Midnight in the Rice Pattie

Today is Sunday and I sent my sweetie a text when I got home from church.  We are doing the long distance thing for the moment but that will be changing soon but I’ll get into that another day.  As it turns out, he was at work, apparently in a staff meeting with a customer.  He likes to text while he is in meetings; I think it keeps him awake.  He sent a text “Luv me today?”.  Of course I said of course, then asked him the same.  He texted “Yep, since the day I first laid eyes on you”.  That put a grin on my face because I know what that means.

When he first laid eyes on me, it was twenty years ago, in Angeles City, Republic of the Philippines.  I was stationed there and he was visiting from Korea.  I met him at the military recreation club and if we didn’t fall in love at first sight, it was with first sentence.  I was very comfortable traveling the country and would fearlessly go to visit all sorts of places that I heard about.  Most of the men who were stationed in the Philippines were more interested in meeting the Filipinas who worked the bars outside the base gates so I was not interested in any of the guys from my base.

I wanted to show my sweetie all the places that I loved and he let me.  And what an adventure it was.  We swam at fancy hotels downtown, shopped at open air markets and explored the malls of Manila.  Once, when returning from Manila, we were the only Americans on a Rabbit bus (the local bus line).  It was pitch dark and the bus was speeding through the country side and the rice patties.  It was scary but romantic…until the bus broke down.  Within an hour, the driver and some helpers repaired the bus using the light of flash lights and we were on our way.  We both always remember the sense of danger and sleeping in each others arms in a roasting hot Rabbit Bus.  We fell in love during those days.

Things happened and we lost twenty years of being together but my sweetie and I have found each other again.  So when he says “since the day I first laid eyes on you”, I know what he means and I know that he means it.  He loves me, no doubt. 

1 Response so far »

  1. 1

    blkirish said,

    Kudos on the long distance thing … as you know, I’m in the same boat. I wish I had twenty years to reflect upon. Oh yeah I do – butit’s with the ex. dayum !!
    ~blkirish


Comment RSS · TrackBack URI

Say your words

You must be logged in to post a comment.