The Awkward Meet Up: When Ms Sungit Meets Mr Hambog #Wattys2016

Chapter Nine

Lumipas ang ilang araw na hindi nagpakita sa akin si Mr Ian. Pagdating ko ay nakapasok na siya agad sa office ni Mr Mark. Pagpaalis na ako, nauna na siya na makauwi. Lagi lang siyang nasa loob ng opisina ng kanyang tatay. Lumalabas lang para kumain o mag cr pero bukod dun wala na. Ang mode of communication namin, sticky notes. Nagpapadala lang siya ng sticky notes para makipagusap. Who in the right mind will do that?

Napupuno na ang office ko ng sticky notes na pinapadala niya.

1st sticky notes...

"Ms Summer, please hand me the files I need to check as discussed in your previous meetings. I need to catch up. Thank you."

2nd sticky notes...

"Ms Summer, please check the highlighted. Thank you"

3rd sticky notes...

"Ms Summer, have you seen my note on the last file you have given me?"

4th sticky notes...

"Ms Summer, I will be leaving early today. Thank you for your help."

5th sticky notes...

"Ms Summer, thank you for the foot notes written on the file. Its a great help..."

6th sticky notes...

"I'm lost with this procedure... Please send someone to explain further."

7th sticky notes...

"I won't be able to attend the meeting Ms Summer, just send me the minutes of the meeting. Thank you"

8th sticky notes...
9th sticky notes...
10th sticky notes...
11th sticky notes...
12th sticky notes...
13th sticky notes...
14th sticky notes...
15th sticky notes...

And so on and so forth...

Weeks of unending messages on sticky notes. After our last confrontation, ilang linggong na na walang pagkikita at walang usapan bukod sa mga sticky notes na pinahahatid niya sa secretary ng tatay niya.
Hindi pa ulit kami nakakapagusap ng harapan simula nun.

Pag tinitignan ko ang mga sticky notes, napapansin ko agad na talagang pinanindigan niya pa din ang pagtawag niya sa akin ng Summer. Kahit na isa yan sa naging dahilan ng pikunan namin. Sa isang banda, naisip ko din na palampasin na lang, di naman nakakasakit ang pagtawag niya sa akin ng pangalan na iyon. Isa lang itong maliit na bagay na pinalaki ko dahil sa inis at galit ko sa kanya.

Sa totoo lang, mabigat sa pakiramdam pag alam mong may taong umiiwas sayo dahil nasaktan mo o nabastos mo. Kung tutuusin, hindi lang naman ako ang dapat naguguilty dapat siya din! Siya naman talaga ang nauna, sa restaurant palang pinagtripan na niya ako, sa restaurant palang nilait na niya ako at sa restaurant palang binastos niya na ako. In return, naging ganun din ako sa kanya. So samin dalawa, di ba dapat siya ang magpakumbaba? Pero anu nga ba ang aasahan ko sa isang taong arogante na katulad niya. Dapat nga masaya ako na hindi kami nagkikita para walang away o inisan na maganap. This set up is healthy for the both of us but not for the team. Every once in a while a member of the team meets with him to assist him, and at some point the whole planning, organizing and strategizing of the team is being put on hold to make sure he is on the same page, to make sure he agrees and to check his approval for everything which can be done immediately if he attends the meeting regularly. But he doesn't, hindi ko alam kung dahil napahiya siya sa ginawa niya nung nakaraan o napahiya siya dahil sa ginawa ko.

It was already 1:00pm.
I was sitting all alone in the conference room with all the layouts, blueprints and plans laying in the long table. It was all a mess. I was checking each papers when another sticky note was handed to me.

"Ms Summer, please send me the final draft of the strategic plan for the upcoming month of July. Thank you."

I rolled my eyes and took the file to photocopy it. The secretary was waited for me to give her the files.

"Its okay, I will give the file myself"

She sweetly smiled. "Okay lang po Ms Cath, he specifically asked me to wait for the file and bring the file myself."

I walked towards the table and took a pack of sticky notes in my bag. Oh crap! A heart shaped sticky notes. Naghanap ako ng iba pa sa bag ko. Baka meron akong natatabi sa ilalim ng bag o kaya naman ay sa likod. Wala! Great! A heart sticky note. Just wonderful.

"May sticky notes kapa?" I asked Sara.

"Wala po nasa office po eh."  Magalang niyang sagot habang umiiling. "Okay naman po yan. Cute..."

I just smiled at her and started writing.

"Mr Ian please wait for the files. I will bring it my self."  I handed the sticky notes to Sara and continued photocopying the files. She instantly went out bringing not the files but the sticky note.

As soon as I finished photocopying and organizing the files in a folder, I went straight to the office. The door was closed. I knocked a few times and opened the door. The room was empty! This is just great.

I went to Sara's small office beside Mr Mark's which Mr Ian is currently using.

"Ms Sara, nasan po?"

She stood up and met me at the doorway. "Naku Ma'am magkakape daw po."

Is this guy kidding me? Alam niyang papunta ako, tska nagkape?

"Paki lagay nalang daw po sa table niya yung files."

I smiled and walked away. I entered Mr Mark's office again. Ilalapag ko na sana ang files sa mesa ng may nakita ulit akong sticky notes.

"Thank you for bringing the files Ms Summer"

"Lagay mo nalang dito sa table"

Clearly, ang pagbili niya ng kape ay sinadya para di kami magkita. This is not right. This is not being civil, this is being stupid. This is not being professional this is being silly.