Food and transportation

Food choices varied from inexpensive to modest. There were food courts at corporate towers that carried many international cuisines.

I opted for the more pragmatic food vendors near the office.

Fondly called Jolly Jeeps, my favorite was the one owned by an old Chinese man near the second Seven-Eleven from our building. The specialties were sinigang na maya-maya sa miso on Tuesdays and Thursdays, kare-kare on Wednesdays, and kaldereta on Fridays. I would usually get the specials.

I would eat a big breakfast at home, lunch at the office, and a sandwich after I alighted the EDSA train on the way home. The next meal after 6PM would be the next morning's breakfast.

Transportation had already been discussed.

The only further elaboration would be the car service I took to bring me to the office after I alighted the EDSA train in the morning. Presently, that would be between Hechanova's red Toyota Corolla, and Marvin's cyan Sentra.

Hechanova and Marvin had been at odds for quite some time since I had known them. I did not know the origins. Only their opinions of each other which they frequently shared with me.

Hechanova said that Marvin was a devil and a junkie with a brain fried by too much drugs.

Marvin said that Hechanova was a severe case of bad breath that not even the police could stand.

I didn't really care who drove me to the office. Hechanova's car was cooler and cleaner. Marvin's was less so, but he did drive like a demon and in the end got me sooner to where I needed to go. That mattered more to me.

From Buendia to any point in Salcedo Village is fifty pesos. It was just that in the mornings, I wanted my car service.

I didn't want to drive, I didn't want to pay for gas and parking. Neither did I want to move from Quezon City to Makati City.

Slowing down

The week was less hectic.

We waited on Seattle.

The design team was enjoying the newly-equipped pantry, which now sported a microwave, refrigerator, and a set of dining tables and chairs.

Visible activities centered around finding Sarah's replacement. She would be leaving for Dubai. I talked a lot to the design team about our business and how each of them had roles and responsibilities, explaining things as if I knew them all my life.

Wednesday.

The second round of interviews for Sarah's vacancy introduced an irregular crowd traffic at reception. I took a peak and found Dugmor there, whom Ava didn't recognize.

I invited Dugmor in and we talked shop while he waited for Kelly and Sarah to finish. His trademark dreadlocks drew the attention of the designers, they had no idea who he was.

I asked him why he was leaving and Dugmor told me he didn't want to stay in Manila.

There was just too much traffic and pollution.

View from the smokers lounge 

Sarah and Lea 

Gino and Lucas 

Lucas and Mark 

Ava 

Aris 

Lucas, Lia, and Carol. Don't bother zooming, my cam is a first-gen 1.x megapix. 

VJ 

Seattle Comes To Manila

Tuesday.

I left the house earlier to get to the office by 730AM. Carol, Lia, and Lucas arrived the evening before, and were staying at the Shang.

The Flip team had mixed feelings of excitement, fear, wracked nerves, and awe. When we all finally met and the anonymity of the instant messaging that had gone on for the past months had vanished, a week of intense events followed.

But it all seemed just like one long day that lasted 96 hours.

The team was clearly in shock. Lucas was finally here, and he was about to mentor them in the flesh.

Wednesday.

Lucas and I were so busy working, I missed checking my mail. Carol asked me to tell Lia that Jeff convinced her to have her hair done, but the message was over 3 hours old at least. By the time I told Lia, Carol was already back and walking through the door. Her hair was so stunning.

After work, I took Lucas shopping. He wanted to bring home some presents for his wife Leslie, and get some barongs. He also got a barrel man, an abanico that transformed into a parasol, a refrigerator magnet ornamented with a tricycle, a penis ashtray, and a naked-girl back scratcher.

Don't even ask what those were.

Then we hung out and had some beers at Hard Rock. His wife, in his wallet photo, was pretty. I hadn't met Leslie, but it was absolute she was loved immeasurably by Lucas.

Thursday.

I asked my sister in California where Sybil went to shop for ladies' bags. She said that Sybil went to Greenhills and didn't find any good ones, but did find great bargains at Harrison Plaza. So that was how I arrived at the idea where to take Lia and Carol.

