Moments and memories.

Bridge.

Sino na naman kaya tong bagong salta sa office. Ang sungit, chaka ang sungit! Di mangiti! Feeling ko, dahil ang sungit ni boss, wala talagang tatagal sa kanya. O pinatapon lang to samin? Tinignan ko lang talaga sya, kasi mga taong ganito hindi dapat pinagtutuunan ng pansin. Pero ang concern ko, hahawak sya ng promoters eh, baka sungitan nya tong mga tao ko?

I am Bridgette Laxamana. Senior Accounts Manager ng isang sikat na mall. Medyo matagal na rin ako dito. Ilang tao na ang nakatrabaho ko. From promoters to co-account Managers, to store owners. Masaya naman sa work, feeling ko kasi dito ko nakikita yung fulfillment na hinahanap ko sa buhay ko. Actually, I'd like to say that this sort of proving myself apart from the shadow of my parents. We have our line of restaurants in Ilocos and I decided to live here in Manila to get away from the smell of Ilocos empanada and bagnet! Don't get me wrong, I am thankful for all the things that they are giving me. It is just that, I know I am more than their daughter. So kahit na sumama ang loob nila sakin at first, pinanindigan ko talaga! Feeling ko lang talaga malapit ang puso ko sa sales, sa mga tao. I am the eldest of three siblings. Sobrang malapit ako sa bunso namin na si Bella. Spoiled sakin yun eh, kay mama at papa hindi. Ang favorite kasi nila si Bea. At tanggap naman namin yun. (Kahit hindi aminin nila mama at papa.) I know it's odd, that I decided to live independently away from my family. Ang sarap nga ng buhay ko dun eh, pautos utos lang, ako ang boss! Pero may kulang kasi. Hinahanap ko yung missing piece ng buhay ko na pakiramdam ko wala sa Ilocos.

"Kuya, sino daw yang bago? Wala na si sir Cris? Siya ba yung kapalit?" I asked kuya Manny, isa sa mga pinakaclose kong promoters. "Yes Ma'am. Balita ko galing daw yan sa kabilang branch. Eh sabi ni bossing, mas kailangan sya dito kasi walang Assistant Manager dito diba? Kaya nilipat dito." Alam kong naririnig nya kaming naguusap. Pero sadyang anti-social siguro tong taong to, na walang paki sa paligid nya. Sana lang talaga wag sya ang iassign sa beverages kasi pag ganun wala akong choice but to be nice to him! Sige na nga lapitan ko na. Baka sabihin bastos ako. I slowly walked towards him. I saw him checking the stocks, patay malisya lang talaga si kuya. "Sir, hi! I'm Bridgette Laxamana, Account Manager for beverages. You're?" I offered my hand. Guess what? He looked at me from head to toe, and whispered "Louie." Ang tipid! I'd rather not talk to this guy, parang sayang oras. Anyway mukhang hindi naman kami magiging magkatrabaho na. I think enough nang alam ko pangalan nia, diba? I stepped back and continued to work. Ang hindi ko lang maintindihan, ano kayang binibilang nia don sa shelves, eh orientation pa lang naman nya today. Then another promoter approached me. "Ma'am Bridge, balita ko masungit daw talaga yan. Bali-balita don sa isang branch natin na mahigpit daw yan lalo sa mga promoters. Ni hindi nga daw ngumingiti yan." Kevin told me. "Ganon?! Hitler levels ba?" True enough, when some bottles were misplaced, medyo beastmode na sya. And so I said to the people near me "okay guys, please focus and prove to the new boss that he can be proud of you." And I got the energetic reply that I always get from them "yes ma'am kayang kaya!" This is what I love about my job. I treat people as my family. Especially now that I am away from home, these people brings me happiness and inspiration to work harder. Especially when nahihit namin yung target tapos lahat kami may incentive? Sobrang rewarding on my end to see them happy na may iuuwi sila sa mga pamilya nila. Another promoter approached me. "Ma'am masungit talaga. Pinaglalagyan ng labels yung mga racks, kasi kelangan daw may tags na yun. Baka napabayaan daw." Wait what? Those are my racks. As far as I know hindi napabayaan yun. Uubusin nito pasensya ko. Pero sige, dahil first day nya, I will try my best to be nice. Smile Bridgette, today might be a bad day, but it's not a bad life.