Part 59 - Candace's p.o.v.
So nagpakarga sya ng gasoline. I paid for it. “Already paid for it.”
Then he said, “So utang ko sayo yan.”
“No.”
“Yes.”
“Sige na nga, if you insist you owe me.”
“Thanks.” He said.
“You’re welcome.”
We went to get the parts for my car and drove towards an auto supply store. Finally he let his windows go up Tapos isinagad nya yung aircon full blast. Ang sarap ng lamig. Finally. Tapos I went channel surfing on the radio. Then checked what stations he had programmed on his sound system. 89.9 tapos 93.1 tapos 96.3 tapos balik ulit sa 93.5 tapos 94.7 tapos 99.5 tapos balik sa 89.1 then I settled on 89.9 as I wanted to listen to something new and hip. Pero I saw that he had an ipod shuffler hooked up to the sound system. I didn’t touch it, since he might have something on it that I don’t listen to.
I was hoping this stranger wasn’t a rapist, or yung mga crazy na people na pumapatay ng tao tapos tatadtarin yung body into small body parts and leave the body parts in each of the provinces all over Luzon. Pero I see that he had duct tape. Hmmm iniisip ko sa sarili ko, diba ang mga rapist they use duct tape? I saw that sa news minsan.
Pero Mister Stranger the Mechanic seemed cool naman.
Tapos suddenly my mind shifted to Craig. Iniisip ko kung umalis na sya. Pero I’m thinking I shouldn’t see that jerk, pero I had so many unanswered questions for that jerk. There’s so many open doors between us that I need closure.
Tapos biglang nagsalita si Mister Mechanic, “Nakipagbreak ka nab a with somebody tapos umalis ka na without saying good-bye?”
Nabigla ako sa tanong nya, “What?”
I repeated my question and inantay ko kung sasagutin nya ako this time. I guess I was looking for a man’s perspective on my female problems. Dad never told me na ganito ang buhay. Hindi sinabi lahat ng mga backstabbing at mga lies. Pero they were from a different place and time I guess.
He finally answered, “Wala akong matandaan.”
Sinagot ko sya, “So that means a yes then.”
Sumagot sya, “Basta I’ve had relationships that faded into the sunset.”
“Faded into the sunset. Yan yung sagot ng mga guys for a yes diba.” His answered pissed me off, kase hindi forthright eh. Pero I didn’t let it show that his answer ticked me off. So tinanong ko sya, “Why do people do that disrespectful crap?”
Sumagot sya, “I don’t know. Siguro it’s a coward’s way out.”
“Parang mga swindlers.”
“Siguro.” He shrugged.
Tapos we hit a red light. As we were waiting for the car to turn from red light to green light sinabi ko sa kanya, “Well basta ako I believe in closure.”
Biglang sumagot sya ng, “So you’re waiting for a date with closure huh.”
“Yes. No. I mean I don’t know. I was going to … but … oh I just don’t know.”
Then he told me, “You’re going.”
“How do you know I’m going?”
“Kase Miss nahalata ko na palagi mong chine-check ang oras sa watch mo every minute since we met.”
Sinagot ko sya, “Well Mister ikaw rin noh. Palagi mo rin chine-check ang watch mo every minute since we’ve met also.”
Then a moment passed. Silence.
I asked him, “What has you so distracted?”
No response. Nakakainis yung ganon when guys do that sh.t, ignore a woman, tapos answer when they feel like answering. It’s just not right.
* * * * *
Part 60 – Candace’s p.o.v.
We finally arrived at a auto parts shop. So habang kumukuha sya ng bagong hose and radiator fluid, I strolled around and picked up a cherry fragrance to hang sa rear view mirror. Kse his car smelled good. Parang wild cherries, so I want my car to smell good too.
So he passed by and said, “Ready?” He was carrying a black hose and some yellow plastic jug containing some fluid.
“Mhm,” I said. “That’s all I need?”
“Yup.”
So bumalik kami sa service station where my car was. The sun was beginning to set. And he was working on my car. I watched him work, pero I am sure wala akong matatandaan sa mga ginagawa nya sa car ko.
He took the broken hose. Then he cut the new one to the right size. I went inside the mini mart of the gas service station and bought me a cold drink. I got him a cold juice, and placed it by his side. It was so hot pa rin. And my panties were clinging to my butt. I tried to wiggle them free. Pero it didn’t work.
