Being In Love Is A Great Feeling

It was January 28, 2001 and I was 25 years old. It was our barrio fiesta, which we Filipinos love to celebrate. It is a time to enjoy and see friends, while savoring different kinds of food prepared for the celebration. I had lots of friends who came to the fiesta, and there was this guy who a friend introduced to me as a "soldier". At that time I didn't care much, since he didn't catch my attention. For me he was just an ordinary guy. So we all chatted and shared stories of what's happening with each other. What I remember is that we were seated next to each other, and I can say that it wasn't love or crush at first-sight for me, because I barely even noticed what he wore that day. Our mutual friend was surprised that I had a cell phone and asked for my number, not even considering that he didn't have a cell phone of his own. This guy beside me offered to get my number and save it on his cell phone temporarily for our friend. The night ended, and it was early the next morning when I received a blank text from an unknown number. It was, of course, the “soldier” guy. I texted back and he replied that he was thinking of me while he was getting ready for work in Manila. From then on, we became textmates. 

Summer of '73

It was Spring Break and as a struggling college student I was working as a part time "bookkeeper" in an appliance store. This was really only a receipt recorder (pre-computer days) in a family run appliance store within walking distance of my little, 1900 era, servant quarters. My house was part of a large turn of the century estate that had been sold off in parcels with various types of homes being placed at irregular intervals on the property. It was probably no more than 200 square feet but it had the major advantage of a garden space and a claw foot tub that had somehow survived. I had a 59 Chrysler New Yorker that had belonged to my grandfather but I drove it as little as possible because the gas was an "extra" cost I couldn't afford at fifteen cents a gallon. My boss'  son was returning home and in need of a job so they were going to give him mine at the beginning of summer.
I went to Knott's Berry Farm and put in an application.