Marven’s First Novel, chapter #07

“Daytime Suitor”

One morning, when Aldo was just at home, he went to the community hospital. He was alone and was not accompanying a sickly relative. It was not even sure whether he is sick himself and was availing of the health services, but he went on.
When he reached the gate, his steps became less resolute and he started to hesitate. He stopped for a few seconds and considered. Afterwards, having had enough thinking, he went on entering the gate, walked on the sidewalk of the driveway lightly and musingly, and stopped at the main door. He stood facing the street; and in the yard, he saw a few people waiting outside sitting on the outdoor benches and plant boxes. There he fixed himself for a few minutes, wanting to be there but still not knowing what to do until it came to a point where he just felt like going back home. There was a moment when he wondered what he was even doing there and what brought him there.
However, the sight of something made him change his mind and revert to his original purpose. He saw a man coming out of a small storage room and making his way towards the main lobby inside. The man was coming Aldo’s way. When the former came before him, he called the man’s attention and the latter looked at him. Aldo asked him if he knows Dr. Roberto. The man answered in the affirmative. Aldo said that he is a personal acquaintance of hers and asked if the man can ask her to meet him outside. After giving Aldo one last look, the man entered the hospital.
Aldo felt triumphant and was again filled with happy thoughts. Now he saw the people, the benches, the trees, and the shrubs in a rosy light. Speaking of which, he had been carrying with him a large rose that has a sturdy and thorny stem, doing which, would make the people sometimes look at him. After a few minutes of wait which has become inconsequential to him, he saw emerging into the hallway and heading towards the main door that doctor Michal. She was wearing long sleeves, jeans, and pointed shoes. She looked down on the floor apparently perturbed and puzzled, wondering who her visitor must be. At her approach, Aldo's heart raced; and instinctively, he concealed himself a little bit. When Michal came outside the door, she looked around and saw no one and thought for a second she was being pranked.
Then Aldo came out of hiding and said, “Hi, Dr. Michal,” suavely.
Michal was astonished.
“Surprise, surprise.” Aldo smiled like an idiot.
“What’s this?”
“I’m sorry for bothering you and showing up like this. But I wanted to see you. Personally, I mean.”
“It’s you.”
“Yes. It’s me.”
“What did you say?”
“I said I wanted to see you personally.”
“Why do you want to see me personally during work hours?”
“Uh... Yeah. You're right. This really looks stupid. I'm stupid.”
“Well, you’re already here.”
“Do you, by any chance, remember me?”
“Yes, I do. How are you?”
“I’m fine. I think I’m better now than before.”
“Great. Good for you.”
“Thanks to you.”
“What?”
“Uh...” Aldo hesitated and then he flashed the rose he had been hiding in his back and proferred it to Michal coyly, wondering why he’s even doing what he’s doing.
Michal was a little surprised and reluctantly accepted the rose. Then she put her arm down and hung the thing from between her fingers. She looked up again at Aldo.
“What brings you here, Mr. Aldo?”
“I just thought I could visit you.”
“Visit?”
“Yes.”
“Hmm... Okay. It’s nice of you to visit me, I guess.”
“Really? Thank you. Of course. It’s the least that I can do after everything you’ve done for me.”
“What did I do to you?”
“It’s a long story. I would love to tell you all about it if you could spare a moment.”
“You mean like a chat?”
“Yes, hopefully.”
Really? Are you serious in that condition?
Uh... Yes.
“Well, as you can see, I’m busy.”
“I know.”
You know?
Yes. I'm aware.
“And so what?”
“Well, seeing you today is more than enough. That’s for sure. But talking to you and hearing back your thoughts would totally be phenomenal. It will definitely completely my day.”
“Will it be worth my time?”
“I hope so.”
“More urgent matters need my careful attention. Why should I prioritize you?”
“I understand. But I still very much like to talk to you.”
“I need to go back inside now if you'll excuse me.”
“Do you really need to go?”
“Uh... yeah? What did you think?”
“I think I've already gone through so much trouble and humiliation, which you might think is just trivial, just to get here and see you."
"Which nobody asked you to do. And you're right. It's very trivial."
"Would you please just talk to me for at least five minutes? You're just wasting time by arguing."
“Why are you being so persistent?”
“I'm sorry if I don't feel like backing down right now. I would either talk to you or spend the remaining hours of my day sulking in my room and not doing a single thing.”