Tinanong nya ako, “Bakit ka nagsha-shake ng ganyan?”
Pinaypayan ko sarili ko with my hand and told him, “Well hindi mo dpaat nakita yun.”
“Well nakita ko okay. Bakit hindi ka na lang magantay sa loob ng mini mart para malamigan ka at hindi mainitan?”
“It’s okay. I can keep you company here, and we can talk.”
He said, “Okay. Speak habang pinapawisan ka.”
I fanned myself, “Why don’t you speak first?”
And he answered, “Bakit ako maguumpisa? Eh women talk the most right?”
“That was a sexist remark.”
Bigla komontra sya, “No it’s not. Kayong mga babae, very conversationalist to the nth degree. You’re very good communicators. So nagsisinungaling ba ako?”
“Sexist and feminist. Dapat nga ma-offended ako. Especially since you think us women talk too much.” Pero after I said that, he stopped working on my car. Tapos he looked me from head to toe and then from toe to head.
So immediately pinagsabihan ko sya, “Hoy, bakit mo ako tinitingnan ng ganyan ha?”
“Ay nako. Who said I was looking at you?” He said.
“I saw you looking at me.”
And he said, “If you saw me looking at you, then you had to be looking at me.”
I replied, “I wasn’t looking at you.”
“I never said you were looking at me.”
He finally wiggled the new hose in place in my car. “O, bakit walang kang imik dyan?”
I said to him very sarcastically, “I didn’t want to be a woman and talk too much.”
And he replied, “Looks like I pressed the wrong button.”
I responded, “I was trying to be civilized and talk.”
Sabi nya,” Pwede naman tayong magusap. So go ahead ikaw magsimula.”
I asked, “What kind of women do men want?”
“Binaliktad mo pa,” He answered.
I told him, “Hay nako you’re no good at decent conversation.”
“At ikaw naman? Magaling?”
I told him, “Can you please answer me. Pero kung ayaw mo sagutin, then don’t”
After a few seconds sumagto sya, “Generally speaking?”
“Yes, generally speaking.”
He finally answered, “That perfect someone.”
“Parang song yon.”
He wiped his forehead then he went on, “Hair, body, face, I’d like to see it all in one place. But it’s scattered everywhere.”
I was disgusted, “Typical man-pig.”
“Anong typical?”
I told him, “Shallow na sagot yun. Keep fantasizing and dreaming.”
He said, “yeah okay. I’m shallow huh.”
“Siguro. Kse time erodes all that is beautiful. Paano naman yung parts ng tao that is close to the soul?”
He rolled up his eyes, “Ya okay.”
And I continued, “I’d like to meet someone who has intelligence, caring, spirituality, and morals.”
He said, “Okay now ikaw naman ang fantasizing.”
I fanned myself, it’s still so hot, “Hindi noh. I’m being real.”
Sumagot sya,”Real? Okay so gusto mo maka-date ang isang guy who is intelligent, caring, spiritual and pangit na guy.”
I started laughing. And it’s so hot out that my panties started to get tight because of the heat and sweat. And again I tried to wiggle it out.
He asked, “Why are you wiggling like that?”
I rolled up my eyes and said, “Hay nako you weren’t supposed to see that.”
“Well I did see you.”
I told him, “Watch the car please and not me.”
Nagtanong sya, “So besides wiggling in place, ano pa ang mga iba mong bad habits?”
“Like what? Like in a relationship?”
He said, “Okay. Yeah, in a relationship.”
“Why?”
Sinabi nya, “Okay wag mong sagutin, ikaw nagsabing magusap tayo.”
Sinagot ko tanong nya, “Trusting too soon. So, what are your likes?” It’s like a candid conversation in an airplane. I’ll never see him again anyway.
Sumagot sya, “Walking in the rain, cuddling, kissing, dancing.”
I said,”Sounds very physical. And your dislikes?”
“Repolyo. I hate repolyo. Kahit may halong iba basta I can’t eat those damned cabbage.”
I rolled up my eyes,”About us girls. What are your dislikes on girls?”
And he said, “Chronic halitosis.”
* * * * *
Part 61 – Candace’s p.o.v.
