a man who loves

9:30 pm.

I was sitting at the front seat of the jeep.

"ate, may nakaupo na ba?" a man asked me. He was a little drunk. I could smell him and he smelled bad. ugh.

"wala po." I answered nonchalantly.

"ah okay. ate, anong oras na ba? antagal naman. dapat pumapasada na yung jeep kasi gabi na." he kept on talking to me. I tried my best not to ignore him. I nodded then he sat beside me.

"ate, wag kang maiilang ah. mabait naman ako. hindi naman ako masamang tao. pero naiintindihan naman kita kung maiilang ka. may fiesta nga pala sa Balara kanina. kasama ka ba?" he asked me again.

"hindi eh. taga-Marikina ako and magastos ang fiesta."

"ah ganun ba. pauwi na kasi ako sa asawa ko. bibisitahin ko muna sila. haay. grabe. ang gulo-gulo sa bahay. ayaw kasi nila mama sa asawa ko."

I could feel the sadness in his voice so I just talked to him instead.

"eh bakit ayaw ng parents mo sa asawa mo?" I was starting to get interested in his story.

"eh kasi may pera sila mama at papa. eh yung asawa ko mahirap lang. b...