I felt a hand grazed my left shoulder. He dropped by my desk this afternoon to say goodbye. Today was his last day and he had just finished singing up for his clearance. I asked if he already have another company to work for. He said not yet but he’d start looking for one next week.

I noticed he gained some weight.

I smiled and jokingly asked him “O ano magpapainom ka ba?”

He laughed and said, “Baka sa weekend. Nagpaplano sila, text kita pagnatuloy.”

Silence.

“Sige tol dami ka pa yata ginagawa,” I heard him say.

I suddenly realized this might be our last conversation together. I remembered the scene I made at Splash Mountain. I remember him sitting across me and I was rambling stupidly about things that I couldn’t remember and he was there, listening and laughing with me. That I think it was so thoughtful of him.

I tried thinking of things to say… just so he would linger, but I couldn’t.

And that was it.

I just wished I could have known him better.


***

ETS today. Have decided to work overtime on Friday. I discovered recently that I spend more money at home than I do when I’m at work.

Rent VCDs. Pa-merienda, internet, merienda uli. Sigh.

Wala talaga sa bokabularyo ko ang pagtitipid.

But since we have this development action plan to improve our skills for competency going on, I decided to make one for myself and dubbed it as my personal cost control action plan.

.: Pay my credit cards in full, close it down and not getting one again. But since it would take months before I can pay all of it, I decided to cut them in half so that I won’t be tempted to use it. Now, after seeing that cool pair of jeans on my way to lunch I am silently regretting I had done so.

.: Maintain a fixed amount of money on my atm until I could save up certain amount and deposit them in a new account (passbook).

.: Stay away from malls for a given period of time.

.: Save up on my lunch money. Have my lunch at the Insular Bldg. instead of going to Festival mall or ATC everyday.

.: Eliminate unnecessary everyday purchases. This means cutting up hot fudge sundae, chocolates, vanilla coke, potato chips or Auntie Anne’s pretzels after lunch.