Stirred Hearts

How do you see yourself five years from now? 

This is a typical question in the interviews, whether it is for a job or an introduction about yourself on the first day of classes. 

As the time goes by, the dream I made years ago slowly faded as I entered the corporate world. I thought it was going to be an easy ride to achieve those dreams. I thought the timelines I created would accord with my plans. 

To my disappointment, it did not. 

My dream is to start studying for a masters degree  at twenty three, now that  I’m already twenty five, still working as a Sales and Marketing Coordinator in one of the manufacturers in the Philippines. Three years have passed since I graduated with my bachelors degree. 

“Any questions, violent reactions, concerns?” the managing director ask before she ended our meeting 

“None so far ma’am.” Jane, one of our foodservice sales agents. 

“Okay, great job for this week everyone. We’re on track, I do believe we can achieve our target for this quarter guys. Best effort!.” the managing director commend. 

“Yes, best effort.” Everyone cheered. 

“Okay, adjourned.” 

After the meeting, sales agents along with the managing directors left the office. I and the business development representative were left since we still have so much to work on. 

“First day mo ngayon Nics?” aniya ni ma’am Lily, ang BD Represantive. 

Tatlo lang kami sa office, ang managing director, si ma’am lily at ako. Pinasadya talaga ng managing director na dalawa lang kami dapat nandito dahil kung isasama kami sa operations office ay maingay at magulo. 

“Mamaya pang gabi, ma’am.” 

Mamaya pa ang first day of class ko sa Masters degree ko, akala ko noong una ay hindi ako papayagan ng managing director ngunit pinayagan naman ako. Noong una, pinag-isipan ko munang magresign dahil baka maapektuhan ang trabaho ngunit pinigilan nila ako at sila na mismo mag-adjust ng oras ko. 

I have been working as a Sales and Marketing Coordinator for three years in a beverage manufacturer, so far the experience went well. The owners and the people here were nice and the atmosphere is very welcoming. 

Although we have been through a lot, there are a lot of challenges and hard situations we have been experiencing but still we managed to overcome those things and that was the important thing. 

Naabutan ko ang dagsa ng tao sa train station, inaasahan ko na magiging ganito na ang situation ko sa mga susunod na araw. Wala akong magagawa, ginusto ko ito at kasama ko ito sa bucket list ko sa buhay. 

If I would have a chance to meet my younger self, I would choke her to death why she had such a big dream. 

But kidding aside, I am sure she’s smiling from ear to ear seeing me achieving the things she once dreamed of. 

Akala ko may oras pa ako para mag-ayos ng sarili dahil sa siksikan kanina sa LRT, ngunit five minutes nalang bago magstart ang class at ang malas pa doon ay hahanapin ko pa kung saan ang room ko. 

Sa pagmamadali ay may malakas na nakasagi sa akin at  hindi ko na napansin na may nasagi na rin akong tao, ang masaklap? Nalaglag pa ang cellphone niya at ang pinakamasaklap? Flip phone pa na nagkakahalagang daang daang libong piso ang presyo. 

Mistiso, chinito at halos 6’2 footer ang tangkad niya. Nakablue na poloshirt at maong pants habang bitbit ang shoulder bag. Paniguradong hindi kami magkasing-edad sa aura niya. 

“Hala pasensya po,” saad ko at pinulot ang cellphone niya. Nanginginig akong ibinigay sa kaniya iyon. 

Hindi siya nakapagsalita, sinubukan niyang buksan ang cellphone gumana naman ngunit basag nga lang ang screen. 

“Pwede ko ba yan bayaran ng installment?” 

Nag-offer pa talaga ako, halos limang libo lang ang naiitatabi ko sa sweldo ko kada buwan. 

“Are you sure? It’s okay, you don’t have to.”

“Hindi, nakakosensya ako ‘no.” Nanliit ang mga mata niya bigla tuloy akong kinabahan.

“Okay, if you insist. You can pay me for other things, such as coffee.” he said while looking at my coffee. “Have you sip on it?”

