THE ENCOUNTER

Miling was a receptionist at Morning Star Hotel guiding guests when they arrive checking their reservation and calling the bell boy to come and help the guest bring the baggage cart and escort the guest to his room. Carding was coming for business and leisure trip visiting his family in the Philippines who is checking in at the reception and met Miling when he handed his card and they catch each others eyes showing a strange sparkle hooking up their glance and a smile light up both of their faces. ("Magandang umaga po)" "Good morning Sir." "Your Room No. is #310." Handing back the card key she paged the bellboy to come and fetch Carding. The company in Singapore where Carding worked paid his trip to visit the branch of their company as a distributor of food supplements. These food supplements were manufactured in the United States and distributed to many countries including Singapore and the Philippines. Carding was scheduled to meet distributors at their branch in Cebu a city South of Manila. When Carding arrived in his room the leaflet has phone numbers to call if he needed anything. He was supposed to get a plane ticket to Cebu the next day and he called the reception to help him make a reservation for the local flight. Carding introduce himself when Miling got his call and they exchange phone numbers. This was a rare encounter with a guest for Miling. For the three years she had been working this was strange when a guests follow up calls to the reception. Guest would

do things by themselves without the help of the hotel staff. Well Miling thought it was nice to meet a guy like Carding who seemed to be very professional besides he was good looking while Miling was the shy type who will not make any move to attract a man. Most of the time a woman show their interest to a guy with their body language but Miling dealt casually with Carding answering his questions with no farther explanations so Carding had to ask more following up his questions. He asked her if she could meet him to eat with her in a restaurant outside the hotel since he was not familiar of the surroundings. Miling accepted his invitation. Carding asked about her family and where she lived. " I lived in the province I got my work after I finished my course in Hospitality and Management. I'm looking to become an Assistant Manager when there will be a job opening." " Yes. that can be possible. In Singapore there are many star hotels and they hire foreign managers too like me. After this trip when I go back to Singapore maybe I can find one for you so you can apply. Miling was quite impressed but at the back of her mind she can't leave her mother who needed her being sick for a long time with a rare sickness of her heart that she had to be fed with special food. They went back to the hotel and say goodnight before they parted. Miling drove her car smoothly when there is no more traffic congestion at this time. She didn't expect Carding to call her as soon as she arrived home in thirty minutes. In bed she can't ignore why Carding wanted to know her more while he must be busy with his schedule. For Carding he wanted Miling to know that one of his purpose in coming home is to find someone that could become his partner in life and he was serious about it. He wanted to marry with a Filipino like him not a Singaporean. He plans to be going back home to his home country once he had savings. He finds it hard to live in another country and work without a close family but it was also hard not to connect with Singaporeans. It made a difference when there were some kind of attachment to fellow employees so they don't feel lonesome. Occasionally he would go out with them but there were no girls there to drink with. That's his social circle. Visiting the Philippines yearly was his comfort. But he wondered when would he meet his dream girl and that girl might be Miling tne girl of his dream who knows. The next day Carding left for Cebu to meet the distributors. It was a one hour flight. The flight attendant gave him a special service asking whatever he likes, maybe a drink coffee or milk or even wine. Carding didn't mind her at all because his mind is thinking about Miling to be with her if possible. Maybe when he goes back to the Manila He was met by distributors at the airport. They brought him to his hotel in Cebu and they said he must have to rest. He is going to make a presentation in the afternoon to update about the products. Food supplements are very important for the body. Vitamins and minerals nourish every cell to make the whole body strong and healthy. If you want to benefit with these vitamins and minerals make sure that you don't take prescribed medications. They weaken the immune system and the side effects would damage the internal organs. That's why Carding was coming to make this presentation to inform them why supplements are more healthful. Customers can attest to that when they stopped their maintenance medications and they also changed their food lifestyles from fresh fruits and vegetables as antioxidants. With the right diet and exercise people can maintain a healthy life. Carding brought the new product to be sold by the distributors which is Vitamin C. Yes , vitamin C is very helpful to the body's immune system. It can also help to maintain a good eyesight when taken in proper dosage it can prevent or erase a cataract in the eyes. Vitamin C can also prevent colds. Food Plus can really help the body to fight against illnesses when taken regularly and consistently, Go to a Naturapathic Doctor to get help and a Dietician to give you the right kind of supplements. What do you think about supplements? They are not chemicals , they come from fruita and vegetables. This were the topics Carding covered in his presentation clearing the doubts of the distributors on how effective were they to take. After the presentation Carding went back to his hotel. He called Miling who was still at work so they can't talk so long. They agreed to talk in the evening when Miling is at home. Carding can't wait to see Miling again but he had to visit his family the next day in Tacloban City farther south of Cebu City. That night Carding and Miling talked to each other heartily, all about the affairs of the heart when Carding confessed his love to Miling where both of them admitted

their feelings. They went to bed late spending a lovely evening. How nice to think that there is someone to love and feeling happy to be loved? Early morning Carding took a transit thinking of the long trip passing by the longest bridge in the South of Manila connecting two provinces in the Visayas region. Tacloban was hard hit by Typhoon Yolanda , a super typhoon that wiped out mostly the heart of the city losing thousands of sleeping residents, Carding lost some of his relatives too, Maybe that was also a reason why he left Tacloban. His family can't leave their livelihood depends on their catch their daily livelihood from the sea being fishermen As soon as he arrived his family welcomed him warmly with their catch of fresh tuna giant shrimps lobster and crabs. It was a joyous gathering including their neighbors. He had to leave in three days to finish his vacation. Before going back to Manila he called Miling that he will be at her hotel at night and leave for Singapore the next day. He was surprised that Miling was not there and he can't contact her. Going down to the lobby the next morning Miling greeted him and took his card to check out. Carding said,"Goodbye" "Goodbye," answered Miling.

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