life has a funny way of reminding one of the past sometimes.

i got in at 9am in the office. as i got down from my cab, i saw kabbie alight from a car. a maroonish, lowered mitsubishi lancer. a lancer i haven't seen in a long, long while. a lancer i have ridden in more times than i could count. i walked towards the office gate to where kabbie was.

"hi la!" she greeted me. "andiyan si mama. hi ka."

i turned around and as if on cue, tita maya rolled down her window.

"o larry! long time no see! ang payat mo na ah! tama na yan, pangit ang buto't balat." she gave me that smile that has become all-too familiar.

i nodded slowly and said "oo nga po tita. nagcocontrol na lang ako ng pagkain ko. ayoko na po kasing tumaba ulit. kamusta na kayo?"

"ikaw ang kamusta? di ka na pumupunta ng bahay ah. text kita, dalaw ka naman minsan."

i gave her a sheepish smile and said, "sige po tita. pero mas maganda siguro kung wala si kitty dun pag pumunta ko." i kept my tone light, fearing she might notice the way my hands shook and my voice trembled.

she gave me a puzzled look and said "o bakit? e di ba nga mas maganda pag nandun siya?"

it was more than i could take. i just nodded imperceptibly, trying to hide the avalanche of emotion that threatened to creep up my face. "sige po tita. tignan po natin." i waved goodbye, said "ingat", and quickly turned around, but not before i caught a glimpse of her face. huh? was she crying? i could've sworn i saw tears forming in the corners of her eyes. i wasn't really sure what i saw.

i was too busy trying to hold back tears of my own.