Crouching Tigress

“Why are you here, when I don’t need you?”

My friend Kat asked when she opened the door of her single-room apartment. The visit was a spur of the moment decision. I was bored at home: I brought home some work. In my multi-tasked job, I will be a Legislative Liaison for the rest of the week; I am working on a bill due on Monday so I brought home books and articles for references. This morning when I saw my cluttered work nook and the blinking computer, I was disconcerted. It reminded me of my office. So, I decided to go out. I didn’t have money for a movie, have read the atonement the second time already (probably this explains my grumpy mood lately), the last book bought and I am still waiting for the release of the DVD TV series I am addicted to.

“I am hiding from my life, what else?” I said.

This sound perfectly reasonable to her. She led me to the coach, beside the crib where the baby was sound asleep. I kissed my goddaughter and then I lazed on the sofa. I reached the remote control on the table, clicked the on button and a bevy of gyrating scantily-clad woman of woweee appeared on the screen dancing the show’s theme song.

“You can’t stay long. My husband is arriving tonight” she said as she made finishing touches to her heavily draped room – walls, windows, doors,closets, tables, chairs etc. The room was virtually flowing with curtains, with the electric fun in full throttle, we looked like we’re in the Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon scene. I was a bit concerned that her husband might wake-up in the middle of the night, found himself lost and entangled with all flowing satins.

"You mean TL is coming home tonight, he’s flying over?"

I was starting to get jealous again. I am possessive of my friends. She is married to a white man: blond and blue eyes, from the land of milk and honey. They were married last year. They were introduced electronically by her relative based in the US, exchanged photograph. The white guy was smitten by the virginal, petite, exotic beauty from Las Islas Filipinas; the girl was attracted to the bright future ahead and the prospect of having offspring that would look like Kristine Hermosa or Sam Milby. After a year of courtship through yahoo messenger, he came here, impregnated her, he went back, she gave birth and then he came back again and they were married. In all fairness though, both are in loved with each other.

“He’s coming to get you? Are you leaving soon?”

“I told him to come over and kill those US embassy people who made fun of me. Those idiots thought that I got my papers from Recto and told me there’s no way that my daughter could have been sired by a white man. Those stupid people expect that my daughter would be the clone of her father- blond, fair skin and blue eyes. What about me? Bakit ki-----t lang ba nya sarili nya?”

The clinical remark of course was in reference to Gregory Mendel. I didn’t pay much attention to her rants. Shit always happens in the US embassy after the 9/11. Every person applying for visa is a suspected terrorist.

“I want to see him. I’ll ask for pasalubong.”

“Na-ah. I was specifically instructed by him: no visitors in my apartment, neither relatives. He is leaving after two days, he’s here just to process our visa. I miss my husband and I want to spend quality time with him. We need privacy.”

“You are excited!”

“Of course we’ll have passionate... unbridled... sex tonight... rrrr!”

"Need a hand?”

“Perve!”

The pizza came. We ate, watched, drank coffee, smoked, and yawned. I decided to go home.

“Good idea” she said.