...our wedding cake

This was 1995. Our cake had a big bi plane at the top. We wanted to reflect Joel's love for remote control airplane. And this plane was given by our good friend, Mr. Miyazaki, The Pitts. The cake artist put real icing on the plane. My papa made the cake stand in Ormoc. It was a simple and delicious chocolate cake with yummy filling. And we had the Lladro "Over the Threshold" figurine to complete the whole echalada. And so 12 years...the story could be told. Lladro "Over the Threshold" figurine was first done in 1985 and stopped being displayed this year 2007. This was made by the sculptor, Juan Huerta from Spain. A beautiful 10 1/2 inch work of art. This is the story of how we got our. We got it 5 months before our March wedding. I was a teller at a reputable bank in a mall in Cebu. You could only guess how much a teller makes. A few meters from the bank was this high end boutique which sells, among other brands, Lladro peices and I immediately fell in love with this wedding figurine. But there were absolutely no way we could afford the P15,k price. 3 weeks later, Joel and I just happened to pass by the display window and I stopped to drool over the beloved figurine. As luck would have it, the owner, a respectable businessman was looking back at me from the inside. I practically had both my hands on the glass of the store window. I was like a kid outside a candy shop. According to the people inside, Mr. owner asked who I was and the manager told him I was the teller of the bank they go to and that I was getting married and that I was dreaming about the "Over the Threshold". Mr. Owner asked that I be called inside. Joel and I went in, quite a bit embarrassed. Mr. owner asked how much I loved the figurine and I replied, Lots. He asked me if I like magic tricks and I said I did. He asked us to sit down and watch him do some magic tricks. I didnt expect he was good at it and by the time he was done Joel and I were laughing and really impressed and I remembered I even clapped my hands. Mr. owner said, If I sell to you the figurie at 50% discount, would you buy it?" I honestly told him we still couldnt afford it even at half price. He said,"Take the discounted price and take another 50% off it." Joel and I went pale. I couldnt hear my heart anymore. We couldnt speak. As low as the price was, we just werent planning to spend that much for a cake figurine. Remember, this was 1995. An expensive wedding would be P150,000 average. The store was too quiet. Mr. Owner said,"how much do you have in your wallet right now." I said, "P2,500 sir." Mr. owner turned to the manager and said," get the figurine and wrap it. Im selling it at P3000 to Ms Astrid". And to me he said "You can come back next payday and pay the balance of 500". Joel couldnt say anything. I had tears in my eyes. The manager gave me the thumbs up behind Mr. owner. the world seemed suddenly quiet when we walked out from the store with our Lladro. And so we still have our figurine with us today.