“You're serious?”
“I was just joking about the sulking, of course.”
“No. You looked serious. Too late. That was an authentic expression that I saw.”
“Okay. You got me. What do I do?”
“You’re like a little child.”
“What? What are you talking about?”
“I knew it. Are you really like that on a normal day?”
“I don’t know. Maybe.”
“I think so.”
“Look. Should I now just turn tail because this is all I can be? I mean, really?”
“Will it give you peace of mind if I listen to what you have to say?”
“Yes. Hopefully.”
“Fine. I’ll listen to you.”
“Finally. Look at the amount of time you've wasted.”
“For humanitarian reasons, I'll accommodate you since you’ve come all the way here.”
“No. I just live nearby. But thank you. I knew you were a kind person. And don't worry. Such kindness won't be wasted on me.”
"Wait here." Michal turned her back and headed back to her office. She marched down the hall pensively, looking confused, wielding the rose in her hand. She was so deep in thought that she didn't realize she was already drawing attention.
Next thing, she and Aldo were sitting on a concrete bench under the shade of a tree, near a secret garden, and a little far away from the people.
“So what were you going to say to me?”
“I’ve found a job. Can you believe it?”
“For real? Yeah. That's incredible.”
Aldo narrated the circumstances that led to him finally landing a job after a protracted period of being a loafer.
“Okay. That’s nice. Maybe it’s the right thing for you.”
“I believe it is.”
“Why so?”
“Because it came to me rather than I looked for it.”
“Okay.”
“It’s like what you said?”
“What did I say?
"That, you know..."
"Hmm... Yeah. I think I said something like that... Well, then, good."
"I know, right?"
"So does it mean goodbye to you being a loafer?”
"It seems. I've spent a long time being one. I'm still not used to the change. I'm still adjusting. I'm also still feeling the thrill even until today. The work environment seems good. I think I'm going to love it there. Maybe that became my impetus in coming here. That is why I feel numb and thick-faced right now."
“I'm sad. What a pity. I was fine with you being a loafer. I'm jealous of who you might meet.”
“No... Seriously?”
“No. Can’t you take a joke?”
“I want to be hardworking like you. You inspire me.”
Michal frowned and looked away, downplaying the compliment. “Thank you. Don’t worry. You fascinate me too.”
“Fascinate?" Aldo's face changed into something that resembles sadness. "How original. Yeah, of course, for now, I fascinate. Anyway, thank you. I can’t get you off my mind too.”
Michal flinched in surprise and got tongue-tied. She didn't reply and kept quiet for about five seconds. Then she continued. “So that’s one your many issues. I see.”
“Issue? What issue? Is there an issue. Whatever that is, it’s irrelevant.”
"All right."
With the few minutes that Michal allotted for Aldo, she listened to him pour his heart out for the most part although he and she would sometimes just talk about whatever comes to mind and utter inanities. After this short chat, she went back to work and he went home happily.
Later that afternoon, the indefatigable Aldo came back and could again be seen talking to Michal. He really lived up to being a full-blown suitor that day.
“Can I ask something of you?” she said.
“What is it?” he replied.
“It would really pain me to see you subject yourself to the things you went through today coming over here.”
“It's nothing.”
“I know this place is just near your house. But can you, for now, refrain from coming here, from visiting me, if that is what you intend to do in the future.”
“You expect me to visit you again?”
“Based on today’s events, yes. I’m just saying.”
“Who knows when I will be able to visit you again?”
“Okay.”
“Oh, I get it. You fear that I may bother you again in coming here as if that’s the only thing I know how to do. Isn’t that right?”
“If you put it that way, no.”
“Or you just don’t want someone like me around. I disgust you.”
“No. I don’t judge people by their defects but by their character.”
“So you see me as someone full of defects.”
“No. I just see you, to put it simply.”
“And I turn out to be a contemptible character.”
“Leave that to me. Besides, all of us have defects.”
“I’m aware of mine. And in case you think I don’t know what I’m doing, you’re mistaken. I do.”
“Okay. Good for you.”
“Where did I go wrong?” he said to himself.
“I’m just thinking of you. Believe it or not.”
“Are you now?”
“Yes. I just said that. Don't you see it?”
