"May problema ba?" Nanay Amelia asked Miguel as he walked toward the gate of the marina. She was slightly surprised to see him there on a Thursday. Miguel usually spent Sundays at the marina, hanging out on his yacht.
Miguel shook his head. He leaned against the railing and stared into the dark water. Nanay Amelia went back to what she was doing, too. "Ang gaganda naman ng mga ito" Nanay Amelia said, which made Miguel look back at her.
"Kumain na po kayo?" Miguel asked the old woman.
"Hindi pa nga e. Kanina ko pa inaantay si Andres. Pinapuntahan sya ni Sir Randy kanina, may sira daw yung makina nung yate nila."
"Nagugutom na kasi ako. Dun tayo sa restaurant ko."
"Ay! Hindi ako tatanggi dyan!" Nanay Amelia got up on her feet and tried fixing her ponytail. "Ano nga ba ang pagkain dun sa restawran mo?"
"Iba-iba po. May kanin-ulam, may noodles. Pwede ring ipagpalit yung kanin sa noodles. Ano ba ang gusto nyo kanin?" Miguel asked as they walked toward the restaurant. He had mentioned about his restaurant to Nanay Amelia but this was the first time he invited her.
Nanay Amelia and Tatay Andres were the caretakers of the marina. When Miguel was young, he met the old couple who had just moved to this part of town after Tatay Andres found work as a mechanic at the quay. Miguel would often go to the marina because it was where Papa Chito, his grandfather, docked his yacht. Back then, he would see Tatay Andres more. When he inherited the yacht after his Dad Angelo, passed away, Nanay Amelia started working alongside Tatay Andres at the marina, hired by the marina's owner, Capt. Jesse.
"Mainit na sabaw." Nanay Amelia said.
"Anong klase? Meron kaming lomi, mami, nilaga, sinigang..." Miguel said as he and Nanay Amelia sat at one corner of the restaurant.
"Meron ba kayong sopas?"
"Chicken sopas?" Miguel replied, looking up from the menu. "Idadagdag ko pa lang sa menu."
"Ah, ganun ba? Yung sotanghon nalang."
Miguel called on one waiter and said, "Two chicken sopas. Pao's recipe."
"Sabi mo wala pa sa menu."
"Wala pa nga po. Kahapon ko lang po kasi naisip na idagdag sa menu." Miguel explained. "Masarap po yung sopas na luto ni Pao, yung assistant ko. Simple lang ang sahog."
Nanay Amelia nodded. "Yan kasi ang paborito ng apo kong si Neneng."
"Ah talaga? Ako rin po. Pero ayoko nung may hotdog. Kadalasan kasi, yung mga binebentang sopas, may hotdog."
"Naku! Ganun din ang apo kong si Neneng. Ang mahal naman kasi ng hotdog. Kung may sobra akong pera minsan, bibili ako ng dalawang hotdog para kay Neneng at Nonoy. Paborito nilang iulam yun sa kanin."
