Finding Me In You

08 A New Memory

Kiran Lin

"Dad I'm back." ako nang makauwi sa bahay. He was reading the newspaper while sitting on Mom's rocking chair, drinking his coffee and dead ass replied, "Hi back." Yep, that's my Dad for you. He never gets old.

"Whatever. Maghahanap muna ako ng part-time jobs since you won't let me work full-time." I said at hindi na hinintay ang sagot niya.

I opened my laptop and decided to look for online hirings first. I didn't think there'd be many.

After two hours of searching, I sighed because of exhaustion. If only I could remember what I did back then. Ang naaalala ko lang ay lagi akong nasa bahay, but I can't say I did nothing because I can remember the feeling of having deadlines, and the frustration of not meeting those. Just like what the doctor said, I only forgot about the facts and not the emotion.

Pinatay ko na ang laptop at nahiga. I tried to close my eyes for a while, nagbabaka-sakaling may sumulpot na memorya tungkol sa trabaho ko noon.

But to my disappointment, what I saw was just plain black.

"Dad, I'm going out." I said, still frustrated. "Bumili ka ng tinapay pag-uwi mo." He looked at me with a smile like he's telling me something, which I don't understand.

"What's with that look Dad?" I can feel my face going blank. I'm not really good with guessing things like this. I'm a boy and I just can't get it.

Katulad ko ay naging blanko rin ang mukha ni dad dahil sa tanong na iyon. "I'm telling you to take it easy. You just left the hospital two weeks ago." sabi niya. Yeah, and for those two weeks pakiramdam ko ay malalanta na ako sa bahay dahil kahit sa labas ng gate ay hindi ako puwedeng pumunta.

"Yeah, sure." I said. He didn't look satisfied with my answer though. So I added, "Yes Dad, I will." and smiled. That should do it.

My feet automatically went to the café.

"Welcome to Grind House- Oh?" napatigil ang staff nang makita ako. I think this staff was the one who gave a peace-sign earlier. She smiled as I made it to the counter.

"Lat-" I was about to say my order nang maunahan niya ako. "Latte?" She asked. Well I guess being a regular is not that bad. Tumango ako bilang sagot. As I waited for my coffee, I tried thinking of solutions to my problems. Just thinking about it made my head ache. Damn. Forget about it, I'm here to cool down.

"Here is your Latte sir." ani ng staff. But I should somehow try. I can't force myself to remember. I need to earn for now.

"Mind if I ask you something?" tanong ko sa kaniya. "Of course sir, how may I help you?" sagot niya naman.

I gathered up the courage at bumuntong hininga. "Do you know any shops around that's looking for part-timers?" She looked puzzled for a while pero agad iyong nawala.

"Hmm, I'm not sure, I think they hired someone already." she said and apologized.

One of her co-workers appeared at mukhang hindi niya ako napansin. She was looking a bit troubled as she talked moderately. "Dyen, we need help for the boxes. Hindi kaya ni Kyer." I listened to their conversation nang hindi nagpapahalata. "Why? Hindi ba tumulong ang delivery man? Lagi naman iyong tumutulong ah." ani Dyen, if I remember it correctly.

"Their shifts got changed at iba na ang nagd-deliver ngayon. Just go help her already kanina pa iyon nahihirapan." sagot naman ng kausap nito. "But who'll handle the customers? You're already assigned in the kitchen." mas humina ang usapan nila.

That's my cue.

I fake coughed and smiled at them. Mukhang na gets naman ni Dyen ang gusto kong sabihin. "I can help with the carrying." Nabuhayan ang mukha ng dalawa. Wala na silang magawa dahil may dumating na mga bagong customers.

"You can call me Iza pero mamaya na ang usapan. We need to move dahil may mga bagong dating na customers. " Pinapasok ako ni Iza sa kitchen at sinamahan papunta sa babaeng ngayon ay kumakarga ng dalawang box. Kyer? Was that her name?

"Uhm, kyer? Am I right? Ako na rito. Sabi ni Iza kailangan mo raw ng tulong." ako at kinarga ang mga box. Nalilito man ay pinabayaan niya ako.

"Kyer, back to your assigned area. Dumadami ang customers." biglang sulpot ni Iza habang may hawak na order list.

"Okay. Then, I'll leave this to you...?" aniya. "Kiran." pagpapatuloy ko. She smiled, "I'll leave this to you kiran." at umalis na.

Well, not so bad for my first day.... Is this even official or am I just helping? I don't know.

"Iza, we need help at the coffee bar!" sumilip si Dyen sa kitchen at gumuhit ang pag-aalala sa mukha niya. I never thought it'd be this intense kapag dumadami ang customers.

Everyone's so busy. Iza was preparing the ordered goods, Kyer was busy helping Iza and doing the dishwashing, Dyen was busy with making the coffees and I was busy being the waiter.

There's no one who could help her with the coffee.

Iza, trying to stay calm, answered, "Wait a sec, I'm almost done." she was still concentrated with her cooking.

"Guys? I can help." everyone looked at her and I bet kaming lahat ay nabuhayan sa narinig namin.

"I can do the dishwashing, you help with the coffee." sani niya kay Kyer. Things got better after the help we got from Yivette- or so they called "Yivie".

Lumipas ang ilan pang oras at unti-unti nang humupa ang mga customers. Malapit na rin ang closing time ng café.

"Please come again, sir!" ani Dyen sa huling customer nang makalabas ito.

We all sighed and looked exhausted. It's been a hectic day.

"Buti nga at hindi schedule ng banda ngayon. Siguradong mas mahihirapan tayo kung ganoon. Leave pa naman ni Mikaela." ani Kyer at naupo sa isang upuan pagkatapos niyang punasan ang table nito.

"I didn't know it was that hectic on the kitchen." kumento ni Yivie. Sa kanilang apat, siya lang ang mukha paring tao. Ang haggard na kasi nilang tignan. Well, naghugas lang naman kasi siya ng mga plato, eh kami, multi-tasking na yata ang tawag doon. But I won't call that an easy task lalo na kapag sobrang dami ang hinugasan niya. Still, she managed to look like a human after a storm.

"It is. Kaya thank you for the help, you two. And I heard you were looking for a part-time job, Kiran. Gusto mo bang magtrabaho dito?" ani Iza. Good thing she brought it up, I was meaning to ask already.

"Uh.. Sure why not?" I just shrugged.

"Okay, I'll inform And since we all did great today, I guess we need some treats." Iza. Nabuhay ulit ang lahat nang marinig iyon.

By treats.... she means alcohol, right?