Two weeks ago....on a rainy Saturday morning
Richard James "RJ" Faulkerson
''It's good to be back', that's how RJ felt after 5 long months in the mountains of Mindoro doing volunteer work for various Mangyan communities as part of his research project and as consultant for a government agency.
A confirmed pluviophile, it even seems like the heaven sent a welcome party for him when it started drizzling very early in the morning, the sound of which, actually woke him up.
Now sitting by the window, watching the leaves get washed by the steady flow of raindrops, RJ, can't help but remember the happy memories of his childhood in this ancestral house where he now lives with his sister, brother-in-law and niece.
And his lola of course - his memories will not be complete without his Lola Gloria who has become his tower of strength since the tragic death of his parents.
Truth be told, he could have chosen to live independently in a condo unit much like how people of his age would choose, but no, this is the home he would always go back to. This room that had been his sanctuary through good times and bad, the silent witness to his journey to adulthood and the realities of life.
RJ brought back his attention to the view outside his window. There's really something soothing at the sound of raindrops meeting the different textures and shapes of leaves and plants in the garden, then eventually falling on the ground to join the other raindrops.
He was so absorbed in his thoughts that he didn't hear the soft footsteps until a wrinkled hand gently tapped his shoulder. "Hindi ka pa rin nagbabago Ricardo, paborito mo pa rin yang puwestong yan tuwing umuulan...."
"Lola!" Immediately getting down from the window sill, RJ wrapped his arms around the seemingly frail yet strong body of this dear old lady.
"Welcome home, apo! I missed you!"
RJ fondly looked at the face that has aged gracefully, and gave his grandmother another hug. "Na-miss din kita Lola. Sobra!"
Wiping her eyes of unshed tears, "Ako nga'y huwag mong pinaglololoko Ricardo Jaime, meron bang nakakamiss na 2 beses lang sa isang buwan kung tumawag. Limang buwan ka doon, ilang tawag lang yon? Sampu Ricardo, sampu!" She sat down on the bed, looking sternly at her grandson.
Scratching his head, "Lola naman! Hayaan nyo pag napasok na ng Smart at Globe yung kabundukan ng Mindoro, araw araw ko po kayo tatawagan. Wait, patingin nga ulit ng one and only ko! Bakit po parang mas bumabata yata kayo?" RJ continued the loving banter with his grandmother.
"O siya, siya, tama na ang bola. I relly missed you Ricardo. Sana naman bawas-bawasan mo na ang mga pamumundok mo. Paano ako magkakaapo sa iyo? Ikaw na nga lang ang natitirang magdadala ng apelyido natin."
"Ay grabe siya! Apo po agad Lola? Puwede po bang girlfriend muna? Pero malay n'yo po may magiging apo ka na pala na Mangyan?" He said innocently. The look of surprise was very evident on her face that RJ cannot help but burst into laughter.
"Joke lang Lola! Gutom lang 'tong apo mo. At alam nyo po ang kukumpleto sa umaga ko?"
"E di ano pa kundi ang paborito mong champorado at tuyo pag ganitong maulan. Sige mag-ayos ka na at kung hindi eh mauubusan ka ng mga kasama mo." she said, smiling, obviously referring to RJ's companions waiting downstairs.
"Ay sorry naman Lola, tulog na po kayo kagabi nung dumating kami, hindi ko na po naipagpaalam na dito muna matutulog sina Kuya Jose."
"Para namang ibang tao ang dalawang yun, eh sa kanila nga lang ako nakikibalita tungkol sa yo. O siya, baba ka na at pinigilan ko lang si Anna na umakyat dito. Yang pamangkin mo talaga, loyal na loyal sa yo. Sumunod ka na ha?"
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Nicole Maine "Meng" Mendoza
Another pluviophile is enjoying the same view on the other side of the Metro - the rain going pitter-patter on her window on this rainy Saturday morning. Meng or Menggay, as she is fondly called, will not get tired of this sight, especially in the morning.
Even as a child, while other kids have fits because they're not allowed to play outside in the rain, she can just happily sit all day and watch the raindrops make their way to the leaves of the trees then continue their journey to the pavement.
She loves the smell of wet leaves and the smell of moisture in the air, if there is such as thing. Does rain have smell? Aaah such a profound question - Ikaw lang makakaisip niyan Meng.
She's actually at her most peaceful state of mind when it's raining. A true blooded pluviophile right here.
The heavens must have heard her after another restless night of tossing and turning. Oh how she wished at this moment that she's a child again - no worries, no big decisions to make except what to eat and what game to play on a rainy day.
Now, as a grownup, it has become more complicated. Paano magdecide? She knows she needs to decide in two weeks - and if ever, this will b the biggest decision she'll ever make in her life. Haay, puwede bang ulan na lang ako?
Ano na Menggay? Ano desisyon mo? Wait ....wait... sandali lang..... - Ulan? Hindi nga??? It's the SIGN I asked for last night!
