BLISSFUL ENCOUNTER
I was on my way home about 10 pm few nights ago when my car was flagged down at a check point manned by men in uniform, a young officer went to my side:
Officer: magandang gabi po, saan ang punta natin ma’am
Me: pauwi na sir
Officer: saan po nanggaling at mukhang ginabi tayo
Me: hospital
Officer: ano pong hospital
Me: ( i gave the name of the hospital)
Officer: dyan din po naadmit wife ko, kc manganganak na siya
Me: ( i was reading his nameplate & i asked) ……..ba name ng wife mo?
Officer: ( nodding) opo, opo ( looking at me &
probably realized) ikaw po si dra ibarreta?
Me: (w/o answering, i said) nanganak na siya; bakit hindi ka na ka leave?
Officer: ubos na leave ko doc, sayang naman pangdagdag sa budget sa panganganak ni mrs & besides full alert kc kami
Me: (my heart went out to this young man, seemed like he was in deep thoughts) ano maitulong ko sa iyo, magtulongan nga tayo. (silence) O sige na nga kung sabihin ko sa iyo na wala kang babayaran sa akin, as in wala, ok na yon?
Officer: ay hindi po, nakakahiya po, sobra na po yon
Me: bakit, ako nga hindi nahiya sa iyo, nagsilbi ka sa bayan
Officer: (at this point he called his companions
& introduced me to each one, social distancing observed) siya ang doctor ng mrs, nanganak na daw si mrs
& everybody were cheering him. I was amused to see these men jubilant over the news
Me: ano meron kayo for midnight snacks?
Men: madami pong tinapay
Me: pangtulak? (I handed them a bottle of
imported coffee given me by
a friend) heto pasensiya na ha naka gift
wrapped pa
Men in chorus: birthday nyo po?
Me: hindi, matagal na then they started singing Happy Birthday in the middle of the night
I was enthralled by their singing. Oh…WHAT A NIGHT!! A blissful encounter! ?
©️ Dra. Imelda Macayra Ibarreta – Davao City, Philippines ??
#SaluteToAllFrontliners
#ProudlyDabawenyo
credi to: Monching Lumantas