03 - Summer Magic

Max

HINDI na ma-pinta ang mukha ni Chris ng makabalik ako sa beach ng Crowne Plaza Hotel and Resort. Umalis ako sandali para ihatid si Summer sa kanila. She took out all the left overs we had order a while ago. She has a big appetite which was unexpected. With the kind of body she has, where all the food she ate go?

"Whose girl is this, Max? Ms. Monday, Ms. Tuesday, or maybe Ms. Saturday, the one who gave you a wild night." Chris said, flashing a teasing smile on his face.

That Ms. Saturday gave me wildest night ever for she vomit all over my Tesla, for Christ's sake! Pang-asar pa din sa akin iyon ni Chris dahil nanlumo ako talaga sa nangyari sa sasakyan ko. Hindi ko pa nga nakukuha iyon at itong Ford F-150 ang ginagamit ko araw-araw.

"This one is different, but we're not here to talk about that, Ricaforte. Let's talk about business now."

"The space is ready. I'm waiting for your equipment, appliances, and other things to arrive, and oh, by the way, my social media manager posted this online already."

The social media post is engaging yet mysterious. I click the comments and read them one by one. Some people there have an idea, while others are still clueless. Chris and I talked about the opening date, and this friend of mine suggested opening Elixir's door here in Crowne Plaza Hotel and Resort on the 4th of July. Masayang gathering iyon para sa mga Amerikano at mas masayang version iyon ng independence ng Pilipinas.

The meeting that Chris and I had ended before the sun set at eight 'o clock. Kanina ko pa pinag-iisipan kung dadaanan ko ba ang Elixir ngayong gabi. Claudel can handle everything there for I trained him well. Naiiwan ko na nga siya kapag na-byahe ako sa kabilang dako ng America.

"Nana, don't wait up. I'll be assisting Claudel tonight." sabi ko kay Nana Zeny ng tawagan ko siya habang nagmamaneho ako papuntang Elixir. Traffic is already given to this place, and while I'm stuck here I can't help myself but to think of Summer.

[Oh siya sige. Magla-lock na ako ng pinto, ha?]

"Make sure to double checked if you really locked it," bilin ko pa kasi madalas may nakakalimutan si Nana. I can sleep in Elixir tonight, and I'm sure Claudel already prepared that lounge where I can freely see Brooklyn Bridge. Alam niya ang hilig kong tumingin doon na parang may nakikita akong hindi kayang makita ng iba.

Pagkatapos ng tawag, binalikan ko ang pag-alala sa naging kwentuhan namin ni Summer kanina. How she tried her best to communicate with me in english? Her accent, everything about her is interesting. She's lively, funny, loud and very opinionated. Madami kaming inobserbahan mga tao kanina sa loob ng beach bar. Lahat ng hinala ni Summer sa bawat papasok sa pintuan ay tama. She has the best gay radar which is rare, I think.

"Boss, sakto ang dating mo. Set up na sila at maya-maya lang ay kakanta na," Claudel told me as we walk towards the private lounge upstairs. I've seen familiar faces at the crowd and at the entrance. They're all greeted as if we're really close. Si Chris lang ang kaibigan ko dito sa Brooklyn at masyadong mahabang istorya kung i-ku-kwento ko pa kung paano kami naging magkaibigan.

After several instrument testing, the band started to sing and entertained everyone. Elixir Rooftop and Lounge is a bar lounge that has a view of Brooklyn Heights. Maganda dito kung gabi dahil matatanaw ang paglubog ng araw at maging ang ilaw sa daan saka ng mga sasakyan. Claudel handed me my favorite scotch; I took a sip on it and focused my eyes on the band on stage. The song is the one I hummed in the shower a while ago. Bigla ko naalala iyong prediksyon ni Emerald. That I will meet someone will change my world.

"Max..." tawag na pumukaw sa akin. I felt a hand wrapping around my waist. It ruined the idea of being with Summer inside my head.

"Gen," I said, trying to break her hands wrapping around my waist. Si Gen o Genevieve ang tinutukoy ni Chris na si Ms. Saturday. The one who ruined my Tesla and gave me a wildest night ever. Bakit siya nandito? Napatingin ako kay Claudel bigla. Nakitaan ko ng pagtataka ang reaksyon na mayroon si Claudel ngayon. Hindi ba niya napansin ang guest list?

"I'm with a friend who's one of your VIP customers." I'm not listening because downstairs, I saw a familiar face. Kanina lang iniisip siya at nandito na nga siya.

"I see, but I have to go." Sinenyasan ko si Claudel na pigilan sa pagsunod sa akin si Gen. Na-trauma na ako sa kanya kaya hindi na mauulit. Nagtuloy-tuloy ako sa pagbaba ngunit naipit sa pagitan ng mga bisita na bumati sa akin. Then, I realized, I lost her. Damn!

***

"WHAT'S with the Brooklyn Bridge, and you keep on looking at it, boss?"

