The Death of Dreams (Frankiana)

Chapter 10

Diana's POV

At dumating na nga ang araw na pinakahihintay namin. The cooking competition. Hindi palang nagsisimula kinakabahan nako.

"Kaya mo yan okay?. Hingang malalim. Buga. Mmm bagong toothbrush ah haha." Biro ni Franki habang hawak hawak ang mga kamay ko.

"Sa tingin mo talaga kakayanin ko to?. Pano kung magkamali ako?."

"Then let your mind and heart decide. They will serve emotions rather than what tastes good in the tongue and what looks good in the eyes. Let them feel the unexplainable Diana. Let them fall for you."

"Fall for me?."

"Kasi ganun naman diba?. Sometimes, people don't eat in restaurants because of the food but what the chef could offer. People who are gifted always appreciate the creator than his masterpiece. That's the point of everything." 

FLASHBACK

I'm 10.

"Sometimes, people don't eat in restaurants because of the food but what the chef could offer. People who are gifted always appreciate the creator than his masterpiece. That's the point of everything." Sabi ni Daddy habang tinuturuan nya kong magluto ng Asparagus and Cheese Soup.

"Ano pong ibig sabihin nun Daddy?."

"It means learn how to be thankful not just with the things you get, but your ability to give. It's what you can offer Diana that makes them ask for more. God created everything to glorify his name, and as a man I create my idea of art to serve him by making people thank him."

"How do you know that they're thanking him Daddy?."

"They always pray everytime they eat the dish I made. They don't thank me, they thank him. In this restaurant, we encourage that. So forget about the taste and presentation, because remember--'

"People who are gifted always appreciate the creator than his masterpiece."

"Wow, galing ng memorization ah?."

"Syempre Daddy, nagmana ako sayo eh."

"Buti nalang hahaha."

EOFB

"Wuy, Diana. Are you okay?." Nag-aalalang sabi sakin ni Franki.

"Y-yeah. I'm fine."

"Why are you crying?." She said wiping my tears with her handkerchief.

"M-may naalala lang ako."

"Sino?. Yung ex mo ba?. Naku--"

"Hindi hindi. It's my dad. He said the same thing you said, a decade ago. Exact words."

"Really?. Wow. That's crazy. Hindi ko lang alam how I came out with those words basta yun yung tinandaan ko noon. Dream ko rin kasing magtayo ng restaurant din dati for my mom."

"Talaga?. What happened?."

"Well, that dream died. I fell inlove with photography and hindi ko na talaga yun pinakawalan, and thanks to photography, I'm here with you."

"No, don't thank for it. Thank for the creator."

"I already did when you came. Tagal na nun pero I still call that a present."

"Present?. Bakit naman?."

"I don't know. I asked for a lover who would support me with the things I love, but I got a gift of a friend who never discouraged me to be happy. You don't have any idea how glad I am that you came on the right time, on the right place." Her sincerity. I don't get it. What's happening?. Why do I feel like my heart is about to come out of my chest.

We stood there staring at each other until,

"And our last contestant from MACKEY'S TASTE. Diana Mackey!." Tawag ng host na bakla.

"Tinatawag ka na. Goodluck." She said at ikinagulat ko, she kissed me on my cheek. I stood there shocked for a second before ako tumakbo papunta sa center stage.

"Since andito na lahat ng ating mga kalahok at nabasa ko na ang criteria, ito na ang unang challenge. Pumili kayo ng isa sa mga nakalatag na gulay sa mesa. Merong talong, patatas, repolyo, malunggay, kalabasa, kamatis at mani."

At nakatingin nako sa kalabasa at dali dali nang nag-isip ng pwedeng iluto dito.

Pero panghuli pala ako sa tatawagin, at dahil ako ang pinaka huli, wala nakong choice kundi kunin ang natitira. Of course, walang pumili sa patatas dahil alam nila kung gaano ito ka plain at maliit lang ang pwedeng iluto dito. Dito palang paniguradong hindi nako makakapasa hanggang sa next round.

"So, hawak nyo na ngayon ang mga napili nyong lulutuin. Dito naman sa kabilang table ay pipili kayo ng tig dadalawang magagamit nyo pang sangkap. But to be fair, you have to play rock paper scissors starting from Miss Diana Mackey. If you win, you'll get the chance to choose. If you lose, mapapasa sa katabi mo ang chance na pumili then you'll play again hanggang sa manalo ka na."

As expected, I'm really bad at this game kaya ang nangyari ay ako na naman ang kulelat. Ang naiwan lang saking mga sangkap ay butter and salt.

This is bad. At ang paraang tinuro pa sakin ni Franki, karamihan ay sa pagbebake. Yung way talaga ng pagluluto na tinuro nya sakin ay kagaya sa baking kung saan dapat may exact measurement.

"The real challenge here is how would you make a dish simple but explosive. And our first judges for these are the 3 picky kids. To make a record, these kids never ate any vegetable their whole life, even french fries or a burger with pickles and lettuce. And you only have 20 minutes to prepare." Paliwanag ng host.

This is bad. Nakita ko na naka-blindfold ang tatlong bata. Two boys and a girl.

Napatingin ako sa audience and saw Franki.

FLASHBACK

"The picky kids only eats what looks and smells good. They love sweets more because it boosts their energy and also because their body needs it more than adults."

"Why are you telling me all of this Franki?."

"To remind you that you have young ones to feed too. Just imagine nalang that you're trying to convince your own children to eat bad tasting veggies."

EOFB

And what a coincidence, it feels like it's happening now. Well it is Diana kaya mag-isip ka na.

"The timer starts now."

Sobrang nagpapanic na ang lahat pero eto parin ako, nakatayo habang nag-iisip until I got it.

Wala namang bago eh. It's just Jacketed Potatoes. Simple and Explosive.

The procedure is simple.

Wash the potatoes thoroughly and prick with a fork.
Place in a microwaveable dish, over and cook for 12-15 minutes at 750 W.Turn the potatoes halfway through and finish by cooking for a further 4-5 minutes, still at 750 W.

Mabuti nalang talaga may microwave. Halos mabaliw na sila sa kakagalaw para lutuin ang mga dish nila samantalang chill lang ako habang hinihintay ang mga patatas.

Then inamoy ko ang butter and salt para tantyahin kung gaano karami ang kailangan. Pero hindi ko masyadong malaman ang amoy dahil frozen ang butter, kaya naghintay muna ako hanggang sa medyo natunaw na'to.

Nang matapos na ang mga patatas, slice them into a flat square like a small sandwich and gently make in a slit and fill in the melted butter na parang nagsispread ka lang sa sandwich then one pinch of salt lang in the middle and two of the opposite corners. Sobrang simple. They're like eating fries in a sandwich form.