The Oddest Francisco Family Gathering...Yet.

My Tito Bert just arrived two days ago from Canada to visit Lola Bait who’s going to celebrate her 90th birthday on March 14. So when we were on our way to Parañaque for our family gathering, I anticipated we will be talking about Tito Bert’s birthday on Thursday, Lola’s birthday on Saturday, and about my cousin Ate Chrissy’s upcoming wedding in July.

But I was so wrong! Though the discussion about the birthday celebrations and the wedding came up, the day was mostly about my relatives asking me the question I feared to answer. I wouldn’t call it torture...but it did feel like I’ve done something that was out of the ordinary.

Conversation # 1: With Tita Estie
Tita: Ano Margie, may boyfriend ka na ba?
Margie: Wala po.
Tita: Marami bang lalake sa inyo?
Margie: Meron naman po, sa IT department.
Tita: O, eh di pumunta ka dun sa IT.
Margie: Same office po kami. May kasama naman po akong lalake sa office.
Tita: Ganun? Eh di mabuti. Bakit? Wala ka ba magustuhan?
Margie: Tita naman, trabaho po.
Tita: Ano ka ba? Ok lang mag-boyfriend...kaya magpaligaw ka na.

Conversation # 2: With Tito Bert
Tito: Ano na ba ang balita sayo?
Margie: Nagtratrabaho na po ako. Eto po yung magazine namin o. (sabay labas ng InFlight)
Tito: Aba, eh di nakakapunta ka kung saan-saan.
Margie: Opo.
Tito: Mabuti naman kung ganun. Eh may nakilala ka na ba?
Margie: Po?
Tito: Manliligaw? Boyfriend?
Margie: Naku, Tito, wala pa po. Wala pang nagkakamaling manligaw. Hehehe...
Tito: Nagpapakipot ka ata eh. Ang mga pinsan mo may mga boyfriend at girlfriend na. Ate Chrissy mo, ikakasal na, 29 na yun.
Margie: Eh Tito, mag-23 pa lang naman po ako sa April.
Tito: Baka naman ayaw mo magpaligaw. Imposible naman wala ka pa nakikilala.
Margie: Tito...si Papa nga po, hindi ako pine-pressure eh.
Tito: Tahimik lang yan si Nany pero maniwala ka sa’kin, gusto na rin nya magka-boyfriend ka. Ganyan ako sa Ate Chrissy mo.

Conversation # 3: With Lola (talking in Spanish; translated in Tagalog)
Lola: Malapit ka nap ala mag-birthday ano?
Margie: Opo, 23 na po next month
Lola: May boyfriend ka na ba?
Margie: Naku Lola, wala pa po. Hindi ko pa po iniintindi yun.
Lola: Alam mo ba? Kami ng lolo mo, nung kinasal, 23 ako tapos lolo mo 27. Wala man lang ba nanliligaw sayo?
Margie: Lola naman, nakakapressure naman yung sinabi nyo.
Lola: Ang ibig sabihin ko lang, bakit di ka pa magpaligaw?

OH. MY. GOSH.

I never would have thought I would be hearing these things from them.

Why? Why is it that all of a sudden everybody’s interested in my non-existent love life?