There seemed to be no time in Manila when traffic wasn't heavy. Trudging in a jeepney through the early evening haze, Davis sat back as best he could trying to take on a relaxed posture. Work was finished, and he was headed to Christine's condo for weekend convalescence. He just had to remember when to get off and where to catch the next bus. She offered to arrange a driver, but he preferred navigating his own way and putting public transportation through its paces. He wanted to feel like an intrepid traveler seeking an elusive destination. Now he was disoriented and at the mercy of the driver. The roads and what signs appeared were somewhat confusing. Still, he kept his patience. Even though he'd arrive late, he'd still get to Christine.
She prepared a light dinner by candlelight as they relaxed on a cozy couch in her somewhat small place. She didn't need much room, just enough for herself and her cousin. They wouldn't see much of her cousin this weekend, as she was on duty as hospital nurse. They would have the privacy they needed and desired.
Christine stood slightly taller than average by Filipina standards, appearing slender due to her long limbs. In their intimate moments together Davis marveled at her curves shaping her ample thighs and butt which tapered to a narrow waist. Her narrow shoulders gave way to strong arms. He loved following the contours of her body with his fingers, tracing the journey from her neck over her small breasts and nipples and down to her tender and extremely sensitive belly. In the dimness of the evening her body looked dark, though in the light of day her skin complexion shown a light caramel. She had dark eyes and thick, straight chestnut-brown hair which hung well below her shoulders. When they held their arms side by side, Davis's color revealed tanned skin darker than hers from the multiple weekend beach outings.
Christine reached over and played with his hair, gently tickling his cheek and neck as he sunk into the soft cushions. He was not the sort who liked excessive petting, but she had a soothing warmth about her touch he found relaxing and stirring. Her gentle approach would follow with kiss, and the kiss would give way to a full body embrace. She was as lithe and nimble as a dancer. He never felt smothered, but rather keenly aware of her scent, her taste, the whispers her body gave off.
The din of early evening subsided only slightly when late night arrived. By then they were in her bed, entombed within a room sealed off to allow the air conditioning to do its work in the only place it was needed. Still, he could hear the sounds of Manila. The dogs barking at nothing in particular, the scooters roaring in the distance, trucks in dire need of brake repair, and the occasional neighbor laughing or speaking loudly. It kept him awake for a while, though when he looked over he found Christine peacefully at rest. He wondered what she dreamed and what she really desired, from him and from her life. She had planned a busy day for them, and he knew that soon he needed rest as well. He reached over, wrapped his arm over her and fell asleep.
The next day he followed her willingly through a maze of markets, bazaars, stalls, roadside vendors, and food shops that looked as though they had been assembled in a matter of minutes. It was all he could do to keep up, but the chaotic disorder was a welcome change. She seemed to thrive in the quick back and forth exchanges when haggling over the price of jewelry. She would hold up a necklace and examine it as a seller approached her to say it was made for a beautiful woman like her. She would ask how much, and the seller would hesitate and offer a beautiful woman discount. Christine would counter with a number close to half, and the banter went on until she would hold up the necklace, shake her head, and put it back into the display. She won a good price, but lost interest in buying. Davis tried his hand at a few items, though Christine warned that as an American the vendors would never offer him a price as good as they would her. She explained that they see Americans as rich and able to pay much more, and he knew she was right.
At one booth she tried on a gold bracelet, and Davis was struck at how nice it looked on her wrist. When she put it down and moved on, he summoned the seller and made a quick sale. Though he made the seller happy, Davis still paid considerably less than he would have in the US. He thanked the seller and placed the bracelet in his pocket. She was already two booths ahead when he caught up. It was midday and he was already exhausted.
They didn't stop to sit down for a meal but bought and sampled different foods from the market stands. Christine innately knew which vendors and which foods were freshest. She moved beyond the staples like lumpia and pancit and ventured into the more native fare. She had him sample langan and pomelo, and ginisang monggo as a vegetable stew. When he thought he had tried just about everything, she brought him an egg and opened it slowly, revealing a partially developed duck embryo.
"It's called balut," she said. "It's delicious." He hesitated for a moment. He had heard that Filipinos often dared Westerners to try balut as a joke, well aware that most would shy away in disgust.
"Sure, I'll try it." He reached down and picked what he thought was part of the torso and foot, but he couldn't be sure. The texture was much like a mushroom, but with more definition. The taste, however, wasn't too bad.
