Outside the Microwave Oven

Day 119.

This is an account of a secret getaway.

Yesterday, while I was doing my usual routine of certified laziness, one of my girlfriends sent me a text message inviting me to have dinner with them somewhere in Bonifacio Global City. I told her straight up that I'm immaculately broke and of course she had to reply with the thing I'm totally incapable of resisting. "Pahiramin muna kita," said her next text message after my little confession. Next thing I know, I'm dressing up for dinner. Two of my high school girlfriends came to pick me up at home around 8 PM. Turned out, we were the only ones going to have dinner. I didn't say anything until my friend who's at the steering wheel started making turns that would definitely land us in jail instead of a restaurant in BGC. "San ka pupunta? One way dyan," I told her. She just laughed while I told her which way to go which didn't really look to me like a way to Bonifacio Global City. I tried asking my two companions but both of them acted like no one was asking them anything. I really wanted to panic but being the overly imaginative person that I am, I kind of wished that they're going to surprise me with something I'm never going to forget for the rest of my bum life. I even thought that they found a way to contact my present love interest and invited him to have dinner with us. Even though it's crazy assuming they did considering it's not my birthday and all, I kind of still counted on it.

The ride to I-don't-know-where wasn't completely silent. We talked about stuff in between but no one really brought up the plan for the night. And so I just gave up and kept quiet until I saw big, fake townhouses that can only be seen in one place in the Philippines. "Pam, alam mo na kung nasan tayo?" my friend on the wheel teased. I was too dumbfounded to even choke out the words. And then, I finally managed to blurt out, "Oo. Nasa Tagaytay tayo." My friends laughed at me and then I realized that I have actually been kidnapped. In a good way.

We went to this diner called Mile Hi, finally had our dinner there and drank one pitcher of weng-weng (which tasted like some little kiddie fruit drink but felt like absolute ethanol) before hitting the road. The place was great. I love the ambiance, the food and the cold breeze which is a complete escape from the huge-microwave-oven climate of the city. Not to mention that hot bartender who served a dual purpose of early dessert and all night eye candy. If I'd been drunk enough, I would've asked for the dude's number but I guess I wasn't so I just let it go.

After dinner and post-dinner cocktails, we went looking for a place called Bag of Beans for dessert but the place was closed so we decided to just call it a night. The ride back home for me was a bit exhausting since the alcohol made a turn for the worst. I'm just glad I shared the burden with my friend on the passenger's seat (we didn't allow our friend on the wheel to drink more than one glass since we all want to go home in one piece). We had to stop by two establishments along the way to use the comfort room. After popping three menthol candies, I was feeling better and we made it home safely. As I laid on my bed, I can't help smiling to myself. I just got out on a date with my best girlies in a far away place. LIKE FAR FREAKIN' AWAY.

It was totally fun and what made it special is that I got to spend it with the people I consider my sisters.

Ladies, you know who you are. I love you and this secret getaway goes with me to the grave.