Late

"Let's welcome the late Joe Tye Otten!"

What I like most about my past workplaces were the opportunities to improve my heckling skills. There was nothing much to remember anyway being the non-performing ass that I had always been. Arriving late to a meeting and being welcomed as a deceased had always been the favorite routine at the Institute for Labor Studies, my last workplace before I came to America.

Joe Tye Otten was a character who I brought along with me from Northern Mindanao. Maphie Mook and Madge Noon recently joined forces with Joe Tye to celebrate cultural diversity and gay pride in America. Now all immigrants and naturalized Americans, Joe Tie would always be Visayan. No amount of Latter-day Saints' Christianity would change Maphie Mook and Madge Noon who would always be Arabs.

I initially thought of writing this blog to commemorate the birthday of my friend who died forty days ago today. The late Priscilla Decena Pampliega. My Abyan is officially accepted in heaven. I meant this blog to be sober and soul searching to mark Priscilla's point of no return to earth. But I don't want to miss taking note of how I hugged a tall lady wearing her little black dress who I thought was Vilma at the chapel where Priscilla's memorial service was being held in Phoenix.
"I'm Tess, Priscy's cousin. How are you?"
"Ohhh..."
I couldn't think of anything to say.
I hugged the wrong person.