Call me exaggerated, but my life had been a big emotional adventure since Wednesday afternoon, May 23, 2012 (Oops, I just realized now that it's been a week already! Maybe that's why I have little red eyes now.). That was when Boots said that he'd leave for Singapore on Monday, May 28, 2012.
No matter how numb and stubbornly determined I may appear when it comes to doing the things I want to conquer, when it comes to him, that numbness is replaced by extreme vulnerability. I don't even know where in my body do I get that overflowing supply of tears - amazed by how I could pour that much. Not only the tears, but also the cold which I've been experiencing together with the tears.
He's leaving and he's going to work long-term in Singapore. Okay, I know that's near. I've been there before; we have been there before. I was even the one who experimented with our itinerary, doing our own seamless navigation and him asking me for directions which made me think, "Para akong taga-dito" when in fact it was my first time there. I know I could easily get there but the reason why I cried so much was because of our travel plans that had not yet been accomplished.
When he got a new work here more than a month ago, he was happy to be in a day shift with weekends off and told me we now have all the time in the world to climb every mountain that we dreamed to climb. I was happy. That happiness was the same as the happiness I felt when I met him and when we became us. As a single and adventurous female before I met him, I wished to try many things that I have not done yet and to go to places that I have not yet explored. I did not accomplish much because though I know I have equally adventurous friends, everyone's schedule need to be considered when making trips, and being a solo traveler is really not the thing for me. As I was getting used to be a single and adventurous female, I actually did not wish to have a boyfriend. All I wanted was to have a travel buddy that could go with me without hassles and would succumb to my "buwis buhay" idea of happiness. Then, I met him - not only the most "kaladkarin" person I knew (aside from myself), but also the one who found my heart.
We have many travel plans together, some are merely plans, some are booked plans. It breaks my heart to think of the booked travel plans that we have. One of them is in July for our anniversary, which I almost started creating the itinerary for, had he not told me that he's leaving (actually I already started browsing for adventures to try in the location). He told me that he'd try to re-book that trip to a weekend and if not, I should still go and find someone to replace him in that trip. I'm extremely doubtful if he would be allowed to come home immediately after a month of working in Singapore. More than that, none of us have an idea on when he would really be able to go back.
I was torn then. I wanted to be with him, but I still have a long way to go with my travel goals in the Philippines. During moments of self-reflection, I even told myself, "Let him do what he wants, and I'll do what I want. I'll just get myself willing travel buddies". A part of me never wanted to follow him there.
To make the story short, I was crying because I did not want him to go. His flight was on a Monday so we spent the whole Sunday together - planned to travel to Tagaytay so I could finally fly a kite (one item in my bucket list, I may seem like a deprived child because I was not able to experience it in my entire life) but unfortunately constrained by time so we just spent the time somewhere near. When he said goodbye after accompanying me home that day, I poured everything out since I knew it would be the last time that I see him. I did not have any plan to accompany him to the airport, because seeing him go would just be too much for me; I might end up collapsing and cause a scene (which others would again say is exaggerated but no one understands what I'm going through so please just respect what I feel and how I act).
Actually, in a desperate attempt to be with him soon enough, I joined Singapore Blog Award's contest for guest overseas bloggers, and I think I have a high chance of winning if they are actually looking for the most dramatic 50-word explanation on why one should be chosen. Airfare and other expenses incurred during the 3-day stay would not be included in the prize but who cares. I'd do everything.
Come Monday morning, I thought I already overcame my depression. I went to work smiling and thinking positively to attract good vibes and just forget about his departure. I've been exchanging SMS with him until 2:00 PM, when he told me that I could not already send him a message because he'd leave his sim card home (his flight was at 4:50 PM). Come 3:00 PM, I posted something on his Facebook wall, so that he could see it once he gain access to the internet upon arriving in Singapore. I went on with work, thinking that he's already doing the routine - checking in, boarding, and such. At 4:30 PM, I was already at a "going-home" mood, like what I always feel every 4:30 PM, when the things that I've never seen coming swiftly happened.
I received an SMS from an unfamiliar number, and it was him. It was followed by a call, and I was expecting him to say that he's already boarded and it was a last farewell call, but no. He hasn't boarded yet, because Airphil Express did not allow him to check-in though he had been there two hours before the flight. He was interrogated, and was asked for a return ticket though he explained that he's going to work there. He argued, but still he was denied access to check-in. When he finally gave up and did not know what to do, he decided to call me.
