Send-off

Before ending our day, my team mates and I in the office met for our proposed send-off game plan for our boss, who recently resigned and will be off to New Zealand at the end of the month.
The meeting was jolly; all of us laughing over funny gift ideas and other such matters. We were thinking of cooking up a short, emotional moment for him during the overnight surprise…Then one of us, Emper, said, “Huu, baka kayo maiyak.” “Baka ikaw, Emper!” someone shot back.

After the meeting, our boss, Sir Romy, called my male team mates and asked if their drinking spree will push through. So they went off to a nearby diner that offers a few drinks, the 121. It was the boys’ usual haunt on Fridays or weekdays, when they feel they needed some break. We girls usually hang out somewhere more conservative and cozy—like, say, Delifrance—for a chat.

About 15 minutes after Monch and Marco left to join Sir Romy, the latter called me up on the mobile. He asked who was still around and if we wanted to join them. We were all still finishing some work. And I was actually rushing things up so I can watch the telenovela I’m becoming obsessed in, Sa Piling Mo (because of Piolo Pascual). So I told him, we will try but we are not expecting to leave the office yet because we’re still pushing the laserproofs to L2 or L3 to keep with our Monday deadline.

Several minutes after, Sir Romy called again to ask where we were and if we were coming. I felt guilty because the past days, we have been “rejecting” his invitations to lunch due to so much work and now we are turning him down again. But it was really short notice and impossible for us to accept. So again, I told him I will ask the others but we cannot promise. I asked Melanie but she was buried under piles of lasers. I was about to ask Cecile but she has disappeared—apparently she went off to have a quick dinner with her husband before coming back to finish her work. Emper wanted to go to 121 but she had to finish many things first.

So I had to text Sir Romy that we couldn’t make it and that we promise to have dinner with him next week. And he said, “Okay thanks.”

Last night, I thought of this, and of how it would be like to be leaving the company, and of Sir Romy. Had he been a good supervisor to me? Did I like his management style? Would I miss him? Would Melanie be the same? What will I miss in Sir Romy?....