One Fine Day

Every time you smile at someone, it is an action of love, a gift to that person, a beautiful thing. Mother Teresa

One last look before I stepped out of my homey abode painted a priceless picture of my three lovable dogs by our door looking at me with sad eyes as I left…. That nearly made me change course but the practical and thinking side of me prevailed over the weaker and emotional me …..

Smile …. Read this sign posted on a corner sari sari store…. And I can’t help but put on a smile, taking care not to let anyone see my silly grin. I was walking thinking my day is made with one single sign. As I continued walking, I would see two elderly male neighbors in a huddle with one of them giving out a familiar boisterous laughter…. I would secretly laugh remembering Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman in the movie, Bucket’s List….. One of my male neighbors maneuvered his bike to head home but instead of going straight to his destination, stopped me on my tracks to ask about the remedy for his dog’s skin ailment. He also happily told me about his dog giving birth. The same dog he tried to breed unsuccessfully two years ago at a very young age for which I ‘scolded’ him after it was revealed to me that he asked me to have that dog mated with mine without telling me the real age of the dog. He never got back to me after the first incident. Now he is back asking me about dogs which he thinks I master. He is the same person who brought me his dog halfway through whelping with a puppy’s behind protruding. I gave him and the dog a ride to my vet. Instead of dismissing him, I listened to his problem and offered a suggestion promising to give him a better treatment in the weekend if he comes to my house. He went his way after our brief conversation.

The other elderly gentleman likewise had his time with me as he called my attention with a question. He asked if I am on a diet. I had to ask him to repeat his question and I heard him right. With a sly smile, I said "no and I never diet". He said that I am sexy. And I couldn’t contain the laughter, biding him goodbye and going my merry way…..

All the way to the office, I had my thoughts trained on something else… perhaps this is the perfect time to carry out my long-conceived plan…. Deep in thought, I sent several text messages to the vet who will make a house call later; a dog owner in my phone book listed as owning a stud that I need for this heat season; my helper to give additional instruction for the vet’s house call; and my handyman/contractor to talk about a project related to my plan….. was thinking perhaps the time is near ……

As I near the office, I felt the all too familiar hesitation in my steps like something heavy puts enough burden on my feet. I have to drag myself to reach my destination. I recall yesterday’s meeting with the top official as she told me to do one final act of appeasement with my ‘enemy’….. and it’s not only getting to be a habit, it’s becoming tiring too. For crying out loud why should we always have to give in to mindless, whimsical follies like her …..
Recently, I met a former colleague on a project I worked on not too long ago and she asked about me. She must be feeling good about herself as I heard she now heads a department formerly handled by an ailing top official of their office. I gave a curt one-liner to her question, “Crossroads”… followed by “as always”. She acknowledged with a knowing smile followed with a lunch invitation. I replied saying, I’ll arrange something with our other friend-colleague and will get in touch soon.

All of this happened one fine day …….