Naptawa ako. Yung distant vibe between us parang nawala na at hindi na kami strangers sa isa’t isa. I didn’t like that. Parang I’m talking too much siguro. Isa sa mga bad habits ko yan. So sinabi ko sa kanya, “Masyadong mainit para magkaroon tayo ng ganitong usapan.”
He said, “Malapit na ako matapos. Ilang minuto na lang.”
My cellphone vibrated twice, back to back. The first call was from Dave. Tapos yung next call was from Craig.
I went to the gas station mini mart and called Craig. Sinabi ko sa kanya na nagkaroon ako ng car troubles at makipag meet na lang sya sa akin this way instead. Tapos I bought another cold drink at nagpalamig sa loob ng mini mart. Tapos after 10 minutes ang lumipas nag-wave si Mr. Mechanic signaling me to come over to the car. Tapos I started my car and triple checked what he did and made sure everything was in place. The car started and gumagana na. It sounded okay pa nga.
Sabi nya, “Walang tagas wag kang magalala.”
“Mukhang okay na.”
Tapos linagay nya yung fluid container sa trunk ng car ko at tinapon sa basurahan yung broken hose. Tapos he went to the men’s CR to scrub his greasy hands. Pag labas nya puno ng grease naman yung shirt nya siguro doon nya pinunas pagkatapos mag hugas ng kamay.
Tapos little by little, yung eyes ko napunta sa gawi ng hands nya. Yung sa finger nya, next to his pinky, walang ring. Bukod sa walang singsing, wala rin visible lines that a ring was there at all times. Inisip ko, ang nasty at puno ng grease from the car, pero cute as hell din.
Well inisip ko he’s too short for Kelly. Pero hindi kay Anna. Iniisip ko na I can hint sa kanya that I have a single friend na nakatira a few minutes lang ang layo mula dito. Plus Anna needs to retire her boyfriend Vibes. This guys seems nice and dependable naman. And he has nice eyes at maganda ang trabaho. Yup iniisip ko na talagang kelangan ni Anna to get rid of Vibes the Vibrator and hook up with some flesh and blood.
Siguro yung tipong si Mr. Mechanic ang kelangan ni Anna sa buhay nya.
Pero then again iniisip ko rin kung totoo yung resume nitong si Mr. Mechanic, hindi si Anna ang kelangan nyang babae sa buhay nya.
“Okay miss. Tapos na. New radiator hose, filled up na ng fluid. Okay pwede ka ng mag-drive ulit.”
“Tama ka. It sounds better than kanina nung nag-smoke sya sa hi-way.”
Sabi nya, “Mababa na kase ang fluid level mo. Magpa oil-change ka. It’s very dirty, overdue ka na yata ng ilang hundred kilometers.”
Surprised I said, “Okay. Thanks.”
Ang sagot nya, “Nope. Thank you miss. Kung hindi sayo baka stranded pa rin ako dito.”
“Okay. So I guess tinulungan natin ang isa’t isa.”
Nag-smile si Mr. Mechanic. And he agreed with me. Yung mga warm expressions nya made me respond with a warm grin myself. I didn’t want to respond to him that way pero hindi ko mapigilan sarili ko. His eyes brightened and the corners of his lips curved a little with that cute smile.
I saod, “Kismet.”
Sabi nya, “Huh? Ano yon?”
“Destiny. Inevitability na pinagtagpo tayo ng panahon. Or something like that. We were brought here together by some force to help each other.”
Ngayon naman it’s my way of flirting. Subtle and simple pero it’s out there.
He nodded, “Kismet. Cute.”
And yun lang sinabi nya, Oh well.
Tapos we just grinned at each other. Tapos it was followed by silence. That’s it. Then he broke off the eye contact and went to his car. He started it, then waved good bye to me and gave me the thumbs up signal. I waved to him too and gave him the signal of positiviy.
He drove away.
Hindi ko alam pangalan nya.
Hindi nya tinanong phone number ko.
Nothing offsides with him. Walang mumbled indecent comment at walang unwelcomed advance from him.
A real nice guy.
I got in my car and tried to catch up to him. Pero wala na si Mr. Mechanic angpabilis na. Nasa hi-way na at nawala parang guni-guni. So I let it go.
Nagaantay si Craig sa akin.