Hindi n'yo naitatanong, mahilig ako sa sign. If I'm confused, then i usually ask for a sign. You might ask - sign para sa ano this time? Of course ang aking walang kamatayang options A&B. I believe that life sometimes is just a big objective exam... multiple choice: A,B,C,D, or E - none of the above. That's where signs come in, I always associate a sign to a letter of choice.
Balik tayo sa usapan. Now for the sign that I asked for? Ganito yon, pag umulan, then it's option A (go for a week break of peace and quiet so I can decide), if it doesn't rain, then it's option B (go with my gut feel, whatever it is). It's still summer so technically, what are the chances that it will rain, make sense?
That was my last thought before I finally slept early this morning. Eh umulan, so it's option A - one week break? Yun na yun? Hmmm... carry kaya? Payagan kaya ako?
Okay I'm officially calling this Operation Peace and Quiet. Uy ang galing OPQ - magkakasunod na letters of the alphabet, it's really a sign. Wala na naloloko na yata ako.-------"
"O ano sinagot ka na ba?" Meng's thoughts were distracted by a voice across the room.
"Nino?" she answered absent-mindedly.
"Ng ulan, ano pa? Kanina mo pa tinititigan, baka nga kinakausap mo na eh, spaced out ka na naman. Ayan oh, nangingiti ka pa. Okay ka lang?"
"Ay kuya Poch, ikaw pala! Good morning!"
Now, armed with her new resolve, she greeted him excitedly and with renewed energy while rubbing her palms together. "So what's our schedule for today?"
Kuya Poch, or Paolo for others, is Meng's first cousin who now lives with her family and is her constant companion in all her showbiz activities, sort of her PA.
"Teka hindi ka nilalagnat? Ganyan talaga epekto ng ulan sa 'yo? Teh, ngayon na lang kita nakitang ganyan ka-excited. Promise! Sana umulan na lang araw-araw no?"
He continued talking while Meng made up her bed. Force of habit, kahit may helper sila sa bahay, siya pa rin nagliligpit ng higaan niya - one of the things that Meng does to remind herself that she's still Menggay and not Chef Elize, the celebrity chef host. She remains to be humble, one of the factors that has endeared her to the public.
When there was noresponse from her, Paolo continued talking. "Okay, schedule ba kamo? Cover shoot this morning with interview for Gourmet magazine, then taping n'yo ni Ryzza for the season finale week and then we're done! At siya nga pala, the staff of Unang Hirit called. They're asking for an interview for the season ender of Cooking with Chef E. and Ryzza."
"Okay, I'm fine with it, please tell kuya Manny to agree to Unang Hirit interview BUT it has to be next week na." Kuya Manny is Meng's Manager - a family friend that her parents trusted to handle her career.
"Hindi ka talaga nilalagnat? Ang bilis ng oo mo ah. Okay ka lang talaga? Magsa-sign ka na rin ba for the new season of the show with Ryzza? Because my girl, you've been delaying that decision for two weeks now. Nakakahiya na sa TAPE. Hindi nila alam kung mag-rereprogram o hahanap ng bagong co-host."
"Nagpa-follow up na ba sila?"
"Sinabi mo pa. Hep! Hindi pa ko tapos. Lubusin na natin ha! Yung teleserye na ino-offer sa 'yo ng GMA kasama ang dating crush mo, tatanggapin mo ba? Aba, ang tagal ng nasa 'yo yung script. Biruin mo one of the leads ka agad! Ang haba ng buhok mo, girl! Abot dito oh!"
"I know, right?" she answered in aresigned voice but with a question on her face. Everything is happening toofast.
"Wait, wait, kilala ko yang tingin na yan - may question mark! Pinag-iisipan mo pa rin ba hanggang ngayon? Baka naman may sagot ka na, please sabihin mo na and put your Manager out of his misery. At para alam ko na rin kung hihimatayin ang beauty ko o iiyak ako sa inis. Meng, what is happening to you?"
Hearing the litany from her cousin, Meng realized how difficult she has been to deal with lately "Ano ka ba Kuya Poch, ganon ba ko naging ka-grumpy in the last few weeks?
"Ay hindi naman! Very very light lang, parang ano lang, just-going-to-the-motion feels, ganon! So anong nabago ngayong umaga?"
Meng walked over to the window and continued watching the rain outside. More decided than ever, she faced her cousin with her new found determination. "Secret! Don't worry I will decide soon. Diba I'm reading pa the script? Basta si nanay at tatay ang unang dapat makaalam. But guess what! I got the sign I was asking for last night!"
She walked back to her bedside table and got her phone and began checking her social media accounts. She's in the mood today to tweet and post.
"Alam mo mas kinakabahan ako pag may ganyang may mga sign-sign ka na naman. Tigilan mo na yang kabaliwan na yan! Lord, I need coffee! O hawak mo na naman phone mo - agang tweet na naman yan! Mag-ayos ka na at bumaba, nag-iintay na sila tito at tita."
@chef_elize
"Do nothing, and nothing happens. Life is about decisions. You either make them or they're made for you, but you can't avoid them." - Mhairi McFarlane, You Had Me At Hello
6:30AM - 16 April 2016
after a few minutes...Raffy Faulkerson-Yap retweeted @chef_elize's tweet