ch. 52 - outside talk with elreen

CHAPTER 52
OUTSIDE TALK WITH ELREEN


Narrator: Back inside Marie Calendar’s, Maja and her gang were at the counter. Jamilla paid all of everyone’s shares to a young white lady with long brown hair, somewhere around her late 20’s.

White lady (handing Jamilla a receipt): Thank you.

Narrator: So everyone walked out of the restaurant, Sarah opening the door. A second later, Elreen popped out, still wearing her work uniform.

Elreen: Eyy.

Narrator: Everyone turned to her as she was approaching them.

Jamilla: Hey. Whatcha doin’ out here?

Elreen: Oh, just got off work right now.

Jamilla: Oh. You know what time it is?

Elreen: (checking her watch) It’s 10:03.

Brenda: Wow, late already.

Elreen: I know. But thanks for stopping by!

Nina: No problem. Great food by the way!

Elreen: (laughing) Thanks, I appreciate it. You guys should visit again sometime.

Denise: We will.

Elreen: (smiling) You guys were really cool to talk to. (pointing at them) Are you guys Filipino?

Jamilla: Weelll… what do we look like to you?

Elreen: (laughing) Can you least tell me a language you already know?

Brenda: Some of us can speak more than one, ya see.

Elreen: Oh… well, I’m multi-lingual as well. I’m fluent in Chinese, Spanish, Japanese, Italian, German, and French.

Koji: Wow.

Nina: You’re Australian, aren’t you?

Elreen: Right, but the question is what do I look like to you?

Koji: You look Filipino to me, to tell ya the truth.

Elreen: Exactly! You guys too are Filipino, right?

Denise: Nope. We’re actually Vietnamese. (joking with a smile)

Elreen: Oh…

Sarah: We’re kidding! (as she and everyone else laugh) We’re really Filipino!

Elreen: (laughs, shaking her head) If that’s the case, can you speak tagalog?

Brenda: Naku, hindi kami marunong, o?

Elreen: Oh you guys… (laughing) Kayo talaga, o?

Maja: Aba, marunong ka pala mag tagalog, ah?

Elreen: Not much, really. I was actually born and raised in Australia. I’ve visited the Philippines a couple times when I was like 6 years old. But then I started living here in the States when I was 11.

Jamilla: Cool.

Maja: Can you at least understand some tagalog, kahit konti lang?

Elreen: Yeah. Well, now that I have TFC, why not learn more? Ya know… (laughs)

Sarah: We can always teach you.

Denise: Yeah. We’re willing to help anybody with their tagalog skills. (smiling)

Elreen: Aww… thanks, you guys. Well, I’m about to head home. It’s getting pretty late.

Brenda: You have a good night.

Elreen: You too. Thank you for visiting Marie Calendar’s once again.

Denise: No problem.

Narrator: So Elreen walked away afterwards, waving at the gang. Maja, Denise, and Brenda waved back at her.