'Good luck with today's shift, dear," Tita Yonnie said while putting garlic fried rice and Vigan longganisa on m plate.
"Good morning, Tita. Thank you!" I replied, already eating a spoonful of rice.
"Don't forget to restore your dignity and snatch that trophy," said Tita Magda while sipping her tea.
"I definitely will, Tita. I just know, today will be a good day," I beamed, stabbing the flavorful longganisa with my fork.
.........
"Well, my day is starting to be not good," I grunted while trying to make my beat up old Honda Civic start.
"C'mon Maliksi, why do you have to do this to me, today? Can't you see we're trying to win this month?" I told my car.
"I'm not sure that car will respond to your pleas but a jeepney already stopped in front of the house. That will get you to the office," Tita Yonnie called from the gate.
"You're the best!" I ran as fast as I could and blew her a kiss. Knowing how fast jeepney drivers in our city drove, I won't be late to work for sure.
I arrived five minutes early. There's just one problem...
"Kuya, I'm really sorry but I only have a hundred-peso bill," I said, kicking myself mentally for not having any spare change with me at all times.
"You're my buena mano, hija. My first customer." He responded, a little irritated. That makes the two of us.
I can't give him the hundred-peso bill, that's my budget for the day. When I spotted the sari-sari store beside the office, I went there as fast as I can and called out, "Hello?"
Kuya Rex, a man in his 60s who owns the store came out with coffee in hand. "How can I help you, Zyla?" he asked.
"Do you happen to have change for a hundred-peso bill?" I asked, hopefull.
"It's too early dear, I haven't had any customers yet," he replied, apologetic.
"I don't have change but I have a twenty-peso bill," I hear someone say. One sentence and yet I already recognize that tone of voice that seems to always have mockery in it.
I looked up and there he was, in all his I-can't-be-bother-to-choose-clothes-so-I'm-gonna-wear-a-uniform-to-the-office aka a black Hanes shirt, pants and nice, expensive shoes ensemble.
"No thanks, I'm good," I replied just when the jeepney driver honked a few times.
"I think the driver says otherwise," he said, one eyebrow raised.
Ugh. I hate him.
Of all the days we could have bumped into each other early in the morning, it had to be today.
"It's fine. I can look for Kat inside." I replied, trying to sound dignified.
"But the twenty-peso is available here, with me. Do you have to let the poor driver wait?" he asked. He has a point.
Before I can even answer him, he was already handing out the bill. I was rooted to the spot and didn't know what to do.
He looked back, winked at me and retreated to the office saying, 'You owe my one, Zyla,"
I looked at the sky and suppressed a scream. This day was not supposed to start like this.
