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Monday, June 27, 2011

Part V – The Tragedy (In Filipino "Tagalog" dialect)


Inikot ni Steph ang buong paligid, hangang-hanga sya sa ganda ng view... Maya-maya ay inaatake sya ng pangungulila sa mga magulang. Mag-iisang taon narin nyang hindi nakikita ang papa at mama nya.  Kahit madalas naman ang pagtawag ng kanyang ina ay hindi parin nya mapigil ang kanyang sarili na mamiss sila ng husto.  Gustuhin man nyang umuwi sa kanila ngunit alam nyang hindi pa ito napapanahon.

Hindi nakapagpigil si Steph ng makalapit syang muli sa harap ng pool. Dinampot nya ang kanyang telepono at nireturn call ang numero ni Damon na hindi pa niya nasesave sa kanyang phonebook.
“Missed me so fast sweetheart?”..malambing na sagot ng binata.
“Damon, matatagalan ka ba dyan?”
“Now that’s the second time, bakit ba sa telepono mo lang binabanggit ang pangalan ko”
“Sagutin mo nalang kaya ang tanong ko”...
“Im so sorry princess, as much as I want to decline the invitation, pero this meeting is so important to me, mahirap palampasin. But I’ll try to be back as soon as I can alright”...apologetic na tono ni Damon.
“It’s ok, take your time”....may ngiting nabuo sa mukha ni Steph na tila my binabalak na kalokohan.

Dumeretso sya sa 3rd floor, pumasok sa guest room at ng palit ng swimwear...Di na nya napigilan ang sariling magswimming dahil talaga namang nakakabighani ang infinity pool sa ibaba. Balak nya lang lumangoy ng kahit 30mins lang pagkatapos ay magbibihis din sya bago pa makabalik si Damon. Aba akalain mo ba namang puro 2 piece pa ang binili ng binata, pinili nalang nya ang kulay pula na halter ang design ng pang itaas. Hindi sya sanay mag suot ng 2 piece dahil pang swimming competition madalas ang sinusuot nya. But since she had decided to give in to the temptation of the pool, she wouldn’t mind wearing a sexy swimsuit at all.. She then put on a robe and went down straight to the pool.

Malacañang Palace

It was an appointment he couldn’t say no to indeed. The president himself invited him to discuss his preferences on a particular brand of car.  Naisip nyang paunlakan ang imbetasyon ng pangulo ngunit wala syang balak magtagal dito.  He couldn’t wait to go back to Stephanie. Si Steph... si Steph na ubod ng baduy kung pumorma, si Steph na nakasalamin at wagwag ang buhok. Bakit nga ba sa dinami-daming babae sa paligid, mga babaing nababagay sa kanyang estado sa buhay, ay si Stephanie pa ang pinili ng kanyang puso... Oh my,...he couldn’t believe what he was thinking.  Did he really fell in love with such a girl? Naisip nya ang kanyang mga magulang, at kapatid.  Sasang-ayon kaya sila sa kanya?.... Damon, Damon. You have to control yourself and weigh things first... Is she worth it?.You would risk your reputation just to be with this girl...Frankly, he didn’t want to think about it yet. I will deal with it later, for now, I need to focus on closing a deal with Mr. President.  Matapos ang mahigit isang oras na pag-uusap nila ng pangulo, Damon bid a courteous goodbye to the president at dali-dali na itong sumakay sa kanyang sasakyan.
Halos paliparin ni Damon ang kanyang sasakyan.  He couldn’t wait to see her again.  While he was talking to the president awhile ago, he already had everything planned.  Tonight, he would make things straight and settled with Steph. She would become officially his girlfriend, hindi lang dahil sa pustahan. He would tell her how much he had fallen for her. They would spend the week end knowing each other. Tonight, he wouldn’t hold back from kissing her, he would make sure that she’d ask for him to do so.  Yes, she would be worth everything.

Sobrang bilis ng mga pangyayari, hindi na napansin ni Damon ang papalapit na 10-wheeler truck.  Nahagip and kanyang sasakyan causing it to turn turtle and slam into an electric post.

Nasa operating room pa si Damon ng makarating si Stephanie sa hospital. Her mind still couldn’t believe what had just happened. She couldn’t understand why things should have to go wrong.
Habang nasa pool sya kanina lang ay napagdesisyunan nyang wag nang pigilin ang kanyang nararamdaman. She would tell Damon how she truly feels about him. How she has fallen so deeply inlove with him. Kung mag iba man si Damon ay atleast aalis sya sa bahay na yun na maluwag ang pakiramdam.
Nakabihis na sya nang biglang tumatakbong lumapit si nanay Belen sa kanya.  “Ma’am, si sir po naaksidente!”.