Just to explain, Sybil was a club diva music artist my sister Lucy brought to Manila to perform for Ayala Malls. Sybil wanted to bring home some dazzler bags, if you know what I mean.

So more work and more mentoring. Carol couldn't join us to go to Harrison, she wasn't in the mood to go shopping. So I just took Lia and Lucas. Ryan wanted to go with me and Lucas for some movie discs, but I guess he couldn't wait and went with Ava and company to Greenhills earlier. Between bargaining and talking, I was always on the lookout. Lucas had brought with him his expensive camera, eye candy for thieves.

Then we went to Kelly's place, where I met Andy for the fist time. He was with the Frog.

Lucas got Carol a cellular phone strap. French fashion designer Louis Vuitton didn't make cellular phone straps, but apparently he unknowingly designed a few for the Philippines. Carol, upon cursory examination of her handheld, promptly informed present company of the need for some drill holes so the said Philippine-exclusive may be made known to the American public upon her return.

Off we walked to Dencio's for the corporate dinner party. Everybody was there, except Frog mascot Ramoncito. Later I reprimanded him, with punishment being he must consume massive amounts of alcohol immediately that night by himself, or else face my wrath.

I was so exhausted. I still wanted to stay, spend time with Carol. She was so busy with the Frog, we never had enough time to talk the way we do when we instant messaged in the past.

Just a couple of beers and a tequila put me away. I bailed out early just before 10PM, and I escorted Lia back to the Shang.

Friday.

The morning was tranquil.

I could swear I could hear people's heads ringing.

Hangovers.

At noon, Lucas arrived wearing his blue barong. Short sleeved. Kelly told me to end the work day early, but the design team was so engrossed with their session with Lucas that we ended up extending.

After that I took Lucas to see old downtown Manila. Carol and Lia wanted to come, but I asked them not to. They both looked so kidnappable I would've gone crazy, with my head spinning like an owl, watching out for crooks who would nab them. I asked Lucas to leave his camera, watch, and all of his jewelry at the Shang.

On to Arranque, the DVD mecca. Riding the commuter train, people were staring at the tattoos on Lucas' forearms and hands. On his fingers were spelled "tough love," a tribute to his mother.

Our business was what it was.

Ironic, but clearly Lucas respected and loved women.

Lucas got some more movies, and he took lots of pictures with a disposeable Kodak camera. The lady who was selling abortion juice at the door of Quiapo church asked me to tell Lucas to please send her an American.

Back at the Shang, he told Lia that he was glad Carol and Lia didn't join him. He said to Lia that what I showed him made him really appreciate what he had.

I must've bid Lia farewell several times. She was watching He-Man on cable, and I could feel she missed her family so much. Lia was so far away and I knew how it felt.

Carol gave me a jersey from Seattle that I so knew the team would ask why I and only I had one, and Lucas gave me a matching shirt, with matching same sentiments to be echoed by the design team, no need to confirm that.

Time for goodbyes.

I refused to accept the cab fare, Lucas said he would be offended if I didn't take it.

I took it and gave all of it to the cab driver who brought me home.

Red, together with Gino, replaced Miver and Jeff. 

Gino 

Typical morning

Carol was on the bus in Seattle, exchanging messages with me as I sat on my desk in Manila. There was a guy beside her, whom she thought was cute. We had been working together for the past couple of weeks or so, trying to streamline operations for the different companies we were bridging from opposite sides of the earth.

The designers were sending me links to their ongoing tasks, I had to review them and send my comments back to them and Carol.

Then I remembered to fetch a picture from my computer at home. A picture of my family, the Sunday we spent at Subic a couple of weekends ago. I updated my blog and wrote a bit while at the office and work wasn't so hectic.

The morning train ride was getting easier. I had a developed a routine. Ride back to the North train station, take the emergency exit to the other side of the boarding ramp headed South. Getting on board wasn't so much of a battle anymore.

I liked going to work.

I could go on and tell why, but I have to do exactly that right now.

Work.