She insisted that he say something. In reply he said, “How about ‘fool?’
One of them commits a mistake and then drifts back to the other in anticipation of the usual comfort.
So this man is quiet. He has been for days and more. And she's been hoping that she could scream at him, get him to talk and tell her what’s wrong.
To him, it’s awful enough that she can’t seem to know what’s wrong in the picture.
SHE: Uhm.
HE: Hmm?
SHE: Please say we'll be okay.
This man doesn't respond.
SHE: Please?
HE: You're asking me to say something I'm not sure of. I don't do that.
SHE: Then let's just say goodbye to each other. For good. At least now, we'll still have the good memories.
HE: You insist?
SHE: I'm scared we'll start fighting.
HE: I won't fight with you. Not even... (Pauses)
SHE: But you've never been this way with me. And it's scaring me shitless. And I don't know what to do. And I just want to shake you and ask you to make things okay but you won't, or can't, and I don't know what to do anymore, and you won't even let me cry 'cause you're being sarcastic about things and it's just... You can be so cold.
HE: Did it ever occur to you, for once, that what I could be feeling is really really bad? And I'm protecting you...myself...from whatever hurting words I might say?
SHE: You're not the only one. And it's worse 'cause there's nothing I can do. I'd rather you tell me what's hurting you, no matter how much it hurts me. Because that way I'll know we're at least doing something to fix it.
Silence.
HE: Maybe I don't want to have it fixed by you.
SHE: And you don't want to fix it either.
HE: I don't want to think about it. I want to ignore this.
SHE: By this, do you also mean me?
Suddenly, he felt a slight suffocation.
SHE: (Says his name)?
HE: Please stop prying. I just want to get under the shower and stay there.
SHE: I'm staying away. You know where to find me if you still want me.
HE: Okay.
One of them commits a mistake and then drifts back to the other in anticipation of the usual comfort.
So this man is quiet. He has been for days and more. And she's been hoping that she could scream at him, get him to talk and tell her what’s wrong.
To him, it’s awful enough that she can’t seem to know what’s wrong in the picture.
SHE: Uhm.
HE: Hmm?
SHE: Please say we'll be okay.
This man doesn't respond.
SHE: Please?
HE: You're asking me to say something I'm not sure of. I don't do that.
SHE: Then let's just say goodbye to each other. For good. At least now, we'll still have the good memories.
HE: You insist?
SHE: I'm scared we'll start fighting.
HE: I won't fight with you. Not even... (Pauses)
SHE: But you've never been this way with me. And it's scaring me shitless. And I don't know what to do. And I just want to shake you and ask you to make things okay but you won't, or can't, and I don't know what to do anymore, and you won't even let me cry 'cause you're being sarcastic about things and it's just... You can be so cold.
HE: Did it ever occur to you, for once, that what I could be feeling is really really bad? And I'm protecting you...myself...from whatever hurting words I might say?
SHE: You're not the only one. And it's worse 'cause there's nothing I can do. I'd rather you tell me what's hurting you, no matter how much it hurts me. Because that way I'll know we're at least doing something to fix it.
Silence.
HE: Maybe I don't want to have it fixed by you.
SHE: And you don't want to fix it either.
HE: I don't want to think about it. I want to ignore this.
SHE: By this, do you also mean me?
Suddenly, he felt a slight suffocation.
SHE: (Says his name)?
HE: Please stop prying. I just want to get under the shower and stay there.
SHE: I'm staying away. You know where to find me if you still want me.
HE: Okay.
It was great timing that the other woman in this man's life, Nicky, his daughter, called him up at work. Lately, they've been communicating with each other. He can feel that the little lady has been sizing him up. She's asking him questions that at times embarrasses him like how many women has he slept with after her mom and were they more gorgeous.
One phone call, Nicky put him on a 3-way conference with her mother, Myc. It was pretty wily because she put both of them on the spot.
NICKY: Dad, would you go out with mom?
HE: What do you mean? Like a date?
MYC: (Laughs) Nicky!
NICKY: I'm serious. Mom, you’d go out with dad, right?
MYC: I don't know. I’m not that crazy. (Laughs) This isn’t like high school.
HE: (Laughs, To Nicky) Why don't you let me handle this? Let me talk to your mom.
NICKY: Okay. Go!
HE: Alone. That means you have to put down the phone, sweetie.
NICKY: Alright. Love you! (Hangs up)
The convo was awkward until Myc popped the question.
MYC: Are you going to be man enough to at least take me to dinner?
HE: Wow! Parang malaman ang tanong mo.
MYC: (Laughs) Natamaan ka? Binibiro ka lang.
HE: Tomorrow night, we'll go out.
MYC: It’s not going to be that easy. Kilala kita.
HE: So you say.
MYC: San tayo pupunta? Where no one can see us? Ayoko nang ma-insecure. I've been there.
HE: Where do we used to hang out? Dun na lang.
MYC: Matagal ng nagsara yun.
HE: All branches?
MYC: Anong all branches? Dinadala mo lang ako sa Quezon Ave! Bumusina ka muna!
HE: We haven’t even gone out, inaaway mo na ko.
It was a pleasant date, after all. He watched his steps, rolled out the red carpet for her because she was, among other things, the mother of his child. And she noticed it, made sure she told him about it, complete with controlled laughter at certain moments.
They made fun of each other's past - together and post-together. It was refreshingly a happy dinner.
When he brought her home, Nicky was still awake. They weren't surprised because she had been sending SMS nonstop that night. She waited up, not because of the promised pastry in a bag but because she begged him to stay for the night.
And that's exactly what this man did, not necessarily in the same bed as with Myc.
In the morning, he chose neither to have breakfast there nor to wait for Nicky to wake up. Myc accompanied him to the garage.
MYC: I didn't want to ask you last night because it might be none of my business. But are you okay?
HE: Why wouldn’t I be?
MYC: (Shrugs) I know it when something's wrong.
HE: (Smiles) You’re using intuition on me. Nah. I just might be tired.
MYC: You’re a bad liar. (Shakes head) Some things never change. When you choose to be quiet, that is something. Kinakabahan ako pag ganyan ka. I hope it's not because of Nicky.
HE: (Smiles) It's work.
MYC: Are you sure you don’t want coffee?
HE: Maybe next time.
MYC: Call me up for coffee.
HE: (Nods) Take care.
One thing he realized that morning was that, at least, there was one woman who knew when to back off and let him be.
kids should know that...
Single Parents' Day takes place each year on March 21. Simply put, it's a day set aside to honor and applaud the hard work single parents do each and every day in raising their children. The idea for Single Parents' Day began back in 1984 with an article written by Janice Moglen, a single mother of two who hoped that Single Parents' Day might one day gain the recognition many associate with both Mother's Day and Father's Day. In collaboration with the organization Parents Without Partners, Moglen began to petition individual states to declare their own recognition of Single Parents' Day.
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