

Sa kanya ako humuhugot ng lakas at ganon din siya sa akin.

We get to know each other better- 

likes, dislikes,strengths and weaknesses.

Our similar values and beliefs. And that same

incredible faith in God that made our friendship even stronger.

At dahil doon, yung ‘spark” naging “flame”.  And sabi nga, the rest is history.

Nag “level up” man kami, we never lose touch of that friendship.

May mga araw na we go out and eat and talk like the good old days

na as if bestfriends lang kami. We can sit for long hours just by talking

and laughing, and it helps especially when we have petty fights. 

“Anong problema?”

“Bakit ganito?” 

“Meh may tanong ako?”

“Yan, may sasabihin ako?”

“Ang point kasi ganito?”

“May problema ba?”

“Sa tingin ko mali yung ginawa mo”

When I talk he listens, when He talks, I listen. 

He made me cry, I made him cry. 

We both sometimes cry and laugh at the same time

then giggle with our foolishness afterwards.

I guess it’s true when they say that

Friendship is a good foundation for a lasting relationship.

Sa ngayon madaming plano , pangarap pero walang pressure

sa isat-isa. We try to enjoy whatever we have right now.

I think mas napi-pressure pa ang barkada dahil sa dami ng

suggestions nila sa amin, isa na doon yung gusto na daw

nilang makakita ng “mestisang bumbay” hahaha

The relationship may or may not last 

but I know whatever happens

our friendship will go a long, long way….

.