Surprise Party

I used to love surprise parties. In high school, I used to live to plan them. So it's really no surprise when Moe asks me to help him plan a surprise party for Tina.

But as we're smoothing out the details by the entrance of some auditorium, Tina arrives with her date. And Moe and I are the ones surprised. See, this what I mean, I've lost my touch. Back in high school, I would've known to keep myself invisible.

So Moe and I look at each other like, "Yikes!"

And Tina is like, "What are you doing here? What a nice surprise."

So I give Moe a panicked look that says, "Ikaw ang mag-handle nito." Then I flee to smoke.

Across the street, Sayid is smoking and I play with his German Shepherd and the thought of the surprise party I promised to help organize is vanished from my mind. He says to me in his Iraqi accent, "You're really good with dogs."

"I love dogs. I have a dog. But he's small and silly."

At this point Johnny Depp joins us. He looks dapper. I'm distracted silly, what with these two crushes of mine wanting to smoke with me! And I'm thinking, "Paolo will be so envious! Imagine me smoking with Johnny Depp -- his idol!"

So we have bread and butter small talk which I am so good at but when I tilt my head to give Johnny Depp a meaningful smile the auditorium comes into sight and I remember that party. Shit! So I put out my cigarette, mutter a reluctant farewell, and run back.

More like skip back because I'm so happy. Johnny Depp! Sayid Jarrah! Heehee. How lucky can a girl get?

Okay back to business. Where is everybody? I swing open all the doors and look inside the rooms but they're all empty.

Okay, Camille, don't panic. They must be somewhere. This room? Maybe this room. Or this.

There they are.

"Where were you? Where were you? The party's over!" I look around the room and it's filled with semi-floating balloons and discarded gift wrapper and a half-eaten cake. And the only people left are Paolo, Moe and Cla who happens to be wearing a nice gold dress and I make a mental note to ask her about it later. And it also appears that I've interrupted Moe and Paolo having a really meaningful conversation which freaks me out a little and I make another mental note to ask them what it is they were talking about because right now I'm too thrilled to care too much.

"Oh shit! Sorry! Sorry! You will never BELIEVE who I was smoking with!"

"Who? Who? And what's that you're wearing?"

I look at my clothes and see what they mean! Johnny Depp gave me his deep purple jacket! His Willy Wonka jacket!

"I was with Johnny Depp! This is his jacket! From Willy Wonka! Remember? Remember?"

"You were smoking with him?"

"Yes! And Sayid Jarrah! Heeheehee."

I skip around the room. The discarded wrappers make happer crinkly sounds from under my feet. The balloons soar a little higher. It might as well be that the party was for me. I look like a crazy, over-excited celebrant. Paolo, Moe and Cla look at me like I've lost it but I don't care. I even hum myself a birthday song because I feel like I've just been given a big, big present. What a wonderful day. What a wonderful day.

***

Everyone who is anyone who used to work for Ambergris - MCI is requested to get together for a reunion in Makati. We start to spot each other on the streets as we are all on our way to the same building.

"How are you? How are you?"

There's a happy buzz in the air.

I've never been so happy to see everyone.

All the trainers are walking side by side. Jack and I are jokingly assigning each other blame for imaginary and petty issues. Marian and Rylle are getting along. Raymond is playfully attacking Jill with his remote control car. John is flirting with all the girls. Wow, what is it in the air? Why is everybody getting along?

There are more and more of us. What is head count? I used to know. I smile a secret smile knowing I don't have to know these things anymore.