"punta ka dun sa may mangga" part 2 pero wala pa yung mangga.

So on that very hot day I passed that sign that said would lead me to

"OTAG". Habang naglalakad iniisip ko, ano nga bang ibg sabihin nun.

Something about legal offices I guess. Yes, afford ko magmuni-muni dahil sa

laki ng kampo, I don't think I'll miss any significant landmarks. To my left: golf

course. To my right: golf course. In front of me... and endless road. But the

sign said "OTAG", and that's where I'm going. Though I don't know what

exactly I need to do there but sabi nga nila"I'll cross that bridge".  After that

experience, I might have to change bridge, to maze.

Anyway!!!! Lakad lang mae, makakarating ka din. San nga ba ko pupunta?

Ah oo, OTAG. I was kind of feeling good about it already. Repeating it to

myself makes it sound familiar. I think it's the heat.

May nakita akong malaking building.The sign up front said: Office of the

Adjutant General. Ayun naman pala. I walked to the entrance. It looked

deserted save for the "receptionist". Joke lang. Mukhang sundalo sya pero

naka plain clothes. I know I'd look stupid asking but I did anyway.

Mae: "Sir, ito na po ba yung OTAG?"
Sir: "Hindi dito, dun pa." Points to what looked like infinity to me.  
Eh. Papatulan ko ba to? Sige na nga.
Mae: "San ako dadaan sir? Dito ba?" I point to the sidewalk.
Sir: " Dun pa." Points to some vague buildings." Hindi itong building na to

ha? Dun pa sa susunod."
Eh ba't may sign na OTAG kung hindi ito yun?Hay. sayang laway ko. uhaw

pa naman na ko. I just give him a nod and said thanks, leaving him to think

that he was a big help.

Lakad pa, may dulo naman siguro tong kampo. If i hit a dead end, I must be

there. I passed several buildings and came to an intersection. AFP finance

center, said the big sign on one. Parang kailangan ko din ata pumunta dun

ah. Right! Sabi nung manong meron akong kukunin sa finance. But I really

need to go to OTAG first. Naka psych na ko for that eh. Someone in there

will surely give me directions. Besides, how far can it still be? I must've been

walking under the sun for about 20 minutes now.

No receptionist. Merong nagpipintura ng pader pero malamang di rin nya

alam kung nasan sya. Naghanap ako ng tao. Yung mukhang taga-dun.

Kinapalan ko na mukha ko at pumasok ako sa mga opisina. May isang tao

naka upo lang sa desk nya. Doing nothing really. He just had a piece of

paper in his hands but he wasn't reading it or writing anything on it. Baka

naman kakatapos lang nya. Anyway, alam ko pwede ko sya istorbohin at

taga-dito sya. He must know!

Mae: "excuse me sir, alam nyo po a kung san yung otag?"
Sir: " otag?bakit?"
Nagulat ako dun ah. I wasn't expecting him to question my mission. But I

showed him my documents anyway. I told him what I needed.
Sir:" Ah. Baba ka tapos labas ka dun". Points to somewhere. At this point I

didn't even bother to look.
Mae: " San po ako baba? kung san ako galing? dun sa harap?" I was going

to make this idiot proof. I'm tired. and hungry. and I smell.
Sir: " Hinde." He chuckles. Aba, loko to. Pagtawanan pa ba ko?
       "Paglabas mo dyan sa pinto, may hagdan,baba ka tapos labas ka sa

kabila"
Pucha. Ok, at least  specific yung hagdan. May tao naman siguro dun.

Magtatanong na lang ako ulit.
Mae: "Salamat po!" I flash him a big fake smile.

Baba ako. Holy #$%^  batman! Andaming tao! Don't panic. Hindi pa naman

ito yun. I need to get out of this building right?I look around, reading the

multitude of signs. Window 1, Letter of introduction, lost and found, CR, Uy,

may information table. Yehey! Lapit ako sa 2 lalaking naka station dun. They didn't look like clerks to me. In fact, I think mga sundalo pero na assign sa information table. They don't look  to happy, but I took a chance  anyway.
Mae: " Sir san po ba yung otag? kelangan ko kasi kunin to" I show them my

documents.
Sir#1: "Dito. Labas ka dyan o, tapos yun na yun."
Sir#2:" ano ba yan?" Looks at my papers "Ah hindi yan sa OTAG, Dyan yan

sa NRD."
Nooooooooooooo! All this walking and questions, tapos hindi pala dun? I'm starting to lose  my patience. Did I mention na gutom na ko?

Nagkamali ba yung nagbigay sa kin ng requirements?
Sir#2:" Pero dyan yan sa labas lang. Dyan ka dumaan."

Kaw naman mae eh. malapit lang pala. Same directions. Iba lang yung title.
So I finally found my way out of that crowded buiding and there it was, staring

at me. The sign that read "NRD". Booyeah!

*to be continued ulit* ngawit na ko ulit.