He asked me to purchase a ticket online for him. He first asked if there was still an Airphil Express flight going to Singapore later that day but I found out that Airphil Express only travels to Singapore from NAIA once daily (every 4:50 PM). Then he asked for a Cebu Pacific flight, there was a flight scheduled to depart at 9:25 PM and seats were still available. I also searched for the availability of the shuttle service from the budget terminal to Changi Airport's Terminal 2 and found that it is available 24 hours. My internet connection got lost for awhile and I was starting to panic, good thing it came back. He sent another SMS, asking me to consider Singapore Airlines. There was a scheduled flight and there were still tickets available but the base price of a one-way ticket is a whopping 533 USD (or around P 23,000). He asked me to book a Cebu Pacific flight for him and pay using his credit card. I asked him, "How about the ticket print-out?". Then I remembered one of my friends who was unable to print an e-ticket yet was able to go on a flight because the airlines staff checked her reservation on their system, so I thought there wouldn't be a problem with that. Unfortunately, I tried to pay twice using his credit card and got declined twice and informed him about it via SMS. He again called me, telling me he did not know what to do anymore, when I told him I'm going to purchase that ticket using my credit card. That's when he asked a very big favor from me. He asked me to have the ticket printed out, and asked me to have my credit card and ID photocopied, and deliver it to him. Thankfully, my officemate who has the connection to the printer was still there.
It was 5:30 PM then and the flight was at 9:25 PM. I was from Ortigas, and I had to go to Parañaque. Everything else was easy - the booking, the printing and photocopying, but delivering it to him in time was specially difficult for me because I had to take a cab. As ironic as it may seem, I have no sense of direction. Given the fact, I don't ride a cab alone because I may not actually realize if I'm taken somewhere else. It took a while for me to hail a cab, and I was so thankful that the driver was kind (or maybe I looked so distressed that time, causing him to pity me). Boots was exchanging text messages with me all the while, and he asked me to tell the driver to take the Skyway route to save time and just pay an additional P 20 for the toll fee. I relayed the message to the driver and he agreed. I know he could easily trick me if he wanted to because I really looked unfamiliar to where we were, but I was thankful that he was kind. Even if he did not take the Skyway route, I wouldn't even know (I rarely go down South, hence the unfamiliarity).
At 6:30 PM, I was already at the airport. I entered the departure area through Gate 2, which by the way, indicated that only passengers are allowed to enter. I got my bag through the x-ray scanner, and entered without the guards inspecting me or asking for my ticket (pitiful lapse on airport security). He was standing there, wearing the most worried look that I've ever seen of him. His family didn't know about what happened. He could not let them know. He was just too thankful to have me, the only person that he could count on, and I told him to be thankful that I was still at the office when he called. I asked him who accompanied him to the airport, and he told me none. I kidded and told him that everything was a ploy just to see me right before he leaves. He told me he was just happy to see that I was not crying anymore and I was back to my "makulit" self.
While waiting for check-in time, he gave me his address and asked me to search the bus number and bus stops that he had to go to, and send him a message so that he could check it once he arrive at Changi Airport. I thought, up to the last minute, I was his own Dora.
I watched him check-in at Cebu Pacific, and I noticed it took quite awhile, too. He later told me that he was again interrogated for return ticket and proof that he's going there for work, but good thing they got satisfied with his documents. While we were having dinner, I asked him, "What if I decided not to help you because I badly didn't want you to go?". Actually, that's the weirdest and most ironic part in this adventure. As much as I was the last person on earth who'd want him to leave, I became the instrument for him to leave, all of a sudden. When he called me, I knew how worried he was, and I just couldn't bear to make him feel that way. Though riding a cab alone is out of my vocabulary, I tried - all for the love of him.
As I always told myself (and as I entitled this blog), love conquers all (though I never thought it would go to this extent). I then joked again, telling him that he gave me a good practice - that I might just one day feel like following him there, book a flight from office just before 5:00 PM, ride a cab alone to the airport and head straight to Singapore from work. He was laughing. I told him to wait for me because I'd join him come July, and he was dubious (as if he doesn't know me enough to know that my crazy self is always capable of doing something if I want to do it no matter what the circumstances and consequences might be). After all, I've already decided that I could still pursue writing about travel even if I'm already in Singapore, and we still have the iFly to try!