She was shocked, her head spinned but she managed to keep her knees straight.  Dali-dali syang nagbihis at nagpahatid sa driver papunta sa hospital kung saan dinala si Damon. She couldn’t help her tears from falling, how could this happen.

She was shaking in disbelief. She prayed, begged, even bargained with God, “Lord please ako nalang, not him”.
Nang makarating si Steph sa Hospital ay kinausap sya ng doctor.
“Are you a relative of Mr. Samuel?” tanong ng doctor.
“No doctor, I’m just a friend, how is he doing?”
“Mr. Samuel suffered multiple injuries in his lower extremities, he was unconscious pagdating dito so we are also suspecting head trauma.  We still have to do MRI to see if there is a need for us to do head surgery.”
Napaluha si Stephanie.
“Right now his chance of survival is still uncertain, but we are doing everything we can to save him.”

Inabot ng walong oras ang operasyon ni Damon. He suffered multiple fractures on both his lower extremities and a blunt abdominal trauma. He only had minor head injury that’s why they didn’t have to perform head surgery.
When Damon was brought to the ICU, he was on ventilator and attached to different gadgets including a cardiac monitor.  Halos madurog and puso ni Steph sa kanyang nakita.  He was still unconscious.  He had multiple abrasions on his face and arms.  His legs are wrapped with an elastic bandage.  How she wanted to run to him but the nurses told her to better let the patient rest first.  And so she waited, nakaligtaan nya na ang oras.  Hindi nya alam kung gaano sya katagal naidlip na naka upo ng gisingin sya ng nurse.
“Ma’am, gising na po si sir”
Dali-dali syang tumayo at tumungo kay Damon.  Naluluha syang nakatingin sa binata.
“Hey.” Matamlay na banggit ni Damon
“Shhhh, you don’t need to speak yet, I’m so happy you’re awake but you need to rest, magpalakas ka.”
Muling pumikit ang mga mata ni Damon.  Hinawakan ni Steph ang kanyang mga kamay.
“Damon.” She kissed one of his palms and placed it on her cheek.
“I love you.” Pag-amin ni Steph.
Napangiti si Damon na nakapikit, tuluyan na itong nakatulog muli.

She knew she was dreaming.  Damon was hugging her from the back, kissing her hair.  She was holding his hands wrapped around her. Everything was so peaceful and perfect.
“Hija?...hija...”
Napalundag si Steph ng biglang my tumapik sa kanyang balikat. Isang babae, malamang ay nasa late 40’s na, maganda at napakadesente ng suot.
“Ikaw ba si Stephanie? Nabanggit ni Manang Belen na ikaw raw ang kauna-unahang sumugod dito.  I suppose you’re a friend of my son” Tanong ni Doña Miranda, ang ina ni Damon.
“I’m Damon’s mother hija, we are very thankful for you being here for our son, kararating lang namin galing Switzerland.” Dagdag pa nito.
“Good morning po ma’am, ikinalulungkot ko po ang nangyari” nakayukong sagot ni Steph.
Bakas sa mga mata ni Doña Mira ang matinding pag-aalala sa anak, hindi ito umimik.
Maya-maya ay muli itong nagsalita, “You look so tired hija, I think you need to rest, sabi ng nurse nandito ka lang buong gabi.  Pwede kang magpahatid sa driver, or should you want to stay for a while, my private suite kami sa may west wing ng building, you can sleep there, hija.”
“Salamat po ma’am, Malapit lang naman po ang tinitirahan ko dito, uuwi nalang po muna ako”
“Ok, thank you so much Stephanie”
Tumayo na si Steph, sumilip sa my glass window, Damon was still asleep.  Samantala, kausap naman ng mga magulang ni Damon ang kanyang doctor.  Doon nya napansin and isang lalaking marahil ay nasa mid 50’s na ang edad.  Hindi maipagkakaila na ito ang ama ni Damon dahil kuhangkuha nito ang kanyang mga mata at ilong.  Litaw na litaw parin ang kagwapuhan ng kanyang ama.

Tumuloy si Stephanie palabas, sumakay sya ng taxi pauwi at doon nagpatuloy ang kanyang pag-iyak sa kanyang kama hanggang sa makatulog sya sa sobrang pagod.

