Nung tumawag ako sa opisina

It's been a while since my last trip to the camp. the schedule's been erratic laletly and I couldn't take off from work that easy. Plus, Kelangan ko ng emotional and physical preparation...at umuulan araw-araw ng walang humpay ayokong magka-kachichas.I'm sure my dad understands. Bless his soul...
Anyway, to keep tabs on the process, I called the office to follow up on a document which is one of the many requirements of requirements of requirements to settle my dad's pension.Sus.

Mae dials: (ring) (ring) "Welcome to camp....(recorded spiel), please dial the local number ...."
So I dial that extension number.
"Thank you, goodbye".
Aba putek, kay aga-aga gustong painitin ulo ko. Actually hindi na maaga. 10am and if i'm not mistaken, government offices open shop at 8am. Partida na ha. Binigyan ko na sila ng 2 hours to settle down. You know? Mag CR, magsuklay, mag powder, magpomada, magkape, chumika sa katabi etc. Siguro naman by this time game na diba? But no, I forgot that around this time they get their 15 min break. Yes, I know for a fact that government employees have "recess". Parang gradeschool diba? Anyway so I call the trunkline again and this time wait for a real person to answer.

Operator: "Camp aguinaldo"
Mae: "Good Morning!" (in my cheeriest and nicest but loud voice) I'tm trying to reach local ####
The ther line goes mute for a second then I hear ringing. She must've transerred me already. Baka naka-break din dapat sya, kaso tumawag ako. Sungit. hehe.

A woman answers the phone.
GE:"hellaw"
Mae: "Good morning po, pwede po kay Sgt.Espinosa?"
GE: "Anong i-i-inquire nyo?"
I tell her the document I needed.She asks me details of my father's service and we spend about a minute on how to spell his name.Mabuti nalang at kumain na ko.
GE: "walang Espinosa dito, baka Espina."
Mae: "A h o cge po, sya nalang" Ayoko na humaba yung usapan.
GE: "Nagbigay ka na ng requirements?"
Mae: "Opo, nakakailang bisita na ko dyan po, kaya sabi po sa kin tumawag na lang po muna ako"
Without saying anything she leaves me on the phone for about 10 mins. She didn't hang up, I could hear people talking and shouting in the background. Sa tagal kong naka-hold na-vissualize ko na yung opisina. It's sounds like a marketplace. You hear two people conversing in the foreground, a couple of people shouting a few familiar jargons, phones ringing and being answered, and for some reason there was this constant sound in the background.Like a a bed of sound that didn't stop, not even to breathe. It went: "blah blah blah blah blah blah, lah lah lah lah lah lahlaaaahhh..." Sounded like a group of women chatting away like there was no tomorrow. Thank you, God, I'm only calling to follow up. Hindi ata ako prepared to face that battle right now.

She finally picks up the phone again, just when I was starting to think that she'd forgotten all about me and would start to ask the same questions all over again. Sabi ko sa yo pag ginawa nya yun, ibaba ko na talaga.Makaganti lang.

GE:" Hello!"
Mae:" Opo, mam"
GE: "Hello??!" I guess maingay talaga dun , hindi na nya ako marinig. And mind you I am not softspoken.
Mae: " yes, mam!"
GE: " Eh  andun na pala to sa finance nung April 23 pa"
Mae: " ah ganun po ba." Naknampucha naman, sa tagal kong naka hold, that's all you have for me? It gets better.
GE: " eh tumawag ka nalang dun sa finance at dun ka mag follow up"
Mae: "O sige mam. Ano pong number dun?"
GE:" dun sa finance"
Napakamot na ako ng ulo. Kaw naman kasi mae, dapat nga alam mo yung number dun eh.
Mae:"opo ano pong number?"
GE: " ####"
Sus, alam naman pala nya.
Mae:" salamat po. sino pong hahanapin ko dun?"
GE: " eh ewan ko, basta magtanong ka na lang dun"
ayus.
Mae: "ok! salamat mam!"

At least alam ko hindi na ako tatawag sa kanya. Sana.

Nung tinawagan ko naman yung binigay na number, walang 5mins nakuha ko naman ang information na kelangan ko. Meron talagang mga empleyado na ayaw ang trabaho nila kaya bugnutin, meron naman mababait at maasikaso naman talaga. Minsan makikipagbiruan pa. Cute.Nawala init ng ulo ko. :)