EARL

I was at one of the function rooms of MNS, the biggest company in the country. The room serves as convening area for us, participants of this year's Independency camp. The camp is where incoming college freshmen, who are also scholars of the said company, gather to build rapport with their fellow scholars and to prepare them for the college life they will be undertaking.

I looked at my wrist watch and it clocks 8:35 AM. I took my phone and keyed in the words, "Where the hell are you?". After awhile, I received a text from James, my best friend, that he's almost at the company.

James who happened to be also a passer of the MNS scholarship program will also be attending the camp, but surely he is running late.

Inside the room is a total of eight persons including me. I guess all of us are participants of the camp. Two females are talking to each other and are surely enjoying each others company for they have been laughing since they have arrived. In the corner of the room, is a man who just silently sits. While the others are busy either with their phones, reading books or sleeping.

While I was busy observing my fellow participants, the door suddenly swung open.

"I hope it's James," I said to myself. But I was mistaken, for a man who has bigger built than James came in. He looks young so I think he's just another participant. I did not realize that the man who just entered was already in front of me.

"Can I have a seat beside you?" he said. I just gave him a nod. "Vince," he blurted. I was lost. He might have read me so he repeated himself and offered his hand, "My name is Vince."

"Earl, I am Earl." I said as I shook his hand.

We started talking. Vince seems a nice person. James then arrived as Vince was in the middle of telling his story about her sister

"Why are you late?" I asked James.

"I'm sorry, I was stucked in a traffic." he replied.

"Don't start me with your traffic story, if I know you just wake up late." I said. James scratched his head guiltily. "Anyway, James this is Vince, one of our co-participants in the camp. Vince, this is James, my best friend."

They greeted each other and James settled at the chair besides me. The door swung open again and a lady with the uniform of that from the company came in.

"Please follow me for your journey to the camp will begin in a few moments," she said.