Once in awhile, right in the middle of an ordinary life, love gives us a fairy tale. (part deux)

I've been back for a week in warm/sunny Manila... and it has been all about my work visa so far.

I've been sick and stressed but I can't complain because of all the time I get to spend with my family when evening comes.
(The next morning, the stress builds again!)

Visa processing has been a trying and tedious process- it just takes more time to get things done here.

I feel so tired, so tested... and on the brink of losing my sanity.

...And today, while I am, in the middle of my work visa hoopla, I meet SOMEONE very prince charming-y.

Yes, it is when you look crappy, sweaty, drab and lost that you walk into a hopelessly congested embassy, sit on the last empty seat available that fate decides to let you chance upon a fairy tale. 

And you don't even notice this, not for the first ten minutes.
Because you woke up late (your hair today decides it has a life of its own and you're badly in need of strong coffee), you mutter to yourself that this is a crazy microcosm filled with endless queues.
You come to the conclusion that you will never get out of this alive.  

Your peripheral vision is telling you that on your right sits someone who has been taking side-way glances at you.
You leave him be.
You have enough on your mind.
Until you look down and see he is holding a pink ticket, pretty much like the one you just got from one of the bulldogs at the door.

So you ask without looking at his face but at his pink slip, "Pang ilan ka?" 

And he doesn't answer, so you glance up and stare into the tanned face of someone who doesn't understand you.
A very handsome tanned face who clearly just came from the beach.

(Thanks for looking like crap Friday, btw...)
And of course you guess Boracay rather accurately. 

"Oh sorry, what's your number?"

He smiles. "I'm 901."

Cute guy, make that VERY cute guy is a dozen places ahead of you.  

He asks again, "Are you getting a visa to travel to China for school?"

Whatta...?  "I'm here for my work visa," you smile back.  "Mmmmy goodness, this is not going to be a quick process."
Then he starts to tell you he's based in China too.

And you ask where he's from and he tells you.
And because you have a big mouth and no pause button- you rather pointedly mention "oh tulips & weed & the red light district, right..."
He gives you a strange look and you catch for midsentence air and shut the f- up!
He smiles & is nice about it.
So, the conversation keeps going for awhile.
He is engaging and you laugh at his stories.
Because he is funny.

He tells you how he missed his flight and decided to stay a few extra days in Manila to fix his visa.

He actually leaves in a few hours.

When you two finally share silence, amidst all the chismosang kapitbahay inching in to listen in on your conversation with this handsome stranger, you offer your hand.

"By the way, I'm Sadrina."

He shakes it and tells you his name.
The conversation ensues.

You can't help but think how he is not only very, very, very cute.
He is interesting tooooooooooooooo.
He finished his silly story about losing his Blackberry.
You laugh...and both of you are silent for awhile.
Then he says, "Do you mind if I get your number?"

"Uhmmm okay, but you leave today don't you?"

And he says, "Well your number in China would work too."

OF COURSE he wanted THAT number.
Toink!

So, the queue for picking up passports is building.
This is the queue you want to be in.
You both stand up and begin queueing.
He tells you, "Just stay behind me."
But you don't.
You rightfully find your place in the line.
And with a dozen people between the 2 of you, both of you look at each other helplessly. 

He appears to want to continue the conversation but stays in his place.
So do you.
When he does finally get his passport, he has this very shy look on his face...and he comes to you, "So if I go to SH, I definitely will go see you ok?"
Oh God, he is a sweet one and you almost plant a kiss on his cheek.
But you don't.
All you give him is a smile and say, "Okay."

You hope you see him again.
(You most probably won't!)
There are one billion plus people in China.

It is a crazy place to be.
Do you really think something can come of a 25-minute conversation?!?

The fairy tale has gone on long enough.