the following entry is quite personal, and i would appreciate it if you don't read it...please don't read it. thanks.
it's been quite a while since we heard from our dad. we last talked to him last september (on his birthday)...we've been emailing him but he doesn't reply to any of them...we aren't even sure if he gets em. anyway, our phone just got fixed yesterday, and just a few hours ago, surprise! my dad called. i was the one who picked up...
me: hello?
dad: hello? is this jimmy?
me: PAPA!!!! no, it me jax.
(was supposed to greet hime and ask him how he was doing, but he cut me short...)
dad: aya! i've been trying to contact your cellphones but i can't get through! i called you, ate, kuya, nothing worked!
me: uh...maybe you had problems connecting through the local network...maybe you...
dad: then tell your government that's bullshit! what's the use if the fucking thing doesn't work? i've sore fingers trying to get through!
me: uhh...
dad: where's ate?
stupid me: uh she's in singapore right now...
dad: singapore?!! what the hell is she doing there?
an even more stupid me: she's with tita fely, they're looking for a school for allan (my cousin mother's side) for college...
(after saying it, i felt like homer...doh!)
dad: that's none of her fucking business!!! (my dad has this ancient feud with my tita's husband)
a kinda getting scared and starting to panic me: she went with coz the ticket was free. (this kinda turned out wrong coz it seemed like she tagged along just because my tita paid for the ticket...when what i meant was their tickets, all of em were complimentary tickets from timberland)
dad: what's her plan after graduation?
a clueless me: i'm not sure, what i know is that she's gonna review for the bar exams this summer...
dad: aya...(his frustrated tone seemed to say that she's taking too long in a career that will lead her nowhere. my dad disapproves of her taking up law, and prefers she go with him to china to work there...my sister refuses...thus the great divide...)
an anxious to give someone else the phone me: uhh...i really don't know e...she didn't tell me anything naman...
dad: is mama there?
me: (i never thought i'd say this, but i was glad to let go of the phone. at last!) for a while...MAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!
then my mom ran from the kitchen excited to hear from dad, not knowing he's not exactly in a christmas spirit...my mom answered the phone excited and smiling...they talked...they argued...they yelled....and my mom put down the phone without saying goodbye...or merry christmas for that matter...now even my mom was upset...dammit.
we had a quiet dinner. my mom tried to keep the mood light, so did i and my kid sister as if nothing happened. no tears were shed or any of that drama, but i knew emotions were hurt and the unexpected phonecall has done its damage. our day was ruined. i was expecting more of a christmassy phone call with all the greeting, the love, and all that season cheer. but not a single word relating to the season was uttered by anyone. sigh...i just hope this doesn't go on until christmas eve. hope t doesn't spoil the rest of the holidays...
merry christmas everyone.