#TheEngineer: Yatto, Ai Mashita!

Describe your first date:

We ate breakfast at 1:30 AM with my mom as the third wheel.

These are all personal recollections so please bear with me as I write down the things that has happened in this UK Spring Bank Holiday.

When he suggested that we can meet before he goes to his license renewal, I took the chance. We were both in Batangas and I don't have extra leaves. I was excited with the pasalubongs and to see him.

Monday morning, he called me saying he's on his way... Mama stopped in her steps and realized, 

"Anak, naiihi ako, ninenerbyos ako." 

He called again saying he's a few blocks away, and when I saw his car, I was calm. It was like meeting an old friend you have never met after a long while.

I was sleepy and hungry. Hunger won at the moment he offered a place to eat. Too shy to ask and tell the stories of the weekend, Mama became the conversation starter. She and the Engineer walked down the memory lane of the City, of how the roads were used to be, how was his flight home, his college years, and some tidbits of the family life. Also, they have the region as the common ground: the Ala-eh-kabayan-bias. 

I was the dayo, so I listened to their convos, nuances of the pronunciation included.

Tapsilog, Longsilog and Miki-bihon are our breakfast. The bihon is Mama's order, to which she said to us, "I think finally, we learn to share a meal." Be it an elder blessing or not, I expressed my grace outloud thanking the food, the souvenirs and the gift of company. I was grateful that he was with us, ready to help. 

We talked of his plans for the day, as Mama talked of hers. Then he opened up about the plans of our trip and made disclosures to Mama of what has happened that made the change. #SaysaysaSaigon

The Bihon was shared and half of it was spared, placed as a takeaway and we soldiered on. He offered the ride to Balagtas Terminal and check if there are buses available. When cousin Cora says that there are no buses and the crowd keeps on increasing, I became frantic and said that the crowd would take at least 4 buses to subside. He then offered another ride to Lipa Grand Terminal, before he goes on his way to LTO. After all, we still have time he said. 

Most of the moments on the road are filled with my sleepiness, FM music, and Mama telling family anecdotes, including my backpacking escapades. 

Other kotse kronicles include:

1. Gardening, to which he randomly asked: How would one know a fertile soil?

2. Mindoro itinerary, him gasping: 11, andami!

AND

3. Addtl Bus logistics 

Engineer: You can take a Jeep from Lipa to Calamba if all else fails

Ella: Goodie, UPLB as the last stop. Mama we can actually call for help from (ex-turned-friend)

Mama: Naku anak, hindi pinangangalandakan ang dating suki sa bagong suki *Talking about an ex to a potential is Taboo* 

He whispered, "I kept wondering at the analogy of the context." and I whispered back "You're the Batangueño and I am the reader, we both exactly know what she's saying." and I said "Yes, mama. I'm sorry."

When we saw the Lipa Terminal and I was a bit sad that we are ending our short meeting, I said my thanks and my goodbyes. It was unceremonial, I think? No hugs, no PDAs. I was that old friend that said "Be careful and see you!" as I made my exit from the shotgun role.

How the morning sun warms up your skin, feeling the gentle breeze as you are about to start the morning jog -- that's how I felt about meeting him after a year of long chats with passive replies, of days filled with one answered call in the course of a year. 

I prayed to God of grace and of feeling auspicious on the day we met again.