Nang Dahil sa Tangki ng LPG Cooking Gas

Natuwa naman ako at may nailigpit akong maliit na leaflet ng L-Gas Marketing. Nakasulat doon ang kanilang promotion na nagsasabing “In need of LPG Cooking Gas? We are just A RING AWAY! For quick and free delivery, please DIAL or TEXT!”

Matagal ko nang plinanong bumili ng bagong tangki ng LPG nung humiwalay ang kapatid ko sa apartment unit ko, bitbit ang pangkaraniwan naming gamit na tangki ng LPG. Bumili ako pansamantala ng electric stove kaso nasira naman kaagad, tsaka tumaas pa singil ng kuryente ko.

Dinayal ko ang numero ng telepono ng tindahan at lalaki ang sumagot, may boses binatilyo. Unang tanong ko, “Nagbibenta po kayo ng tangki ng Gasul?” Ewan ko kung tama ang pagkatanong ko, inisip ko kasi baka palitan lang ng lamang LPG lang talaga ang negosyo nila. “Opo, pero ubos na ang Gasul namin,” sagot ng kabilang linya. At binanggit niyang M-Gas nalang ang meron sila.

Binago ko tanong ko, “Pero nagbibenta po kayo ng tangki ng LPG?” at idinugtong ko ang pangalawang tanong, “mga magkano kaya ang tangki na me laman?” Ang bilis ng sagot niya, “Mahal yon!” Aba! Pumintig ang tenga ko, sarap sagutin “Ikaw ba bibili!?” pero ayokong magalit at masira ang bungad ng araw ko. “Mga magkano nga?” tanong ko na lang. “Mga 2,000 plus yun,” sabi ng binatilyo.

Ang natutunan ko sa nangyari ay huwag sa delivery boy makipag-usap patungkol sa bilihan. Iba nga lang ang dating sa akin na mamimili ang pag-deklara na mahal ang presyo, na para bang “mahal ito, di mo kaya!”

Kinabukasan tinawagan ko ulit ang tindahan at nakausap ko sa wakas ang may-ari. “Meron kaming Gasul, Ma’am,” sabi nito, “2,750 pesos ang isang tangking may laman at 750 pesos naman ang regulator.” Doon ko pa nalaman na ibang bagay pala ang regulator ng tangki ng LPG. Ito ang inaasahan kong pakikitungo ng isang negosyante, iyong nagtitinda, nang-iingganyo. “Bigyan kita ng diskwento, Ma’am,” dagdag nito. Sinabi niya pang bisaya daw siya at kababayan ko siya, nagkakaintindihan kami. Tawagin ko na lang daw siyang si Nestor. “Sige, punta ako d’yan at hanapin kita,” sagot ko.

May problema ako ngayon… Kapag nagpakita ako sa kanya, paano ko sasabihin ako ang kausap niya sa telepono. Kapag nakita niya akong macho at gwapo, paano ko sasabihin sa kanyang ako iyong tinawag niyang “Ma’am” sa telepono. Kapag malaman niya nang lalaki ako, paano ko makukuha ang diskwentong ipinangako niya sa akin?

Ang natutunan ko sa pangyayaring ito ay i-modulate dapat ang boses ko. Pero parang hindi dapat. Ang naunawaan ko ay talagang babae ang boses ko sa telepono at ang hindi nakakakilala sa akin ay mag-aakalang babae ang kausap nila. Kaya napag-desisyonan kong gamitin ang kapatid kong babae para makipag-negosasyon kay Nestor at itukoy akong ako ang magbabayad at ang kukuha ng produkto.

Nang dahil lamang sa tangki ng LPG cooking gas, ako ay napagod sa kaiisip ng kung anu-ano…

A Short Story: Train Crush

After inserting, I grabbed the magnetic card and hurried through the escalator. I decided to elbow the crowd once the train is more than full. Down the platform, I saw this guy leading the queue near the bottom steps. He was wearing a navy blue body-fit shirt with a white bonnet hugging tightly his head. He also wore sunglasses befit for him as he glanced at my direction. I found him very attractive, a sexy back with trapezoid muscles so prominent marked as curves over his body-hugging shirt. I don’t know if he noticed me staring at him, as he kept turning glances to my direction. I seated myself to a bench yard away from his queue. Yeah he’s got good looks; I hope those eyes hidden would turn me off. But I kept ogling at this good-looking man, satisfying my sexual fantasies until the northbound train arrived.

I was imagining erotic scenes with him, the big beefy arms hugging me, the gorgeous arc of his back I am hugging… The whistle from the guard startled me. Fuck! I was still at Buendia station, I realized. The railway trembled, the train arrived and parked. I followed the queue this unknown guy led. The couch was full but I squeezed and elbowed my way in following his lead. With hands crisscrossing to grab the hand rails, I was stuck at the doorstep side by side with another guy. A teenage boy in my assessment, I also found him cute that I lost the muscled guy. Then the door beeped, closed and pushed the two of us together in, accompanied by the scratchy voice of the pilot begging the passengers to let go of the doors and wait for the next train.

