There Was You (Completed)

18 - #Anyare?

♪♪Pamulinawen, Pusok indengam man Toy umas-asug, Agrayod'ta sadiam. ♪♪
Panunotem man, Inka Pagintutulngan Toy agayat, agukkoy dita sadiam. ♪♪

(Pamulinawen, an Ilocano folk song)

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TUESDAY

A/N: Yes, Tueday, and yesterday was Monday.

Nagulat si Richard nang may meeting invite agad siyang natanggap pagdating niya sa office kinabukasan. Meeting with the Head of the Public Works Division after lunch. At pina-pasubmit pa ang report niya. Teka, bakit siya lang ang invited?

Ayaw muna niyang pag-isipan. Mas okay nang maghanda na lang siya. Baka bigla siyang hingan ng recommendations. Ang alam niya, sa Friday na ang submission ng bid. Marami silang babaguhin kung itatama nila ang drawings.

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Saktong 1:30pm nang pinapasok si Richard ng admin assistant sa office ng Division Head. Ngayon lang niya makakaharap ito dahil ibang division siya pero ang balita niya ay may pagka-terror. Mas approachable pa rin si Chief. (Itago na lang natin si sir sa tawag na Mr. X)

Maya-maya pa ay dumating na ang ka-meeting niya. Kampante siya dahil alam niya na tama ang ginagawa niya.

"This is a thorough report, young man."

"Ginawa ko lang po ang trabaho ko, sir."

"So how did you arrive at your assessment again? I don't have time to read all these pages." He raised the report and dropped it in front of Richard.

"Nagcompare lang po ako ng bid specs at ng drawings saka po ako nag-check ng estimates ng materials. Nasa first page po ang summary."

"And as a draftsman, you were able to come up with a computation of an excess of php25M, something which the senior engineers in our division missed? Before you answer, may I remind you. I asked you in English, the least you can do is answer in the same language."

"With all due respect sir, yes, I believe my training and experience in this company has given me the capability to do a detailed assessment of the proposed project in question or else I don't think I will be given this assignment."

"For the sake of discussion, let's say that you have a point. I'm not even saying that it's plausible, but humor me. What do you recommend that we do with this finding of yours?

"It depends, sir. If we want to win this bid, then we comply with the bid specs and correct the drawings. If we want to lose the bid, then we stick with the current design. Because I'm pretty sure that the technical committee who will evaluate our proposal will definitely see this discrepancy even if they assigned mere draftsmen like me."

Mr. X remained silent, just looking at the document. Only the tapping of his finger on his table can be heard in the room.

"Do you have other questions, sir? I can walk you through my report and the drawings if you want."

"You may leave now." Richard stood up to leave the room.

Bago pa niya buksan ang pinto, natigilan siya nang nagsalita ulit si Mr. X

"Three hundred thousand pesos, Mr. Faulkerson. Take it or leave it."

"Sir, come again?" Malinaw pa naman ang pandinig niya pero maganda nang sigurado.

"Three hundred thousand for you to stay quiet. I didn't believe the gravevine when they said you are this good. You're really like a hound dog when you're after something. I should have listened to the warnings and not requested for you to be included. But given your potential, you can be a great help to us."