Veenz’s Tailoring

Cesi, Jane and Joyce walked the dark and muddy sidewalks of Commonwealth Avenue. Hands together, they searched shop after shop for a signboard indicating “Veenz’s Tailoring”. It was past seven in the evening and they have never been to where they were heading. They were going to get the jerseys. They were to carry about 3 heavy bags of jerseys through the footbridge and back to the dorm. The sports fest was going to start the next day and the boys were busy watching Ploning and Atang, so they had to go get the jerseys. Yes, the girls are not up against DotA or Ragnarok Online this time, they’re competing with Judy Anne Santos. Of course, who are they to go against Juday? They had to accept inevitable defeat.
They passed by Alfred’s Funeral Home. The green light inside the shop was very effective in spooking likely customers. Then there were the chains of red-lighted Videoke Bars – “Wanted GRO, Inquire Inside”, a sign read. They could hear the Drunkards reciting the words that appeared on the TV screen in their loudest voices – a futile attempt to sing. The next shop was Five Star Tailoring where they were told that Veenz’s Tailoring was “straight ahead”. At last, they reached their destination. The shop was dark, and when they went inside they saw lighted candles. Joyce asked for the jerseys, and Ate Lisa said her line: “I’m sorry they’re not done yet. Come back tomorrow.” It has been almost a month since they ordered the jerseys, and Ate Lisa, as if sensing that they already got tired of her old line added an ad lib: “Could I ask for your 500-peso balance now? You will be getting everything tomorrow anyway. Look they’re almost done.” And she showed them the cut fabric. She told them that all that remained to be done was sewing the fabric together and putting the numbers. That was almost all that you had to do in order to come up with a finished jersey.
But of course, the girls, who studied in UP, did not comply. They told her that they’d only pay in full when they got the complete order. And so when they left, she yapped nonstop at Junie for spending all the money she gave, for Tanduay and cigarettes instead of paying the electricity bill.