A GAME FOR FOUR

TORY

E FOR

PTE

also very boring because there was no electricity. Just last week, that transformer that supplied light to our neighbourhood had caught fire. We had no idea when it would be re

ld fight my boredom by staying at home. So, I decided to go to an off-license bar that was around my neighbourhood. The owner had a

e other people drinking and chatting excitedly because there was a Champions League Match going on. After haven given my phone to the bar

d become expensive because of the recent removal of fuel subsidy. I had no more reason to stay there. So, I decided to go home. I went to the bartender to

other drink?

I gave it to your salesgirl t

irl. She is my daught

u have such a big daug

s,

s such a grown-up daughter. You look quit

s my daughter. Anyway, I had

ve turned of your generator, I have to go back ho

” She replied. “Would you be so kin

iPh

as been ringing endlessly? Your line i

ringing. It was s

maybe my daught

nyway, let me see wh

boss who had been calling. Why was he calling me on a Sunday? So, I couldn’t r

right?” The

I am

and all of a sudden, everything changed. Or is

t is something that h

rging your phone, you can come back by 6:30 PM

u, I will

ed browsing. As I browsed, I thought about my boss’ missed call. I decided I would call him only when

she had a daughter that was about twenty years old. That was really impressive. Sometimes, it’s good to have children when you are much younger. Her daughter now l

as still concentrating on my phon

there?”

, it i

name,

thi

as the bar owner’s beautiful daughter. She smiled broadly as she looked at me. I had seen that smile be

e you?”

e, U

y I be of h

about to turn on the gen again. So, you c

thoughtful and considerate

le, I am

, b

, un

ess for me. She was calling me ‘uncle’. Why was she doing a thing like that? I wasn’t very much older than her. I was going to celebrate my birthday, my t

of asking her out. It made my journey into her heart difficult. Now, I had to first of all try to eradicate the ‘uncle’ name, and then, start the process afres

ile waiting for the phone to charge. I was fully absorbed in the movie that was playing when someon

ask you what brand of

drink. I just want to sit and wait

hat if you do, I should tell you th

e? What does

she is pay

case, bring me a b

y, U

Mathilda to give my phone, but she said her mother had taken it to their house which was just beside the bar. She said her mother said there were already too many phone

to go home now. Wha

other bottle of beer. She woul

tle, sat down again and contin

had gone except Mathilda herself, he

e wasted your time

She had made me waste my time and I had to sleep early

ing Filipino Telenovela. I

e and collected my phone from her.

e. She asked Mathilda to bring two more bottles, one for her and the other for me, and then, as

ant to dri

hy

ll. I have had two bott

an manage just one

an’t, I

ou something smaller. Math

took the malt. As soon as she was sure that

s if you have someone waitin

te already.

enjoy my

n’t sa

with a girl since you started livin

you se

eighbourhood and ever

I don’t

hy

ound one wor

ce there are a lot of nice g

about that. You are a beautiful woman, and I would have loved you to

, don’t they chat

an?” I asked, m

CONT