Repel This

“Dad someone is looking for you.” I told dad over my cellphone.
“Who?”, he asked.
“RCBC. Something about an extinguisher being repelled.”, I explained.
“It’s late. I’ve been waiting for them this morning. Tell them I’m not here.”
Here, being a 60 meters walk from where I’m standing. I was at the restaurant. Dad was at his base behind the restaurant, a stone-throw away, playing cards the whole day.
“Okay. Fine. This is annoying dad.”, I said hanging up.
Then the phone at the restaurant rung.
“Yes?”, I said.
“What did Engineer say, Mother?”, the guy from the RCBC asked.
“I don’t know, haven’t contacted him yet. And this is not his mother. This is his daughter.”, I explained.
“Oh. We will be heading there. We have no place to keep this extinguishers.”, The RCBC said.
“Er, this is the restaurant. The lumber is already closed.”
“Yes. We will be heading there. Wait, you need to talk to the man who knows this.”
“Okay.”, I said.
“Hello Ma’am.”
“Yes.”
“We’ll be leaving here for there.”
“What are your plans?”
“We are going to leave this two repelled extinguishers there. It cost P1,350.”
“But I don’t have that money.” I said. I do. But this is not my problem.
“Okay we’ll be heading there so we can talk.”
“Fine.”
I marched to the terminal, where dad was playing tong-its.
“Dad. They’ll be coming over. They are gonna leave the extinguishers there.”
“Okay. How much.”
“P1,350”.
“What?! They told me it’s just P750.”
“This is two extinguishers, dad.”
“ Here, just pay them P750. I’m not going to take the other one.”
Sighing I took the money and went back to the restaurant.
Where they caught me.
“So what did your dad say?”
“He’s gonna take just one. Is that okay?”
“That means, we will be bringing this back to Dagupan. Next time you get this it’ll be more expensive.” The extinguisher man said.
“I don’t know. That’s just what dad ordered. He just said one.”
“Yes, but the next day, one of your man went to the bank and brought another one to be repelled.” RCBC man said.
“Oh you mean refilled?”, now understanding their accent.
I just gave a annoyed sound, dug out my phone and called Dad.
“Dad, Kuya Tony brought another extinguisher at the bank the following day and you didn’t know.”, I said as a greeting.
“No. I just…”
Cutting off dad. “You talked to him.” I said to the RCBC man, handing him my phone.
I went to the cashier box and took some money.
“Your dad said okay.”
“Yup. He just needs you to explain it.” Handing RCBC the money.
“He’ll be giving you your receipt.” RCBC said referring to Fire Extinguisher man.
“Okay”, I said following them outside.
There was this lady inside their delivery vehicle writing the receipt.
“What does Three N One means?”, she asked me.
“My dad named it. Three current paramour and one ex-wife.” I answered deadpanned.
The extinguisher man was standing on my left. He was looking at me. So I looked back. His eyes are medium brown. And he was good looking.
Ha.
“You’re Chinese.”, he said.
“Yes.” I answered and ignored him. I was waiting for the lady to finish my receipt.
“Wo Ai Di (I love you).” He said to me.
All the Chinese words I know could be summed in one phrase.
Piao Si (Fuck you).
I scooted a little to his right.
“Wo Ai Di” He said again.
I just keep on ignoring him.
“Here we go.” The lady said handing my receipt over.
“Thanks.” I said.
“Single or Double.”, the man said.
Curious. “Single or double?”, I repeated.
“Are you single or not?”, he asked.
“That kind of girl,” the lady said “she has to be single.”
What kind?
“Yes I’m single.” I said and crossed the street.
On the other side, the man asked loudly “Could I have your number?”
Not looking back, “Dream on.” I answered just as loudly.