Alas sais na ng Linggo ng makagising si Stephanie. Hindi nya nakuhang magbihis at kumain ng hapunan pagdating nya galing ng hospital. Dali-dali syang bumangon, naligo, nagbihis at sumubo ng konteng almusal.  Tumungo syang muli sa hospital para kumustahin ang kalagayan ni Damon.  Wala na syang paki-alam sa sasabihin ng magulang nito, bahala na, she needs to know he’s ok.
“Nurse, I would like to visit Mr. Samuel”, paalam nito sa my nurse station.
“I’m very sorry ma’am but Mr. Samuel was airlifted to the States early this morning, but his secretary is right over there” Turo ng nurse sa isang babaeng my kausap sa telepono sa my di kalayuan sa kanila.

Habang naglalakad sya palapit ay di nya maiwasang humanga sa kagandahan ng babae, naka corporate attire at nakalugay ang hanggang baywang nitong buhok.
“Hello, I’m a friend of Damon, nandito ako kahapon”, tanong ni Steph ng humarap ang babae sa kanya.
“Hi, you must be Stephanie, I’m Sally, his PA and secretary.” Nakipagkamay si Sally sa kanya.
“Damon, wanted to see you before they left for San Diego.  He asked me to call you but we didn’t have anyone to ask your number from, dina kase narecover yong mga gamit nya sa sasakyan, including his phone cause his car was totally wrecked.  So I kind of lingered here for a while hoping you’d show up and here you are.  Damon said that he would just be gone for a while and that he would come back for you once he has fully recovered.” Malungkot na sabi ni Sally
“His parents decided to airlift him to the states because Damon had to undergo a very delicate spinal surgery, they found out last night from the MRI result that he had a spinal cord injury.  Nasa California ang isang hospital na highly specialized for this kind of operation, so they didn’t waste time, they wanted the operation done immediately since time is of the essence.” Dagdag ni Sally.
Hindi nakasagot si Steph, walang boses na tila mailabas ang kanyang bibig.  Tumango na lamang sya.
“Thank you for being so kind in waiting for me”, pagpapasalamat nya.
“No problem, I made a promise to deliver that message to you, and I’m glad I did.” Pormal na sagot ni Sally.
“Tutuloy na ako Sally.” Matapos tumango ay tumalikod na sya at naglakad palabas ng hospital.. Mainit ang panahon but she felt like shaking.  Would he be ok?... Would she see him again?... Would he really come back for her?

Napakarami nyang tanong na tila dasal sa kanyang isipan ng biglang nagring ang kanyang cellphone.
“Stephanie, anak?” nasa kabilang linya ang kanyang mama.
“Mama?” tuluyan ng tumulong muli ang kanyang mga luha.
“Anak, you need to come home right away, your dad is seriously ill”
Tila biglang nagtakipsilim ang paligid ni Stephanie, hindi nya alam ang isasagot sa ina, magkahalong lungkot at pag-aalala ang kanyang nararamdaman. Parang napakasikip ng paligid at nahihirapan syang huminga.
“Anak?” nag-aalalang tanong ng kanyang mama.
“Yes mama, I will be in Davao asap”..Tulirong sagot ni Steph.
“ Ok anak, you take care alright, Juaquin and Chito will accompany you.”
“Thank you mama, you take care to”
Umuwi si Steph, dali-daling nag-impake at tumungo ng airport.  Habang nasa taxi sya ay napakalalim ng kanyang iniisip.  “Goodbye Damon, I’ll  see you again, I promise.”pangako nito habang nakatingin sa langit.


Sunday, June 26, 2011

Trunk Locker Got Style!!!


A fellow blogger Don Smith of Geezer Says just recently gave me my first ever blogging award, the "Stylish blogger Award".  I'm truly honored and humbled to be chosen as one of whom he believed to be a stylish blogger... haha.  If old geezer sayz so, then there's nothing I can do but to believe in his sense of style... Thank you, Don, I truly believed you deserve it too...