“Not yet. Let me have a few moments to think... Hmm... Hmm... Ah... Sure. If you say so. I wouldn’t protest to that.”
“Thank you.”
“I love how you explain things. You truly are incapable of hurting people.”
“On the contrary, I think it’s absolutely fine for you to visit me.”
“What? Now you're confusing me.”
"Sorry."
At that moment, one of Michal’s colleagues, as light-skinned as but a little thinner than her, emerged from the main door and approached the two, all the while smiling and looking interestingly at them. When she arrived, she gaily said:
“Hi. Am I disturbing?”
“Aldo, this is my colleague, Dr. Angelica. Angelica, this is Aldo. He’s a local here.”
“Nice to meet you, Aldo.” Doctor Angelica good-naturedly extended her hand to Aldo.
Aldo took it politely. “Nice to meet you, too, Doc Angelica,” Aldo replied smiling bashfully.
“Angelica.”
"Angelica." Aldo let go of her hand.
“So you live here, Aldo?”
“Yes, doc. If you happen to forget to ask, I’m actually the chairperson of the united parents association here."
"Oh. Okay."
"And in behalf of our organization, I express our sincerest gratitude for your service to our community folk, especially our children.”
“It’s our honor, sir. You’re welcome.”
“He’s pranking you. Don’t believe him,” Michal interposed.
Angelica looked at Michal genuinely puzzled.
Looking at Aldo, Michal continued, “He’s not a parent. He’s still single. The child he took here was his nephew.”
Angelica looked back at Aldo and said, smiling, “Okay. You got me there for a second, Aldo.”
“Fine. I’m not a parent,” he said still jestingly. But then he followed up good-naturedly, “Sorry, Doc Angelica.”
“It’s okay,” the doctor replied smiling.”
“He’s way younger than us,” Michal said coldly.
“Oh,” Angelica reacted.
“Not much, only four years, I think,” Aldo protested.
“He looks more like a teenage boy, I should say,” Angelica said.
“I don’t know if I’ll take that as a compliment or an insult,” Aldo said.
“By the way, Aldo, Dr. Angelica here is still single, just like you.”
Angelica reacted as if tickled and lightly slapped Michal’s upper arm. “What are you talking about?” Then turning to Aldo, she said bashfully, “Yes, unfortunately.”
“So you're like Dr. Michal too? She's also still single. Isn't she?” Aldo asked, slyly drawing information indirectly.
“Yes... Wait I thought you already knew.”
“No, doc. I don't. I forgot to ask her about it. I just guessed.”
“Michal is single one hundred percent. I think she never had a boyfriend her entire life.”
Michal crimped her face and eyed her colleague.
“Really? That’s great,” Aldo exclaimed. Then he checked himself. “Sorry.”
“I don’t know why she's being like that. I mean, look at her. She's way more beautiful than me,” Angelica continued.
"Makes me wonder too, Doc Angelica."
“Fine. I guess I’m as unfortunate as you two. But I embrace it and I don't rush. I don't want to decide out of pressure and for other trivial reasons. I want to love and be loved. That's every girl's dream. I'm sure true love will come my way, our way, the three of us. Who knows? You two might find it in each other. Therefore, if you two don’t mind, I’ll let you continue chatting in order to get to know each other. Bye.” Michal resolutely walked away.
Aldo turned his head towards her and shouted, “Hey. What in the world? Why are you leaving me behind?”
Michal turned around abruptly and said exasperatingly, “It was nice knowing you, Aldo. And it was nice of you to visit me today. But I guess we have talked enough."
"I know that. But why are you leaving me behind?"
"I’m dejected and tired.”
“Okay, I’m sorry,” he stammered, looking confounded. Upon recovery, he looked down and took a few seconds to understand what she said.
Angelica took a step closer to Aldo and said, “So what do you do for a living, Aldo? What keeps you busy?”
From this question ensued a short chat between Aldo and Dr. Angelica which lasted until two or three more individuals came chattering out of the main door.
Doctor Angelica wrapped the conversation up and said, “Bye, Aldo. It was great talking to you today. See you next time, maybe?”
“I’ll look forward to that, Dr. Angelica,” Aldo replied politely.
"Great," Angelica said smilingly.
When she was gone, Aldo walked home pensively, still pondering over what Michal said.

tentatively titled, The Simple Adventures of a Simple Simpleton
by: Marven T. Baldo