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04 April 2020 – Josh
I don’t think reading Jade’s story while waiting in line for my turn to the grocery is a very good idea. As her story just gave me a hard on, it was very difficult to adjust in my seat.
Is it just me, or is it getting hotter in this mall?
I looked around me. I was sitting on one of the chairs placed just outside the mall’s grocery entrance to ensure physical distancing. It’s like a game of “Trip to Jerusalem” of sorts. Only a handful are allowed inside the grocery. One person exits, then another person from the queue will be allowed inside. I arrived at 10:30 am, but it’ll be around 20 something people before it’s my turn. Everyone around me were on their phones, minding their own business. Only two people were talking in the line — a couple of young women almost near the grocery’s entrance. They were giggling.
I messaged Jade.
“I shouldn’t have read your story where I am”
“Why not?”
“Honestly, it gave me a boner. That’s not a good thing in public.”
“Oooohhh! Naughty little Ricky! Did I do that?”
“Stahp! You’re making it worse!”
“[laughing gif]”
“Honestly, you are making everything very difficult for me here at the mall.”
“Really? You’re at the mall?”
“Yep, grocery run.”
I sent her a photo of the line of people ahead of me.
“ASL?”
I laughed to myself before typing.
“Shouldn’t ASL begin before chatting as an introduction of sorts?”
“Nevermind. Forget I asked. I’ll just keep on imagining you in your late twenties or early thirties, male, and living in Metro Manila.”
“Well, you are spot on about that. So you can keep imagining. While I Imagine you are the same, except you are female, of course. LOL”
I paused for a bit before tapping on my cellphone again.
“Okay, are we going to go beyond anonymity now?”
The line moved and the people ahead of me moved forward five chairs. So did I before checking for her reply.
Seen one minute ago.
I typed again.
“Sending you the link of my real FB profile. I just want you to know that I’m not a poser.”
04April 2020 – JADE
It was our turn to get inside the grocery. As Cheryl walked ahead of me, I looked back at line of people behind me. Somewhere out there, seated among the masked people, was Ricky.
It was only when I got home that I was able to check-out the profile link that Ricky sent.
Joshua Sta. Ana was his real name. 34 years old. Lives in Quezon City. Looks single so far.
With my real FB account, I sent him a friend request and sent him a message.
“Hello there, Joshua! One honesty deserves another.”
“Soooo… we’re moving forward.”
“Don’t get any ideas, okay?”
“Oh no, ma’am! I won’t”
“I was at the same mall you were in this morning.”
“Really? At SM North?”
“Yeah. I recognized it from the pic you sent. I was there with my friend.”
“Tsk! And you didn’t say hi!”
“Sorry, It was our turn.”
It turned out that he lives with his sister and her boyfriend in a clo…