mr. agriculturist on the bus

"beautiful, cute, and slim."

compliments from mr. stranger on the bus ride.

he is big on the belly, smiles like a doting grandfather, speaks good english, enjoys telling stories, and, doing the math, about the same age as my mother since he graduated high school in 1975. he commented about the presence of the military on the highway to nobody in particular then smiled at me and asked:

"are you chinese?" no.

"perhaps korean?" no.

"japanese?" no. proudly pinoy po :P

his parents didn't believe he'd do well in school so they never sent him to college. after highschool, he opened his own business making palitaw and suman and distributing them to restaurants in butuan. after a year, he enrolled at xavier university and studied there for two years. on his third year his uncle, who was a teacher at a high school in butuan, convinced him to apply for a scholarship at msu marawi. he did. he studied agriculture, jogged on the oval until he had an accident and could no longer run like before, studied under prof. johnny m. (he mentioned this when i answered i took the course in physics during college. now i know sir johnny was a college professor [i was under him during high school], taught college physics [he handles integrated sciences when i was in high school, not physics], AND he wasn't always gay [gasp!]), worked as a student assistant to prof. alonto, and graduated. now he's a licensed agriculturist (with emphasis on licensed because, well, he just emphasized it) who is on his way to bukidnon to talk with a client.

i gathered he has four children. one is a nurse, married, who previously worked at sanitarium and is currently working at makati medical center. he has another girl who is tall and beautiful, who married a man shorter than her daughter (to his disappointment because he'd rather have a tall and handsome son-in-law, but he is good and kind anyway so it's okay), and they're planning to move to dubai. his youngest child is a son, who once studied aeronautic engineering in lahug, cebu city. unfortunately, he got into a less-admirable group of friends, got a girl pregnant, and consequently, had to stop schooling. he is a mormon and he married the girl in a mormon ceremony. that must have been 4 or 5 years ago because now his child is attending nursery at angelo flores' in marawi. no, i have no idea who angelo flores is. his youngest son is now studying IT in msu marawi and he laughed when he said "now they (his grandchild and his son) both leave the house together to go to school!". his other son graduated from a course in IT in sti butuan (or was that cagayan?). now he is a senior sales manager at pepsi cotabato. he had a girlfriend who mr. stranger did not like and to his relief they finally parted ways.

his grandchildren loves drinking milk. he'd buy a big pack of bear brand and he said it wouldn't last 3 days. his apo could down 5 glasses of milk before he can sleep at night!

he also has pieces of advice about dating and marriage (as verbatim as i can remember):

- date someone reaaaally handsome/beautiful. you will be doing your future children a favor.

- marry someone richer than you especially if you are the girl. hahaha.

- marry someone who is also a professional and has the brains.

- if he/she lacks beauty somewhat, at least make sure he/she has exceptional character.

he actually delivered his advice with conviction hahaha. from a father's point of view at times.

at the end of the 2 hour trip he said i should meet his son who is currently single and asked for my number. i had to lie and told him i'm sorry but i have a boyfriend. i'm glad he didn't insist :)

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