“I’M AT THE LOBBY. I’m coming up,” Amading’s voice booms over the house phone. In a minute, he is at the door of our hotel room and I let him in. We embrace briefly, then he kisses Marla and Maya, who shyly offers her cheek like a proper young lady should. We have just arrived from Singapore, where I work for the Bank of America, for a couple of weeks’ home leave, and our bags are strewn all over the floor. Amading skips over them to join me in the sofa in the small anteroom.
Hindi mo naman nakausap ‘yung Elvie, ni hindi mo nakausap ang manedyer pagkatapos mong magpamasahe. “Nalalaman mo ba, Pare, na inaanak ko sa kasal iyang si Migs at si Juanita? Nagkakilala sila sa bahay ko. Si Juanita’y kamag-anak ng aking misis. Mag-ingat ka naman sana sa pagsasalita mo, Pare! Maaari kang makasira ng buhay na may buhay sa ginagawa mong iyan! Tatayo na ako at iiwanan na kita bago pa tayo mag-away, Pare. Tandaan mo na lamang ang aking payo!”