When Love Turns OA

Alfred* is my childhood acquaintance. We were practically neighbors and though we weren't close, we felt a kind of familiarity that only people who grew up together have. Though I left our hometown when I went to college, I still heard news about  my old acquaintances including Alfred. I learned that he married another one of our distant neighbors, that they had two children and that they got separated after a few years of marriage. I also knew that he found someone else, someone from a nearby town and that they've been living together even since.

So, I was sort of shocked when, after attending our grand alumni homecoming last February, I heard that he was courting one of my very close friends. For one, Alfred is living with someone and second, my friend is married, though their marriage is on the edge. It seems like Alfred has been in love with my friend since we were in high school and now that he found her again, he didn't want to let her go.

My friend was shocked and hurt when he learned that Alfred was with someone at the moment. His justification was that he knew that my friend would not give him a minute's notice if she knew he was involved with another woman. Alfred begged, cried and even postponed his flight abroad just so he could earn my friend's forgiveness. Not wanting to be responsible if Alfred lose his job, my friend forgave him and urged him to go.

Encouraged by my friend's kindness, Alfred went on with his job overseas.  But he calls my friend every single day since he left the country. But when asked about his family here in the Philippines, he said that he doesn't call nor text his 'wife' and that he doesn't have any intention of going back to her and he would ignore her until she leaves on her own will. It was to prove to my friend that she was the one he loves.

My friend found it preposterous and unfair. Since she didn't want to be the cause of another woman's despair, she talked with Alfred telling him that it was wrong and he had to stop. Alfred threatened to kill himself if my friend stop accepting his calls. But my friend refused to be emotionally blackmailed. Then, Alfred told her he would come home as soon as he earn enough money to buy a ticket. Naturally, my friend tried to talk him out of it and he promised to stay if she would give him her word that she would wait for him. But my friend wouldn't.

Alfred, probably feeling that his threats wouldn't work, promised to stay for the sake of my friend. At this point in time, my friend grew tired of Alfred's attempts to manipulate her and I congratulated her for it. As for Alfred, well, he's one OA guy..

*not real name