Thursday tear-jerker

Last Saturday, I did a round to my well-loved NBS. Although I plead with myself to not step a foot on that red store because I know I'm not exiting there empty-handed. At that time, I thought to myself how my feet jerked me around, suddenly taking it upon itself to desire a life of its own and lure me in.

Since my book collection had been dominated by Americans and English writers, it dawned on me that there's no greater love except to love thy own. For that, the Western invasion was on halt to give way to the Philippines' finests. There appeared a recent add to the shelf, it caught my eye (it being the only copy left) and I said to myself, "Quite an interesting cover." And like most people do, I peeked at the back, read, then suddenly lit up with a rotated crescent moon planted on my face. I was sold after reading the snippet, knowing that this Pam Pastor not only had great writing prowess, she's my colleague too.

Although I have this knack for Googling people out, she was an exception, only because I know I'd meet her one day, close enough to let her sign my copy. Until then, she will remain anonymous to me. I even wondered if I might have accidentally ran into her at the wash room, or maybe at the corridors. Oh, it didn't matter, I said to myself

Then, the gods (if it was ever plural), heard me. The chance encounter. The moment. I was frantically holding my book (well, technically it's her book) walking up to her station, and blurted the very common thing one says when you've never seen a person you've heard of.

I: "Pam Pastor?"
PP: Yes?
I: *says nothing, and by instinct, hands her my copy together with a Hello Kitty pen*
PP: What's your name?
I: "Jenna."
PP: How do you spell?
I: "J-e-double n-a."
PP: *strikes my lovely pen at my first ever grab-an-autograph-by-approaching-the-author moment*

She hands me my book back, while she was teased by her department colleagues about stuffs I need not mention because it wasn't necessary, that not being their moment. ^_^

The perky me went back to my corner, shedding a tear out of sheer joy of what had just happened. I then sat and read what she wrote for me. And to share how I adored her penmanship just the same as her message, here it is.