Kape ko na sana iyon para magtanggal ng antok at kahit papaano ng pagod dahil galing pa ako ng trabaho, kukunin pa talaga niya.

Umiling ako. “Sure ka?” Tumango siya. “Gusto mo gawan nalang kita nito every weekends pag papasok ka, pwede tayo magmeet dito para magbigay lang ng coffee, swear hindi ako late comers.” 

“Okay, if you insist.” 

Umalis siya na parang walang nangyari, tiningnan ko ang smartwatch ko, three minutes nalang at magstart na ang klase. May idea na ako kung saan ang building ngunit hindi ko ang alam kung saan ang room. 

Lakad takbo ang ginawa ko para makahabol sa klase, pagkapasok ko sa room ay wala pa doon ang professor ko, nagpart-time din siguro, taray workhalic yarn? 

Sa dulong bahagi na lang ng room ang may bakanteng upuan kung saan nandoon rin ang taong nasagi ko kanina. 

“Nics, the people you will be with  in graduate school were actually the boss in the industry.”  

Naririnig ko nanaman sa utak ko yung mga sinasabi ng managing director, hindi nga siya nagkakamali dahil sa itsura palang ng kasama ko ay halatang may-ari sila ng kompanya. 

“You don’t have to wait at the gate, you can simply give me the coffee here. I didn’t expect that we would be classmates.” 

Hilaw akong ngumiti sa kaniya habang may itinitipa siya sa kaniyang cellphone. 

“Ah.. haha yes.” unfortunately. 

Tinignan ko ang saril ko sa cellphone ko. Tagaktak ang pawis ko sa noo, pasimple kong pinahid iyon gamit ang aking panyo. 

“You came from work too?” tanong niya, interested ba siya sa akin o masama ba ang amoy ko dahil galing pa akong trabaho? 

“Yep, bakit po? mabaho ba ako?” napahinto siya sa pagtipa ng kaniyang cellphone at napatingin sa akin. 

“No naman, you okay, smells a bit powdery and vanilla.” 

Talagang nagbigay pa talaga siya ng description. 

“Galing ka ding work?” tanong ko para naman hindi maputol ang usapan namin. 

It’s not that I’m showing interest in him, I’m just practicing building connections with anyone here, well somehow hoping that could help me with anything in the future. 

“Yes and I still have work to do.” he said while showing me his phone. 

“Hehe pasensiya na.” 

“It’s okay, someone pushed you that time, it wasn’t entirely your fault though.” 

“Mukhang busy ka pa, anong work mo?” 

“I manage business.” he simply answered without putting too much information.

“So manager ka?” I blurted out, didn’t rethink my question.

“I guess so.” 

Obvious naman self!

The professor came in after a few minutes, and everyone greeted her. She's a bit older, maybe in her 50’s. She has a nice aura and smiles while walking though the class. 

“Wow, it’s nice to see familiar faces here in this class. How have you guys been?” Everyone laughed, not the typical laughed, the type of laughed we typically hear in a corporate settings. 

“Very demure on how you guys laughed now huh? I remember, back when you were pursuing your bachelors degree, you used to laugh like you were almost out of breath.” she acted and everyone laughed ones again.”Now, it has more controlled, and well nice etiquette to practice.” 

“Now, since it was the first day of classes we won’t skip introducing ourselves of course. It’s your time to brag about the things you have been busy about after graduation.” I bit my lower lip.”I introduce myself first and the woman at the back will be next.” 

Ay gag-

Napatingin ako sa kabilang bahagi ng silid, puro lalaki ang nandoon, ibig sabihin ako?

The professor finished introducing herself, it was ma’am Marianne Velasco, she’s already a doctor in business administration and used to run a catering business while pursuing being a professor. I have seen her in one of my meetings a few years ago, but can’t remember the details too well. 

Like what she said a while ago, I am the next one to introduce myself. 

Grabe pati graduate school walang takas sa ganito?

