Too Complex for Simple Love

Ophie Shouldn't be Poor!

                 "So tell us about yourself Ms. Salvador." Bago pa ko makasagot sa interviewer biglang may pumasok na matandang lalake, somewhere around his 70s and wearing a thousand dollar Valentino suit with a fedora and carrying a gold plated cane. Kung hindi palang yun nagsabi na this is a powerful man, the interviewer calling him Chairman removed all doubt. 

 "Thank you so much gentlemen, but you can leave the interview of Ms. Ophelia Aphrodite L. Salvador to me. " Sabi nung chairman with a heavy accent. To me, it sounded Russian. Nabalisa, umalis yung tatlong interviewer ko sa office at iniwan ako kasama yung chairman. Anong kaguluhan ang nangyayari?! Bakit ako kilala ng chairman?! Nakakaloka!

"First of all, let me tell you how much of an honor it is to be talking to you po!" Not that I knew who he was, pero sa mga sitwasyong tulad nito, pambobola nalang talaga ang magagawa mo.

Nagtitgan lang kami ng chairman ng ilang segundo, nagbabasahan kung ano yung iniisip nung isa. "The honor is all my mine, can I call you Ophelia?" Sabi nung matanda matapos niya husgahan buong pagkatao ko.

"Just Ophie is fine po." 

"Well Ophie, can you tell me what got you interested in applying to be a flight stewardess in Midas Airlines?"

"Of course!" Bigla ako nabulol. "I am the seventh child of a poor family and by becoming a flight stewardess I can finally be able to pay for my father's medication and take him to one last flight po. He is a retired pilot and it would mean the world to him to see his youngest daughter take an interest in the thing that he loved doing most in this world."

Tumawa ng tahimik yung matanda. "Let's cut the bullshit hija. Let me be frank with you, with your height barely even meeting the required standards and your degree not even being on Hospitality but on Entrepreneurship, you have no chance of becoming a flight attendant in our company." Wow naman lolo harsh masyado?! "But I came here to give you one chance, just one, of having a better job. Now, tell me honestly, why did you come here?" 

Huminga ako ng malalim. Prankahan pala ha?

"I wasn't completely honest. Although dating piloto si Papa it wasn't what he loved most, it was piano and for some reason in my when I was still a child. he quit being a pilot to pursue it full time. And suddenly our whole lives changed, my luxurious lifestyle and our big house was replaced by a cramped 4-bedroom apartment shared by eight people. Sinasabi nila na sobrang mahal daw kami ni papa na handa siyang isuko yung marangyang buhay niya pero nung ginawa niya yun, pati kami nadamay din. I see absolutely no point in what he did. I deserve more, and kung di mabigay ni papa then fine, I'll earn it for myself. He used to work in this airline, and I thought why not start my comeback in the same place." Linabas ko ang hininga ko medyo hiningal. Parang nagovershare yata ako pero wala talaga akong magawa sa penetrating gaze ng matanda.

"Finally, you're saying what's on your mind Ophie. Alam ko na hindi madali sabihin lahat yun, society tends to look at those who pursue money as shallow o di kaya greedy. Ang hipokrito isipin kasi hindi ba't lahat naman tayo naghahabol ng pera. There is absolutely nothing wrong with desire. And I can see you have big ambitions for yourself."

"Syempre naman po. I'm a 21st century independent woman. Yayaman ako sa sarili kong gawa."

Tumawa ulit ng marahan yung matanda. "You're confident but do you have the skills to back it up?"

Nagsmile ako confidently. "Of course."

"Well in that case, I'm writing you a cheque for five hundred thousand pesos. Before giving you the job gusto ko ipakita mo sa akin yung galing mo. You can spend it however you like, buy yourself new shoes, go to fancy restaurants, kahit ano. However, kung di mo sakin mabalik to with interest by next week...let's just say you'll have to find other ways to pay your debt. How about it? Will you take my offer?" Tumindig ang balahibo ko sa huling sinabi ng matanda. Pay my debt in other ways? Bumilis ang pagtibok ng puso ko, kalahating milyon, abot kamay ko lang.