Driving dilemma (Part 6) By Virginia Pasalo   MERCEDES closed the door behind her and gave a sigh of relief. It was a relief that also brought anxiety because she knew that Rashid was attracted to her, and she was beginning to like him, he was different from his friends,…

“Okinnam, Rudy!” By Virginia Pasalo   AT first it was a challenge to climb the electric post on whose height i could watch the vehicles on the highway go by, but my cousin Rudy, the same Rudy who tempted me to touch a burning spoon (and I did) falling for…

Driving dilemma (Part 5) By Virginia Pasalo   BACK in the Philippines, Anna was elected President of the Philippine Association of Recruitment Agencies (PARA) and was appointed by government as a member of the Board of Trustees representing the Management Sector at the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA). She focused…

Driving dilemma (Part 4) By Virginia Pasalo   If only Mercedes knew that Ramon had fantasies about her, she would have immediately cut off all associations with him. But she did not. She was a proper woman, a very loyal housewife, a dedicated mother. Despite all that she is, her…

Driving me crazy By Virginia Pasalo   DRIVING dilemma (Part 4) will be posted on October 2 as I am deep into the preparation for two international poetry festivals where I will be presenting Kiew, an anthology of tree poems, the output of a collaborative effort of the Pangasinan Historical…

Driving dilemma (Part 3) By Virginia Pasalo   IT has been two years since he left the Philippines and Ramon had found new friends at ARAMCO, the company with which his Philippine employer had partnered with for the construction of several structures in Dharan. He was determined to excel in…

The matrix By Virginia Pasalo   PART 3 of the love story, “Driving Dilemma” will be continued in my next column. I am taking a break from love stories, and would like to refocus my energies to other stories, stories of life and death. Lately, I have been surprised that…

Driving dilemma (Part 2) By Virginia Pasalo   ANNA had nothing to say, her words hid under her tongue, and all she could say was, “Uh-huh?” Before she could say another word, Ramon’s back receded fast, merging itself with the hawkers and the hookers that littered Mabini Street. And he…

Driving dilemma By Virginia Jasmin Pasalo   LET me tell you a story of love. Anna (not her real name), managed one of the biggest recruitment agencies in the country during her time. She belonged to a prominent family in northern Philippines and was engaged to a member of the…

Signs from the universe By Virginia Jasmin Pasalo   MORE than a year ago, I was supposed to have a very important meeting, so i wanted to make sure that everything was okay. First, i charged all three mobile phones and opened all communication lines. Second, i excused myself from…