Oh my Antonia

I did not think that our new cook would be the center of my life this few days.
Nakakapagod.

I intended to come home earlier yesterday to avoid the rush hour traffic but I spent an extra 2 hours working on my revised drawings for my small project in Tagaytay. Hayun, inabot na kami ng EDSA ube jam. 5:30- 7pm. When we reached Guadalupe, dokleng na ako sa hilo. I felt like throwing up. Para bang I wanted to get off the van and just walk home.

I got tired from the heavy traffic tapos I was having a terrible migraine pa kaya I was really in a bad mood.

Earlier while I was in the office, I asked my driver to buy some medicines from Watson’s. Pagdating ko sa bahay, the driver is tasked to turn over to the maids, then the maids would bring them up. Drivers are not allowed in the kitchens and living areas.

One of the tamaditis maid must have given Antonia the brown supot with my medicines.

Usually when I arrive home, I don’t bother to check what the cook prepared. Basta I would just eat whatever she prepared. But since Antonia is the new girl on the block, I went straight to the kitchen para kumustahin sya.

I found a fried lapulapu swimming in oil in the pan.
I found all the other ulam cooked already.
I found the rice sunog na.

I tried my best to control my anger by talking to dear Antonia calmly. I tried my best to hide my irritation which was a difficult task if you know me too well.

Omb———– “Antonia, di ba ilang beses kong ibinilin sayo kaninang umaga na wag mo munang iprito? Bakit luto na?”
Antonia——- “Matagal kasing lutuin ang isda”.
Omb———– “Marunong akong magluto, alam ko kung gaanong oras ang kailangan para maluto ang isang isda”.
Antonia——- “I fry ko uli”.
Omb———– “Eh yan nga ang ayaw namin. Di ba sinabi ko sayo na ilagay mo lang sa ref, ako ang magsasabi sayo kung ipiprito mo na? Bakit hindi mo sinunod ang instruction ko?”

Antonia——– “Half cook lang yan mam”.

While I was talking, she opened the ref and placed something inside. I got curious and opened the ref. She placed my medicines inside the ref.

Omb———— “Hindi ito sa ref nilalagay. Paki pasok na lang sa loob”.
Antonia——– “Ayy akina mam. Private”.

Omb———— “Hay naku, ako ang kakain hindi ikaw. Kung ano ang sabihin ko, yun ang gawin mo, kasi ako ang kakain hindi ikaw. Kung nagluluto ka ng ulam mo, gawin mo ang gusto mo”.
Antonia——— “Iprito ko na lang uli mam”.

Hilung-hilo na ako. My head was throbbing.

Omb———— “Alam mo busy ako lagi, lagi kaming wala dito. Kinakain na lang namin kung ano ang niluluto ng kusinera. Ikaw, binibigyan kita ng instructions kasi bago ka pa lang. bihirang -bihira akong magsalita sa kusinera. Pero pag may sinabi ako, gusto ko sinusunod. Wag mong ipilit ang diskarte mo kasi maiinis ako, at magtatampo ka sa akin dahil mapapagalitan kita”.

Antonia——– “Sige mam, next time”.

I took Ponstan 250 mg and drank cold water, then I went up to my room. I freshened up and needed to relax. masakit ang ulo ko. I rubbed my forehead, neck, and shoulders of Badger Stress Soother, Giga peppermint, and sleep balm combined– all from my thoughtful ohmybuhay readers- Atty. Alvin
Romero (giga) and Bessie Yap-Sarmiento (Badger).

I watched tv muna. My most favorite tv show is the HOUSE HUNTERS INTERNATIONAL on the travel channel. Nalilibang ako. When it ended at 8 pm, I texted Edmund that I would go ahead and eat dinner. He’s in the driving range. He said he would not eat na daw.

Omb————- “Antonia kakain na ako”.

While waiting for her to bring my food, I looked for the brown supot. It was not on the kitchen island. I opened the medicine cabinet. Wala. I opened our big ref, it wasn’t there either.

Omb————- “Antonia, saan mo nilagay yung supot?”

Oh my God, she placed it inside the freezer! Na freeze na yung capsules and Dulcolax tablets!

Cooool Annie Cooool. Breathe.

Instead of getting pissed, I decided to get to know her better so I could assess our compatibility. Admittedly, I relaxed my standard qualification requirements for an international cook. The agency told me beforehand that she’s just an ordinary cook.

Omb———— “Antonia, nakatapos ka ba ng high school”.
Antonia——– “Oo mam, graduate”.
Omb———— “Good. Nag college ka ba, hindi na?”
Antonia——– “Vocational mam”.
Omb———— “That’s good. Anong course?”
Antonia——– “Cosmetology”.
Omb———–= “Ow, beautician ka, Dapat sa parlor ka….”
Antonia——– “Galing ako mam kay Jun Encarnacion”.

I looked at my nails.

Omb———– “Manicure pedicure, facial…?”
Antonia——- “At saka gupit”.
Omb———– “Bakit ka umalis?”
Antonia——- “Nagsarili na lang ako”.

Her husband worked in Aramco, Saudi Arabia. They invested his earnings and savings in a 2 1/2 hectare farm lot and built a 4 bedroom house in Bicol where her husband hails from.

Antonia wants her husband to sell their properties in Bicol and just move to Manila.

Omb————“Hindi mo na kailangang magtrabaho Antonia. Paano ka napunta sa pagluluto”.
Antonia——– “Marunong akong manahi. Kurtina… iyang luto, third choice”.

Edmund came home at 9 pm.
Omb————- ‘Tart, magpa CT scan kaya ako? baka meron na akong brain tumor, iba ang sakit”
Edmund———- “Di ba nag pa scan ka na dati?”
Omb————- “Matagal na yun, tila 5 years ago”.
Edmund———- “Ganun pa rin yun”. (He means nothing is wrong with me”.

Omb————- “Tart, masahihin mo nga ang shoulders ko, lagyanmo nitong…
I reduce mo lang ang pagka macho mo ng 70% at baka mabalian naman ako. sa orthopedic naman ang bagsak ko”.

Edmund (laughs)
Omb———— “Nung nakaraan puro blood clot ang likod ko”.

Palagay ko sinadya nya yun, parang binugbog na ako.