“Hi everyone, it's a pleasure to meet each and everyone of you. I am Danica Raven Pineda. I work as a Sales and Marketing Coordinator in a beverage manufacturer–” 

“Are you familiar with Ms.Adeline?”

“She’s actually the managing director of the company I am currently working at.” 

“Wow, I often have a conversation with Lily. Well I remembered Adeline told me she was planning to hire a marketing because she does marketing all by herself before. We were actually planning about the strategic marketing mapping supposedly last month but we went busy, but anyway, Sorry, I stole your moment. But why did you pursue a masters degree?” 

“Honestly, I wasn’t very satisfied with the bachelors degree after entering the corporate world, the knowledge I’ve gained did not actually contribute enough to what I used to do now. Hopefully, the knowledge I will nurture here will really help me excel further with my expertise.” 

Everyone clapped after I finished. Ms. Marianne did not add questions and asked the next person to introduce himself. 

“Wow Mr. Samuel, daming time huh? I’ve heard you both manage your family business along with your own business.” Ms. Marianne commented, Mr. Samuel, the person beside me, the one I broke the phone with. 

Bigatin kaya pala ayaw ipabayad. 

“I think I needed it ma’am eh.” he joked. “Anyway, I am Samuel Dane Salvador, I’ve managed both my parents' paper manufacturer and my own fast food chain restaurant business. Some of you may wonder how do I manage my time here to even pursue a masters degree but as a matter of fact, I don’t have time to even breathe from work.” he chuckled. 

“Well you were even given the time to breathe but you spend here,” Ms. Marianne commented. 

The class chuckled. 

Pinagsisihan ko tuloy na nag-offer pa ako ng coffee, tiningnan ko yung coffee na nasa mesa niya, halos maubos na. Feeling ko naman afford niya, pwede nga siya bumili ng franchise ng coffee shop eh. 

“The coffee tastes good, where did you buy it?” he asked, he might notice me looking at the coffee. 

“I made it at the office, it was pour-over and put in a bit of coconut milk.” 

I’ve put so much effort making the coffee but ended up with you.

Naisip ko. Malaki kaya pasahod sa kanila? Lipat kaya ako?

Hmm, I am okay with the company I'm currently working with. 

The class ended at ten in the evening, expecting that there would be not much public vehicles roaming around. Given the fact that I did not bring my own car, it was such a struggle. 

The next day, I prepared two cups of coffee before I went to school. My mom was busy with her zumba class while my dad was busy fixing his own car. I still have two hours before class but I had to spend an hour for travelling to go to school. 

Mr. Samuel was already inside the room when I entered, he was now busy on his laptop. We were the only ones in the room. I give him coffee and the croissant I made earlier morning. 

“I thought you were just kidding, it looks like you were committed to do this but thanks.” he said while sipping on his coffee. I checked his laptop, his looking at the photo on a lot with full of long grasses,

“I know how much expensive your phone was, I can’t sleep well without doing anything.” 

“I told you, it was okay.” 

“Sabagay afford mo naman Mr. Samuel.” 

“It was really expensive, I barely could afford it.” I give him a look ‘seriously’. “Cut the honorifics, call me Sam instead.”

“Okay, Sam.” 

I remembered the question  I was thinking yesternight, I can’t control myself to not ask him about it. 

“May job vacant ba kayo Sam?” he just gave a ‘seriously’ look.

“Do you want me to report you to Ms. Adeline?”

My hands trembled a bit, he seemed so serious!

“Why did you know her?” I curiously asked his eyes narrowed

“Sort of, actually you were supplying the powdered juices to us in the resto.”

My eyes wide upon hearing it. What did he say? Perhaps he is one of our clients

“Really? What company?” 

I still kept myself composed even though I was already nervous to even process what he was going to say next.

“Flame Corner.” he simply said. 

It was one of our  top clients, he’s right! We were the ones who supplied their beverage.  Currently they have fifty two branches in the Philippines.

“Oh my god.” I whispered. “J-oke lang.” hilaw akong tumawa