Feather (Self-Published)

CH 8: Nudum Pactum

Absentmindedly, I stepped inside the 24/7 convenience store fronting our office as I started calculating my wealth.

Hindi ko pa nagagalaw 'yung sahod ko n'ung nakaraan so kasama ang overtime pay ko less deductions, nasa around twenty-two thousand plus 'yun, 'tapos may laman na six thousand 'yung banko ko so twenty-eight thousand. 'Tapos 'yung alkansya ko sa closet...siguro may eight hundred 'yun—

"Good morning po!"

The cheerful greeting snapped me out of my thoughts and I looked up to find a young man smiling eagerly at me. "Welcome po!" he added.

Ito ba 'yung bago nilang hire? Bakit ngayon ko lang yata 'to nakita rito...?

"Si Janna?" I asked. I had befriended Janna who's the morning shift manager at the convenience store and I had planned to stay and chat with her to pass the time.

Para 'tsaka ka na lang umakyat kapag umuwi na 'yung boss mo.

"Naku, Ma'am, naka-leave po si Ma'am Janna hanggang Monday. Nagka-sore eyes po kasi s'ya."

"Ay, gan'un ba?"

"Opo. Pero, nandito po si Sir Rob. Gusto n'yo po bang tawagin ko po s'ya para s'ya na lang po ang kausapin n'yo?"

I shook my head. "Naku, hindi. It's not official business. Kaibigan ko kasi si Janna at may itatanong lang ako sana sa kanya."

"Ay, gan'un po ba? Tawagan n'yo na lang po s'ya sa phone n'ya, Ma'am."

I gave him a grateful smile. "Oo, 'yun na lang ang gagawin ko," I said before I headed towards the refrigerated display cases.

Magkano ang renta na ba ang sa boarding house kung sakaling mag-bo-board ako o kahit bed space lang? Nasa two thousand to two thousand five hundred yata then usually ay one month deposit, two months advance...so six thousand to seven thousand five hundred...then maghahanap akong trabaho—

"I-wa-warm po ba?" the cashier asked.

I did not even realize that I had picked up a sandwich and handed it to him. "Oo, 'tsaka kape 'yung large...saan pala ang Band-Aids n'yo?"

"Sa Aisle 3 po," he replied with a friendly smile.

The glass doors chimed to herald another customer. "Good morning po," the staff automatically greeted.

I went to get a pack of Band-Aids before going back to the cashier and realized to my horror that I did not bring money with me.

"Ma'am, one hundred thirty-seven po lahat—"

"Pwedeng balikan ko ang mga 'yan?" I asked smiling desperately and apologetically at him. "D'yan lang ako sa tapat nag-oopisina. Nakalimutan ko kasi 'yung wallet ko."

"Sige po, Ma'am—"

"Paulo," I heard someone say behind me. "Kapag maganda pwedeng hindi kaagad magbayad? Nasa rules ba natin 'yan?"

I turned around to find a tall man scowling at the cashier.

"Sir Rob kasi po—"

"No, it's not his fault," I butted in. "Kasalanan ko kasi nakalimutan ko 'yung wallet ko."

"But Paulo knows the store's policy."

"I'm really sorry kasi nakiusap ako sa kanya. Hindi ko naman kukunin 'yung mga pinamili ko, iiwan ko lang dito. But please don't scold Paulo, nagmagandang-loob lang s'ya. Babalik lang ako sa office ko saglit para kunin ang pitaka ko. I can leave my ID here—aww, hindi ko nga pala dala 'yung company ID ko."