Tanong ni Claudel habang nakatingin din siya sa tulay na palagi kong tinigingnan tuwing umaga. Palagi niyang tanong iyon na hindi ko pa nasagot kahit na kailan. Nakaka-good mood lang talaga iyong itsura noon.

"I'll find the answer now," makahulugan kong sabi kay Claudel saka iniwan siya. I jog my way out of Elixir. Hindi na ako basta tatanaw lang dahil pwede naman mag-jogging sa Brooklyn Bridge Park. Pinasak ko sa magkabilang tainga ang airpod ko saka nagpatuloy sa pagtakbo. Tumatakbo din ako paminsan-minsan sa labas gaya ng ginagawa ko ngayon. There are chances that I'm not contented with my gym equipments at home.

The sirens wailing around.

New York City is a beautiful country, but it's loud and overpopulated. I stop from running when I reached the bridge. Huminga ako ng malalim saka saka sandaling pinikit ang mga mata ko bago dumilat. Sweat already covering my forehead. Half of my running shirt is soaking in labor, too.

"Kailan ba magiging tahimik itong lugar na 'to?" tanong na pumukaw sa akin.

It's a familiar voice I've been longing to hear for almost two weeks now. Higit dalawang linggo ko na siyang hinahanap kung saan-saan dito Brooklyn. I know where she lives, but I didn't dare to go there. Hinintay ko na magawi siya sa Elixir na binilin ko na din naman kay Claudel. Mas dapat ko yatang sabihin na hinayaan ko na magkita kami ulit sa hindi pilit na pagkakataon.

Gaya ngayon. She's standing not far from where I am, complaining how noisy the city is. Tama ako ng hula na pinay siya ngunit may halong ibang lahi dahil sa pula niyang buhok.

"This is how the city works, Summer." sabi ko na nagpalingon sa kanya. I smiled, and she did the same.

"Scam ka. Nakaka-intindi ka ng tagalog? Pinahirapan mo pa akong mag-english noong nakaraan tapos -- nagtatagalog ka ba?" Tumango ako bilang sagot. "Scammer."

"I forgot to tell you before we part ways, and I tried to follow you that night at my bar,"

"Ang daming tao kaya umalis na ako agad." aniya sa akin.

"Do you have a schedule or other commitments today?" Summer's eyes narrowed to the woman to whom she was talking before I called her attention. Ngumiti siya pagbaling sa akin ulit.

"Wala naman akong ibang lakad," sagot niya sa akin.

"Great. I'll change --"

"No need." Mabilis na sabi ni Summer. "Mabango ka pa din kahit pawisan,"

"What?"

"Wala. Kausap ko sarili ko. Ganito kasi ako kapag kinakabahan, kinakausap ko ang sarili ko parati."

Weird... but she's cute. I secretly shakes my head and finally invited her to walk around that place. Madaming food stalls kaming nadaanan pero doon sa sandwich stall siya nagpabili ng pagkain. Heavy eater itong si Summer at gusto ko na talagang itanong saan ba niya nilalagay ang mga pagkain.

"You said you're talking to yourself when nervous."

"Ah, oo, minsan gano'n ako na nakasanayan ko na din."

"Did I make you nervous?"

"H-hindi naman masyado. Wala kasi akong baong ingles kaya nakakatakot na kausapin ka. Buti na lang naiintindihan mo naman pala mga pinagsasabi ko."

She talks unceasingly. I smiled because of that.

"Hindi ka na nagsalita, huy!" pukaw niya sa akin saka inabot iyong order ko na clubhouse sandwich.

"I'm sorry I spaced out,"

"Gutom lang iyan o gandang-ganda ka lang sa akin."

"I choose the latter, then."

"Hala kuya marupok po ako..." Summer said as she walk first then I follow. "Don't mind me, assumera lang talaga ako madalas. Alam mo 'yon 'di ba?"

"Same as easy to get?"

"Hoy hindi! Grabe, hindi porke't kinakausap kita eh easy to get na. GGSS ka din, ano?"

"GGSS? What's that?"

I honestly don't understand those Pinoy slang words she uttered. I felt like an alien suddenly. Gaano na ba ako katagal na wala sa Pilipinas? Why I didn't know these words. Simpleng tagalog na lang yata talaga ang alam ko ngayon. Nana Zeny doesn't know that also and she's only person who taught me some of basic Pinoy words.

"Gwapong-gwapo sa sarili o pwede ding gandang-ganda sa sarili."

"So, you're GGSS, too."

"Maganda na talaga ako, mister. Gandang-ganda ka na nga diyan."

I chuckles softly then continue eating as we walk along the park. Hindi ko tinanggi pero hindi din ako sumagot. Sa isang wooden bench kami naupo noong mapagod at doon patuloy na nag-kwentuhan tungkol sa mga kung ano-anong bagay ulit. Summer is an entertaining conversionalist. There will be no dull and akward moment nor dead air in between. Kulang isang buong araw kapag kasama ko siya sa daming kwentong mayroon siya.

Right there, I realized it's not only destiny's game. It's so-called Summer Magic.

***