The last joke I told him that night was that I looked like a wife of an OFW accompanying her husband to the airport. It made him smile and I was thankful.
Again, sorry Boots for publishing this. As much as it is your wish to keep this private, I just couldn't keep this accomplishment to myself. I'll just hide the notification from your sister.:)
As this is an unexpected and sudden turn of events, I was not able to take photos of it because I didn't have my camera with me. And even if I was able to bring my camera, I don't think I'd have the guts to take photos without crying again. On our date last Sunday, I had a camera in my bag, but I could not summon the strength to take photos.
All I have as a remembrance of this date is the receipt of the toll fee for Skyway. My first-ever solo trip to the Skyway, and it will never ever be forgotten.:)
Worth mentioning: He was worried how I'd get home (given that I have zero sense of direction and our house was really far from the airport - from extreme South to extreme North). Now, how did I get home? Of course, with the help of my super mom who followed to the airport (they were not able to meet, though). I'm just really blessed to have these two wonderful people in my life. :)
I received an SMS from an unfamiliar number, and it was him. It was followed by a call, and I was expecting him to say that he's already boarded and it was a last farewell call, but no. He hasn't boarded yet, because Airphil Express did not allow him to check-in though he had been there two hours before the flight. He was interrogated, and was asked for a return ticket though he explained that he's going to work there. He argued, but still he was denied access to check-in. When he finally gave up and did not know what to do, he decided to call me.
He asked me to purchase a ticket online for him. He first asked if there was still an Airphil Express flight going to Singapore later that day but I found out that Airphil Express only travels to Singapore from NAIA once daily (every 4:50 PM). Then he asked for a Cebu Pacific flight, there was a flight scheduled to depart at 9:25 PM and seats were still available. I also searched for the availability of the shuttle service from the budget terminal to Changi Airport's Terminal 2 and found that it is available 24 hours. My internet connection got lost for awhile and I was starting to panic, good thing it came back. He sent another SMS, asking me to consider Singapore Airlines. There was a scheduled flight and there were still tickets available but the base price of a one-way ticket is a whopping 533 USD (or around P 23,000). He asked me to book a Cebu Pacific flight for him and pay using his credit card. I asked him, "How about the ticket print-out?". Then I remembered one of my friends who was unable to print an e-ticket yet was able to go on a flight because the airlines staff checked her reservation on their system, so I thought there wouldn't be a problem with that. Unfortunately, I tried to pay twice using his credit card and got declined twice and informed him about it via SMS. He again called me, telling me he did not know what to do anymore, when I told him I'm going to purchase that ticket using my credit card. That's when he asked a very big favor from me. He asked me to have the ticket printed out, and asked me to have my credit card and ID photocopied, and deliver it to him. Thankfully, my officemate who has the connection to the printer was still there.
It was 5:30 PM then and the flight was at 9:25 PM. I was from Ortigas, and I had to go to Parañaque. Everything else was easy - the booking, the printing and photocopying, but delivering it to him in time was specially difficult for me because I had to take a cab. As ironic as it may seem, I have no sense of direction. Given the fact, I don't ride a cab alone because I may not actually realize if I'm taken somewhere else. It took a while for me to hail a cab, and I was so thankful that the driver was kind (or maybe I looked so distressed that time, causing him to pity me). Boots was exchanging text messages with me all the while, and he asked me to tell the driver to take the Skyway route to save time and just pay an additional P 20 for the toll fee. I relayed the message to the driver and he agreed. I know he could easily trick me if he wanted to because I really looked unfamiliar to where we were, but I was thankful that he was kind. Even if he did not take the Skyway route, I wouldn't even know (I rarely go down South, hence the unfamiliarity).
At 6:30 PM, I was already at the airport. I entered the departure area through Gate 2, which by the way, indicated that only passengers are allowed to enter. I got my bag through the x-ray scanner, and entered without the guards inspecting me or asking for my ticket (pitiful lapse on airport security). He was standing there, wearing the most worried look that I've ever seen of him. His family didn't know about what happened. He could not let them know. He was just too thankful to have me, the only person that he could count on, and I told him to be thankful that I was still at the office when he called. I asked him who accompanied him to the airport, and he told me none. I kidded and told him that everything was a ploy just to see me right before he leaves. He told me he was just happy to see that I was not crying anymore and I was back to my "makulit" self.
