On surprise parties and happy thoughts

Sappy – not my style, which is contradictory to my drama queen persona and so, maybe yeah, alright, I’m sappy – but only when it comes to my friends. And surprise parties.

 

Last Saturday, the 22^nd, one of my supposedly depressing days, turned out to be one of the happiest.

 

See, it was my last day at work and it was heartbreaking because I really loved my job and the people I worked with. The waterworks started around 3pm – when I was handing over my stuff… this is finally it, I thought, game over.

 

I was still sniffing when one of my bestest best office friends, Ria, dropped by. Seeing how miserable I was, she decided to take me to this posh spa place in Malate, Sanctuario.

 

So we were talking while we were having our nails done – then I noticed how she was really edgy, looking at her watch and asking if I wanted to go drinking already. She said she had texted Judd, our close friend and my PR colleague, and that he’s waiting in a bar somewhere.

 

OK, I thought, something IS up.

 

So I smiled and readily said, let’s go!

 

What bowled me over was, when we got into her car, she put a blindfold over my eyes – like really expertly! And like in the movies, I only had time to shriek!

 

But it was a happy shriek – like OMG it’s a surprise party! FOR ME!!!

 

And so we walked – me blindfolded, she holding my hand – around Malate. We were both laughing so hard! I was shrieking most of the time, and she was shouting to everyone “we’re not lesbians, she’s my best friend.” Then I’d counter, “we are! we are! she’s just shy!” Even then, I was already high.

 

We were mostly shrieking and laughing until I felt Ria let go my hand then some person touched my elbow, as if leading me forward. Then Ria yanked the blindfold and – SURPRISE!

 

OMG! I couldn’t believe my eyes! The place was packed! I thought it was just going to be a few officemates – but NO! My COLLEGE friends were there!

 

A send-off party! WOW! God, the effort (and money) that Ria and Judd must have put in for this! FOR ME!!!

 

I was so totally happy! I didn’t know what to say – I saw my former boss, John; officemates; friends from the media – basta everyone that I cared most for was there!

 

I was so ecstatic that I didn’t know how else to deal with my emotions than to drink. And boy did I drink!

 

I was sooo super smashed (the happy kind) that I forget the details now. Basta there were a lot of hooting and crying and laughing…

 

But what I do remember most is the feeling – this warm, warm feeling that envelops me every time I recall the happy faces around me; the hugs that were so openly given to me; the I’ll-miss-you’s; the I-love-you’s; the take-care’s…

 

Sigh. Now that’s a happy thought right there.