The train moved suddenly and the teenager I was facing lost his balance. Grasping the nearest railing too late, he tumbled on me face on. He accidentally rubbed his lips, okay! smooched a part of my lips and my nose. I shied away blushing and faced the door this time. The guy might have blushed as well when he whispered sorry. The train arrived, parked, opened and closed in the succeeding stations. Few alighted while many forcibly pushed their way in; that carried me further in. Two men ducked in and squeezed through my front, elbowing my groin.

Then I banged my back to somebody’s front. I grabbed the nearest railing, stayed foot, and the man behind me also grabbed the same railing cornering me in between, his two arms around as if hugging me. “Do you mind?” he whispered to my left ear.

“Mind what?” I replied turning my head left a bit to glance at him. OMG! I thought this gorgeous guy in navy blue shirt with sexy back had alighted somewhere already.

He banged his body to mine, “Me almost hugging you?” I did not know if it was a question or a suggestion or an affirmation. I blushed, big time. I wished I could tell him “Oh shut up! I loved it dude!” But I just shook my head to say no, I am fine.

“Felt that kiss?” he asked again. I felt his arms tightening around me. Which kiss? Whose kiss? I said to myself. Well, I felt his breath on my ear and it sent electricity to my whole body. I knew what he was referring to.

“It was an accident. He did not kiss me entirely on the lips”, I replied meekly. “I’d rather it was you”, I dared.

“Pardon?”

“No, nothing!” I knew this was my chance to book him for a quickie. But my other self to my disappointment successfully kept its composure.

“So where’s your stop?” he inquired. A part of me wanted to believe he just wanted a talk to let this crowded train ride pass.  The other part however was screaming to frankly ask him out. I wish this trip will last forever so I can enjoy the banging of his groin to my behind.

“Quezon Avenue”, I replied with an intentional body bang backwards. The soundbox near me scratched announcing our arrival at Shaw Boulevard station. Many passengers disembarked and the crowd receded. Few passengers walked in. I noticed some familiar silhouettes but I kept my attention to our intimacy. To my surprise, he never backed off or even moved a bit away from the almost-hugging position we were in. Still, bodies so close to each other and his hands trapping me in. Then I felt his groin growing and something stuck out from him pinning my behind.

“Oh sad. Mine is Araneta-Cubao”, I did not know if he’s implying something. No matter how I controlled it but I felt aroused as well. “I wish I could spend more time hugging you” he continued. There you go. This is the most anticipated part of this show. I imagined the climax to be so close.

“Same here”, I replied him with my signature sweetest smile. Fortunately, he did not see it. My imaginations gone wilder, I wish I could turn and face him, hug and frenchkiss him… grab his member and give him blows right there and then. I can’t do it though, I need to keep my position, otherwise the passengers around will notice both our arousal.

Cubao station was approaching when I felt vibration in my pocket, followed by loud rings from my cellular phone. I picked it out and checked who was calling. Boyfriend Edward flashed on the screen. While answering the call, I felt the guy’s body detaching from behind. When I turned to check him, he was looking at some guy a meter away from us and headed abruptly towards the door. Gosh, it was Edward holding the phone to his right ear a meter away talking to me.

Shitty Shame, I did not even get his name or phone number. He’s damn gorgeous and I fell tempted. Not knowing him maybe right to keep me away from whatever unfaithfulness. Even just his presence made me forget the world; even forgot I have a faithful boyfriend, already there observing us.

Let's Get Physical

We Filipinos are so physical. We welcome body contacts. We do not mind personal spaces. We filled 5 to 7 persons in all motorized tricycles. We filled in all available spaces the jeepneys have, including rooftops (the so-called toploads). We squeezed in the full-seated buses, filling in the aisles and even the stairs or doorsteps. In skytrains, we begged to sit in any available space found. We often hear ourselves say “paupo”, “pausod naman po”, “pwedeng sumingit?” Men and women found ourselves squeezing their butts in the limited space while others trying themselves to shrink each other asses to accommodate.

 

Only in the Philippines! In other countries, the sitting capacity of any transport vehicle is good for persons to sit erect elbow to elbow, not butt to butt.

Monthly Predictions in September 2012

Capricorn (December 22 to January 19)

The month ahead may put you in an introspective frame of mind, mostly on the account of the financial and monetary front.

You may not have been saving a lot of money in the past few months, and the results may, well, be more than visible now.

Don't worry, for an imminent cash crunch is not a possibility, yet it will be desirable that you pay more attention to areas like savings, investments, taxes, financial planning and cost-cutting.

Take this down time to review your expenses, patterns, tendencies, and take corrective measures, advises Ganesha.

See how others tend to keep a tight pulse on their money and monetary matters, and you shall get the picture. Spend wisely and avoid speculative transactions.

On the career front, you will experience progress.

Happiness is foreseen, as you may see your plans getting materialized, as expected.

Travel opportunities are on the cards.

The important dates are 5, 6, 14, 15, 23.