it was never a picnic

“Dad, I’m undergoing a major career crisis. My job is boring me already and the change of body clock does not work at all. And how could you tell mom that I’m irresponsible enough to manage any business?” This text message was sent yesterday. He never texted back.

And the dad came twenty-four hours after. Papa arrived early morning with my uncles because of a family emergency and they are all going to Cagayan on Friday. Of course I thought he’d go over the apartment and haul all my stuff, LBC them to CDO and thats it, Goodbye Cebu. Goodbye to unbridled independence just because I was whining of a so-so career that I chose two years ago. I prepared an arsenal of rebuttals on why I should not let him plot my future when he said he and the rest of my uncles were just meeting people to take to Cagayan. And here I was stressing out on bidding The Queen City of the South adios.

My father couldn’t possibly make me. He has always condoned my truancy ever since he realizes how futile it is to make decisions for a hard headed daughter who will still find a way to bludgeon him just to get her way. I want to think that I’m spoiled but that’s not really true. Not an only child, just my dad’s only problem. I just like the part where I coax, and plead, and cry and surprisingly revel in the fact that he won’t give in or else he’d no longer be the tough cookie who I am so proud of. Tough, Pa is.

Dad’s being here in Cebu is proverbial. Like he knew mid-crisis that it’s that time of the year to, what else, remind me that its best to be home and pack my stuff. He does that every year and I can’t believe it was just two years ago that I asked Rona what its like to be away from home and getting my toes all curled from the excitement of the idea. Rona and my dad should be the ones arguing, perhaps.

Work was skipped for the day to accommodate the kunsintidors. Plus Dad hirited “Let them fire you, and then you’ll come home.” Finally, at 10pm I told my dad I had an emergency overtime that I can’t miss. He raised his brows and said, More reason for you to leave that job. Actually, I just want to get away from his company.

I caught up with people from work the next hour and nothing like free lattes from Starbucks could alleviate their somber mood. Reyle was upset that she/he/ was up for an account transfer and wasn’t given a choice. Mark will be transferred to Expedia from Worldwide Travel Exchange. Three agents were deprived of overtime incentives worth $1,500 and Nhemz cried shamelessly in front of the Operations Manager. Leaves were pulled out just to accommodate the schedule change. Gen’s going to be in Telesales from being a service agent and had to cancel her Hongkong vacation due to that. I was just listening to all this when Jenilene asked, “Ikaw, Tiara, beat them, o join us?” I shot, “How did I get involved!?”

I cannot answer. Yet. But people are not happy. People are writing their resignation letters and the Admin will be reading them anytime soon. What an obviating thought. These people who are on a dole for years must be buying their time until the right moment came. Which is exactly today. Very sad. This silent entreaty had an eloquence to it you know. Ominous. If Donabelle were still here, she would ask in her booming voice, “Sino ang nagpasimuno sa kaguluhang ito?!!”

My dad. The numerous resignation letters being printed. Me leaving for CDO again. If omens were a commodity, it would out-Gokongwei, out-Henry Sy, out-Ayala this all.

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