Into the Woods

Chapter 23

Hindi ako mapakali sa nakuha kong flyers. This is an answered prayer! Si Meg naman, naweweirduhan na siguro sa akin dahil panay ang ngiti ko.

"Can you stop smirking? You're giving me the creeps!" Meg said.

"Grabe ka naman Meg! Mabuti nga at nakakangiti na ako. Pagbigyan mo na ako." Then, I resumed my reading.

Hinablot niya bigla yung flyers sa akin. "Ano bang kahibangan ito, Drew!!! An opening for a flower shop assistant? Are you dead serious?! Eto ang ikinatutuwa mo kanina pa? Hay naku, just take a cab. Nag-aaksaya lang ako ng gas sa iyo!"

Meg bursted my bubble of joy. Ang sakit din niya minsan magsalita. Bigla ko tuloy na-miss si Nate. Kung siya ang kasama ko ngayon, pagtatawanan lang namin ito. "If you're listening a while ago, I told you gusto ko ng simpleng trabaho lang. This is perfect! Biruin mo, itong papel ang kusang lumapit sa akin. Wala man lang nag-abot. Lumipad papunta sa kahon ko."

Hindi na nagsalita si Meg at sinamahan na din niya ako sa flower shop. Halos ilang minuto lang ang layo from my previous office.

Bloomsfield Flower Shop at 8th Avenue. Mukhang sosyal na flower shop pala ito. Hindi yung na-iimagine kong walang aircon and nasa side street. Pero kahit nga na ganun ito if ever, papatulan ko pa din. Ayoko ng makaabala pa ng tuluyan kay Meg kaya nagpasalamat ako at pinauna ko na siya. Hindi man lang nagpapigil ang magaling kong kaibigan.

I pressed the doorbell. A kind old lady answered the door.

"Good afternoon po. Uhm, I saw your flyers. Is the flower shop assistant position still vacant?" I asked.

"Good afternoon din. Halika, pumasok ka at sa loob tayo mag-usap." Nakangiti niyang sagot. Pumasok ako at tumingin-tingin sa paligid.

Maganda ang flower shop. Kahit na may kaliitan, malinis at maayos ang lugar. Ang gaganda din ng flower arrangements. Pumunta kami sa office sa bandang likod ng shop.

"Tamang-tama. Sakto ang pagdating niyong dalawa. I'm Mrs. Eva Hudson. The owner of this shop. As you can see, hindi na kaya ng lola ninyo ang lahat ng trabaho dito." Napatawa siya at nagpatuloy. "I have only one assistant, however, she'll be giving birth in two weeks. Kaya nag-resign na siya. Okay lang ba sabay na ang interview ninyo?"

Napatingin ako sa kaharap ko. Mukhang suplado! I think he's in mid twenties, with a wavy brown hair and matching pair of brown eyes. Hindi man lang umiimik kaya ako na lang ang nag-initiate na magsalita.

"Okay lang po sa akin, Mrs. Hudson. How about you?" Tinanong ko ung guy in front of me.

"I guess so." He answered. Ayos ah. I guess so? Bahala ka nga.

"Good! I'll start with you. Can you state your full name, previous employer, previous position, how you find out about our opening and expectations." Mrs. Hudson smiled at me.

Hala! Bigla akong kinabahan ah. Here goes nothing. "I'm Alexandrite Ruiz. You may call me Drew. I'm a previous Sr. Marketing Officer at Villavicencio's Group of Companies. I found out about this opening by accident, through flyers which just appeared out of nowhere. Honestly, I'm looking forward for a fun working environment and meeting new people."

"Very well said, Drew. I don't mean to pry but I'm curious. You already have a very promising position at one of the largest companies here in our country. Yet, you choose a much lower position as well as the pay?" Mrs. Hudson asked.

"Let's just say, I got tired and I want a simple life." Less talk, less mistakes, I thought.

"Okay. Thank you again, Drew. Ikaw hijo? Same questions." Nakangiting sabi ni Mrs. Hudson.