It was ambitious and I did it because...
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| A Hollow Passage |
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| Sinful delight |
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| Baabaa and the sky |
Off we disembarked from the jeep in front of a hotel with a commanding view of the lake. I was able to book a room at half the price. To get a suite without the vista was a forgivable offense. After all, there is a king-sized bed, a flat screen TV and fast WiFi to compensate for what we didn't get.
It was Baabaa's birthday and he knew I was up to something. He told me earlier last week that if I'm cooking up a surprise, he would appreciate a modest celebration. Baler would come to mind. But lacking readiness, I chose to scrap the Pacific getaway for an intimate bonding in the highlands instead.
There is a thin line between modesty and elegance and what I had in mind was a whiff of indulgence. To be sure, certainty came at the last minute and even I didn't have an idea how to pull off the surprise.
There were many limitations to what we could do. Chief among them was the lack of wheels to show him around. We also left the metropolis a bit late and JC had work that evening. Gone are my dinner plans at Sonya's Garden, a visit to one of the convents dotting the ridge, and perhaps even a tour of the Palace in the Sky at the edge of the city.
But JC and I had a good time. I got to see a shooting star as it trailed across the sky - while having conversations with a dear friend who dropped by. I crossed the street, went to McDonald's and bought a Double Cheeseburger Meal for me and the partner at past 1 in the morning. And stayed until daybreak to make sure the beloved gets some sleep before our return to Manila later that noon.
And we get to learn each other's quirks too - Like me, bringing the blanket I use in bed, and him, getting distraction from YouTube to find that clarity he needs for work. These are some of the little things we only got to know because we went out of town, stayed overnight and lived like a domesticated couple for the first time.
It was ambitious, yes and I did it for that one reason all of us become the best.
Love.