Ayo

Our friendship started more than two decades back, with:

1. A 500-peso loan you issued a check for, to give my brother Allan, fare to go to Manila to look for a job.

2. A dining table you bought on installment, after I told you that Bong and I no longer had a table to eat on in our tiny pad when we were starting out. A television followed. I paid, at my own pace, to your irritation, but that did not deter you from still being there for me. (Of course you used your high-pitched voice on me with your hands propped on your waist. You are not a saint.)

3. Helping me with my hospital bills when I gave birth to Ana.

Our friendship endured with:

1. The stupid decisions we both made.

2. The more stupid decisions you made.

3. The worst decisions you made, and I tolerated all of them. No if's or but's. (We are both at fault, ok?)

Our friendship still remains to be what it was because:

1. I know you, you know me. And we have long accepted the fact that we are both not saints, but we do not judge each other. (While admittedly, I did tell some of your secrets to a selected few, as you did with my secrets. Umamin ka na.)

2. You are still as annoying, irritating and pesky as I first knew you. I know. You think the same of me. But you are more annoying, irritating and pesky. Ask other people, they will tell you. 😈

3. I am now an executive and you are not. Yes, life is not fair, Ayo. 😝But even if it came to my knowledge that you have dropped my name several times for some reason or another, I understand it to be because you are proud to have me as a friend. (I actually give you excuses in my mind😂).

Despite of whatever, I claim to be part of your life. You will not have a complete 'history' without my name, and I will not have mine complete, too, without yours. I hold you with respect: that means I am brutally honest with my opinion of you; I am always criticizing you; I am always ready to call your bluffs for fights and arguments; I will yell at you when I have to; and I will write whatever 'English' you need to make your blunders right. (So stop making them, nauubos din naman ang English ko minsan.)😤

Most of all, I honor the person you are by my decency, my kindness to you, your children and grandchildren, and by my fierce sense of 'protecting' our relationship the best I can. We have both been to hell and back, yet I will not do anything to hurt you. Because in my heart, you are my friend. I heard someone told you,  'I am not Christianne'.  Of course. Nobody can come close to who I am, when it is about you. I say that with all that I hold in my heart for you. ❤

So, after all that said, eto pa: matanda na tayo. Ay mas matanda ka pala, malayo. Happy Birthday! Syempre may gift ako. Paki-claim na lang sa guard ng region. (😜😜😜) Executive nga ako, di ba? 

Iolanta Mendoza Ignacio