ENCOUNTER w/ JB

It’s JB’s death anniversary pala.  JB’s the one and only child of our dear family friend Angelina Mehra or Angie for short.

He and mom came home for a two weeks vacation some 10 years ago.  He was scheduled to go back to NY the very same day he died from a tragic vehicular accident.

He was already in bed about to sleep at 10 pm when his best friend came and brought him to a party in Cainta, Rizal.  He and his best friend hitched a ride with this guy who was intoxicated.  The car flew after passing a bridge in Darangan, Binangonan, Rizal,and  hit an electrical post.  JB & his best friend were thrown out of the car and died on the spot. He was only 21 I think.

Angie lives in #Elmhurst, #Queens, NY with her best friend and loving husband Dev Mehra,  an Indian by birth, American by nationality, Filipino by heart and an Indian again, by his accent.

When my daughter was studying in NY,  I would visit her twice a year.  A few times I stayed in Angie’s  2-bedroom apartment in Queens.

Angie and Dev leave the house every morning before 8 am  to go to work. My jetlag keeps me up until 3 am so when I wake up at noon,  I would be alone in the apartment.

One afternoon,  I was getting ready to go to Manhattan,  I heard some sounds coming from Angie and Dev’s bedroom.  It sounded like someone was scratching the dry wall.  Since the place was on the 2nd floor,  I initially  ignored the sound thinking it was coming from the apartment directly above which was  on the 3rd floor.

While I was putting-on make-up,  the sound continued.  I was certain this time that the sound was coming from Angie’s room.  The distance from where I was seated was a yard away from the wall where the scratching sound was coming from.   I was beginning to feel strange but trying not to be scared or think of ghosts.

Then all of a sudden, gulat na gulat ako,  the radio turned-on,  very loudly.   I stood up and turned it off.  Or so I thought.  After 3 minutes,  it turned on again,  the music was very loud.  Medyo takot na ako.  I knew this was something strange.   I turned- off the radio again and continued with my make-up.  Then the phone started ringing,  I answered it from the extension in the room.  No one answered.  Then it rang again,  the automatic message system answered but there was no voice on the other line.

It stopped for about 5 minutes.  Then the television in the room switched on!

Oh oh,  this is not good,  I told myself.  I wanted to dash out of the apartment but I still tried to be composed and I just said some prayers.  Then the tv in the living room also switched on!   Grabe talaga parang sa movies.  Tapos sabay bumukas yung tv, music from the radio and answering machine.  Tapos nawala.

When I was about to leave,  the phone started ringing and ringing again. I picked up the extension  but it did not  stop ringing.  I pressed all the buttons but it still continued  ringing,  plus the answering machine recorder was also on.   So I decided to go to Angie’s room.  Naglakas loob lang ako,  medyo takot na ako kasi I really felt something.  It was a small room.    The minute I entered the room, my eyes caught the picture of JB which was on the side where the scratching sound was coming from.  (I’m having goose bumps while narrating this).

I picked up the phone but no answer.  My eyes were glued on JB’s photo,  then I said silently,  “Hi JB,  this is Tita Annie”.

Then I walked back to the other room.

That night,  when Angie came home,  I related to her what happened that afternoon.

Me— ”  Angie,  yung anak mo tila naglalambing,  kasi kanina,  nagparamdam sa akin……”

Angie—  “Naku An,  eh birthday nya ngayon”.

Me—— (Oh My God!)

Me—–  Ipag pray mo na lang Anggie, batiin mo,  tila naglalambing.

Angie said o o nga An, kasi she’s been busy the past few days.

There are a few persons in the world that I admire.  One is Angie.  I salute her for having a very good outlook in life.  She experienced hardships, heartbreaks, and JB’s loss was her biggest cross. But she managed to come out of these things still alive,  still able to smile.  still living with positivism.

To Angie,      I salute you for being so strong.

To  JB,     “Hi, This is Tita Annie.”