So, as accepting this award comes with great responsibility :)... now for the rules...
_________________________________________

Thank and link back to the person who sent you the award.
Share seven things about you.
Spread the love and honor. Award 7 recently discovered bloggers. Contact those bloggers and tell them about the award.
_________________________________________

Lets start, 7 things about me. Here goes:
1. First and foremost, I always thank Yahweh for the most important thing in life... my belief, family, relationship, health, nature and his intervention and continuous guidance in my life.
2. I'm a nature-lover... I love the gentle rain and sun... I love plants and planting various kinds of them, I love aquarium fishes especially swordtails, I love eating our homegrown fruits, I love the forests, swimming in the rivers and the seas...
3. I believed that respect is earned and not forced.  It's not gained through fear nor power.  People who think that they can have respect by enforcing it to others or due to their position are just fooling themselves.  Respect is not just uttered words, it's a feeling towards your fellowman.
4. I rather befriend a pack of honest to goodness wolves than be with pretentious lambs. I stay away to people who talks ruthlessly about other people's flaws behind their back... they are not trustworthy, and sooner or later, they will turn on you and find you some flaws to talk about.
5. I more of a writer than a speaker type of person.
6. I'm a PBA's Barangay Ginebra fan... since the time of Robert Jaworski until now with Caguioa and Helterbrand.  Maybe it's because of the crowd or I just like the team's "never say die" attitude... hehehe
7. I'm proud to be a Christian Filipino...

Now with my 7 bloggers with their respective unique style… tsk... tsk...   Only seven, so in as much as I want to include everyone, my apologies, but that's the rule! I choose the following, in no particular order:

1. These and Those – Pinx Labado
http://hnhlabz.com/
2. The Legend of ShengayTHEgreat – Shengy Pineda
http://vinkoy.lcvsamalestates.com/
3. Dreamers, lovers, and Star Voyagers – Teresa, aka T K Cypherbuss aka Willow
http://dreamersloversandstarvoyagers.blogspot.com/
4. Girl In Your World – Hilda Wong
http://girlinyourworld.blogspot.com/
5. Bennixville.com – Ben Sidoon (Bennix)
http://www.bennixville.com/
6. As The Wind Blows – Gio C. Tijano
http://poet-of-soul.blogspot.com/
7. Endless Cycle of 365 – Nyle
http://alessitimia.blogspot.com/

So that's it... CONGRATULATIONS guys! I won't be forcing you to do your part and asking you to follow the rules above and participate. I'll just ask you nicely ;)
It's a good way to share a little bit about our self  and to acknowledge and give due recognition to blogs we think are exceptional...To Yahweh be the glory always...

Other award posts: Versatile Trunk Locker; Sharing Some Trunk locker Liebster



Friday, June 24, 2011

A Good Way to Wellness

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Walgreens for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

Prevention is better than cure... and that's for a fact.  Good diet, enough rest and exercise are just a few of the things we can do to have a healthy lifestyle.  And of course, enough fluid, food and food supplement intake especially those with lactobacillus and honey and those rich in antioxidants, vitamins and minerals and omega 3.  With some readings, I believe that these could help a lot for better health.  So when a relative brought me this Walgreens Omega-3 from the US a few months ago, I was so happy since I heard a lot of good things about this product from my friends.  Also it  was a relief when she told me that it did not cost her that much, so I had nothing to worry about.  Since I started taking it I felt that my heart beats healthily even after a morning jog and I’m more resistant to stress.  I also observed that bodily pains especially in joints were not that evident anymore even after a strenuous activity.  And with these, I’m more than satisfied with the product.  Now, I’m doing some surfing for other Walgreens products and email the list to my relative.  I asked her that I’ll just pay her but she told me its okay since she can still manage it.  How lucky I am?  But I made her a promise that I’ll give her a treat as soon as she returns back from the states.  And to that she agreed.

I googled Walgreens for their product reviews and this is what I found out so far:

Pharmacist

Walgreens Brand Health & Wellness Products (as they are better known) are a great value, aside from having low cost, they have product promotions that offer bundle and special discounts allowing families and individuals to save money without sacrificing quality or trust. And with the rising cost of health care, saving money on over-the-counter medications can really benefit a family’s budget. In addition, Walgreens Brand Health & Wellness Products are Walgreens pharmacist recommended.  Most contain the same active ingredients as other national brands and have a 100% satisfaction guarantee.  To learn more about Walgreens Brand Health & Wellness Products, you can visit @ http://www.walgreens.com/walgreensbrand.

Also, you may want to visit several bloggers which have some Walgreens Gift Cards giveaways! You can check it out in this link: http://socialspark.com/WalgreensBrandSweeps.

And this is what I like most and I definitely think worth mentioning... for every purchase of their product, you support the Walgreens Way to Well Fund™ that provides preventive health and wellness tests and services as well as education to the local communities.  This was made possible since Walgreens contributes $3 million annually to the Walgreens Way to Well Fund™.

I always believed that sharing your blessings to others is noble.  Patronizing the products of these companies won't just benefit them and you, but also those in need.  May Yahweh bless us all.



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