STRINGS (UNDER REVISION)

Introduction

The man didn't say a word for a couple of seconds and just kept on staring at her. He seemed quite amused by her sudden outburst about the parking space that he couldn't find the right words to say.

"Excuse me, Mr?"

"Right." he gestured for his driver to pull the car away. "Sorry for that." said he before leaving.

Her rage grew bigger when she saw him entered the music store.

"Meeting my ass." she mumbled as she followed him inside. If stare could only kill, that Mr. would have been long dead, she thought.

She went to the guitar section and looked around to find the exact same guitar of her son.

"Asan na ba 'yon."

On the third aisle, she finally saw the guitar she was looking, but on the hand of the same Mr that she had encounteed outside the store.

"Miss!" She called the store personnel who passed by. "I'll get that same guitar the man over there is holding."

"Ayon po? Naku, sorry, Ma'am. Last piece na po yon. Nabankrupt po kasi yong kumpanya na gumagawa niyan. Yon na po ang last."

"Ano? Eh kukunin niya ba? Kung hindi ako na bibili."

"Eh bibilhin niya daw po eh. Sorry po."

"I'll pay double. Just sell it to me, please."

"Sorry po talaga, Ma'am. Try niyo na lang po kausapin si Sir."

She had no choice. Swallowing all her pride, she went to the Mr, crossing her fingers that he would let her buy it instead.

"Excuse me?"

The man turned to her.

"Pasensya na don sa nangyari sa labas kanina."

"I thought we're okay already?" he asked.

"Of course. Please don't get me wrong. I'm here to ask you something different."

"Ano yon?"

"That guitar. Can you sell it to me?"

The man scoffed. "First the parking and now the guitar?"

"I know. It's a bit awkward but I really need that guitar."

"Why?"

"I told you. I have to go to my son's show. He's supposed to play guitar pero nasira yong gitara niya. In fact, he broke it because he was upset that his Dad couldn't go. He didn't want to go but somehow I convinced him." She sighed, running her fingers on her hair frustratingly. "I don't know why I'm explaining it to you now, but I promised him, I'll get him the same guitar."

All throughout her babbling, the man just kept on staring at her.

"Do you really need that guitar? Are you satisfied with my explanation now?" she asked that brought him back to his senses.

"Maybe too much. The guitar is yours."

She was taken a back by his response but nonetheless she felt releived.

"Talaga? Thank you." She got the guitar from him and went to the cashier to pay.

"No need to pack it. Here." she handed her card to the cashier just as her phone rang. Her sister was calling her.

"Hello?"

"Asan ka na?"

"Papunta na. Okay lang ba si Red?"

"He is. Bilisan mo na baka di ka umabot."

"I know. Okay. See you in a bit."

"Excuse me, Ma'am. Your card isn't working."