Two years ago, I ran into an old friend while I was on my way back home from someplace I don't even remember where. The moment she stepped inside that public utility jeepney, she was the first one to tap me on the knee and recognized me instinctively. Since she was only 500 meters nearby from the jeepney stop to her place, we only had a couple of minutes to chat but had ample time to exchange numbers. I noticed the gleam in her eyes, as if to say, "At last, I finally met someone...ELSE." We both pledged to call each other up. She was the first one to pick up the phone.
She belonged to that clique which I labeled "schoolmates". As opposed to "classmates", I described this category as those girls who were flocked together by the same school I was going, but didn't really belong to the same crowd whatsoever. She and I even rode the same jeepney service (our version of the school bus) together in grade school. My years of riding off to school have earned me quite a lot of buddies as I was growing up.
[Sidebar: It's been ages since she and I have seen each other. We lost touch after sophomore high.]
After that abrupt meeting, she'd remind me of her presence every now and then whenever she can. I myself was eager to catch up with her and apportioned some time for her whenever I can. From these encounters, I got to know what's been keeping her. I discerned how lonely and depressed she was. How I encouraged her not to feel horrible about herself and look at the brighter side of things. I tried hard to win her self-confidence back and egged her into carrying on with her life with her chin held up high. From that time on, we were no longer just former schoolmates. We've reconnected as friends.
I became used to her occasional afternoon calls at work, though these calls lasted for only 2 or 3 minutes every time. Until one bustling day, she called me up yet again but I was too swamped to come to the phone. I gestured to my officemate to just get my caller's message and tell her that I'm going to call her 'round back. That one slipped off my mind, thus, she never got the call I promised to give her that day.
I received no more calls from her since then. That was the last of it. She will never call. I will never hear her hopeful voice ever again. It's been two years.
She belonged to that clique which I labeled "schoolmates". As opposed to "classmates", I described this category as those girls who were flocked together by the same school I was going, but didn't really belong to the same crowd whatsoever. She and I even rode the same jeepney service (our version of the school bus) together in grade school. My years of riding off to school have earned me quite a lot of buddies as I was growing up.
[Sidebar: It's been ages since she and I have seen each other. We lost touch after sophomore high.]
After that abrupt meeting, she'd remind me of her presence every now and then whenever she can. I myself was eager to catch up with her and apportioned some time for her whenever I can. From these encounters, I got to know what's been keeping her. I discerned how lonely and depressed she was. How I encouraged her not to feel horrible about herself and look at the brighter side of things. I tried hard to win her self-confidence back and egged her into carrying on with her life with her chin held up high. From that time on, we were no longer just former schoolmates. We've reconnected as friends.
I became used to her occasional afternoon calls at work, though these calls lasted for only 2 or 3 minutes every time. Until one bustling day, she called me up yet again but I was too swamped to come to the phone. I gestured to my officemate to just get my caller's message and tell her that I'm going to call her 'round back. That one slipped off my mind, thus, she never got the call I promised to give her that day.
I received no more calls from her since then. That was the last of it. She will never call. I will never hear her hopeful voice ever again. It's been two years.
Thank you Grace, for teaching me how 3-minute phone calls make a difference. You'll always be in my heart.
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