While waiting for check-in time, he gave me his address and asked me to search the bus number and bus stops that he had to go to, and send him a message so that he could check it once he arrive at Changi Airport. I thought, up to the last minute, I was his own Dora.
I watched him check-in at Cebu Pacific, and I noticed it took quite awhile, too. He later told me that he was again interrogated for return ticket and proof that he's going there for work, but good thing they got satisfied with his documents. While we were having dinner, I asked him, "What if I decided not to help you because I badly didn't want you to go?". Actually, that's the weirdest and most ironic part in this adventure. As much as I was the last person on earth who'd want him to leave, I became the instrument for him to leave, all of a sudden. When he called me, I knew how worried he was, and I just couldn't bear to make him feel that way. Though riding a cab alone is out of my vocabulary, I tried - all for the love of him.
As I always told myself (and as I entitled this blog), love conquers all (though I never thought it would go to this extent). I then joked again, telling him that he gave me a good practice - that I might just one day feel like following him there, book a flight from office just before 5:00 PM, ride a cab alone to the airport and head straight to Singapore from work. He was laughing. I told him to wait for me because I'd join him come July, and he was dubious (as if he doesn't know me enough to know that my crazy self is always capable of doing something if I want to do it no matter what the circumstances and consequences might be). After all, I've already decided that I could still pursue writing about travel even if I'm already in Singapore, and we still have the iFly to try!
The last joke I told him that night was that I looked like a wife of an OFW accompanying her husband to the airport. It made him smile and I was thankful.
Again, sorry Boots for publishing this. As much as it is your wish to keep this private, I just couldn't keep this accomplishment to myself. I'll just hide the notification from your sister.:)
As this is an unexpected and sudden turn of events, I was not able to take photos of it because I didn't have my camera with me. And even if I was able to bring my camera, I don't think I'd have the guts to take photos without crying again. On our date last Sunday, I had a camera in my bag, but I could not summon the strength to take photos.
All I have as a remembrance of this date is the receipt of the toll fee for Skyway. My first-ever solo trip to the Skyway, and it will never ever be forgotten.:)
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| an odd remembrance :) |
awww... I imagined myself when boylet and I parted early this year. Ang sakit talaga sa dibdib. And I even saw him cried. That was the most painful scene for me. At ma-eexperience ko na naman siya soon. hay!
ReplyDeleteOk lang yan... mas magiging strong ang relationship nyo kung kaya niyong dedmahin ang distance. Anyway, the good thing about LDR... every kiss is just like the first. hihihi! Landi Misalucha. lol!
First time here at na-hook ako agad kasi naka-relate ako sayo girl... be strong
Haha...salamat salamat...hindi ko pa naranasan ang LDR kaya good luck sa 'kin...baka bukas andun na 'ko...:D
DeleteKaya yan basta with constant communication... Be strong girl, wag na nating pag usapan ang sadness... soon pa visit visit kana lang sa knya...
ReplyDeleteSaw your blog in PTB group... welcome!
Hi Gladys! :) Oo nga salamat sa pag-welcome sa 'kin dun. Oo nga, pupunta ako agad dun, bilang na-research ko na rin kung paano makarating sa tinitirhan niya.:)
DeleteThank you for joining BNP! Your blog has been posted!
ReplyDeleteFor site news & updates, check facebook.com/blogsngpinoy
hi there. it's my first time here at nabasa ko ang comments ni gladys at maricar. hihi.
ReplyDeleteoh well, ang pag-ibig talaga kahit LD o hindi eh isang masalimuot pero masayang usapin. at ang landi lang talaga ng kumento ni maricar. may kiss ka pang nalalaman diyan. at mag pag-ibig ka pala ha?!?! hmm...
teary eyed ako halfway reading..ang swerte ni Boots :)
ReplyDeleteNaiiyak din ako pag naaalala ko yang mga nangyari. Salamat. :)
ReplyDeleteaaww, heart felt. love is simply not selfish. ♥ work ka na din sa SG para magkasama kayo. hihi
ReplyDeleteYup malapit-lapit na. :)
ReplyDelete