Naalimpungatan ka sa ugong ng electric fan. Gaya ng nakagawian, nakatutok ito sa mga paa mo. Kinilatis ng iyong mga tenga ang tunog na dulot ng pag-ikot ng elisi nito: malumanay, kawangis ng pag-ihip ng hangin na sinasabayan ng paghuni ng mga ibon sa probinsya, hindi dumadagundong, hindi sumisigaw ng “Tungaw! Gising na! May exam ka pa ngayong umaga!”
I met her yesterday. She was, despite a scar the size of a rice grain above her left eyebrow, beautiful.
I was alone, slumped into a wooden bench along Manila Bay, taking pleasure in the intermittent breeze which smelled of salt and sea and sanity and peace. The rim of the sun had just touched the horizon when I noticed her walking towards me.
I am not supposed to be in Med. While most people – I, at times – say I shouldn’t be a doctor, the real reason is because I couldn’t.
Although I already knew since first year high school that I wanted to be a physician, my inclination was never towards the life sciences. I despised my biology class; I hated having to memorize every italicized and bold printed term in the book just to pass my teacher’s verbatim exams. I am more of a Math-Chem-Physics student, preferring to memorize a little and derive everything else. Add to that my heightening interest in the literary arts, and it will be clear why I shouldn’t have attended Med school.
You’re five minutes late my friend. I thought it was clear from our conversation yesterday that you have to be here seven p.m. sharp? You replied with a “Seven on the dot? No prob!” didn’t you? In fact, all I have to do is press this button and your voice will be heard throughout this room uttering the very words I’ve just said.
Walang hintayan. Iyan ang batas sa aming hapag-kainan. Oras na magtawag ang nanay ko ng “Kakain na!” tigil ang lahat ng gawain sa bahay – laro, computer, gitara at project. Hindi ka naman hahambalusin ng dos por dos kapag hindi ka sumunod, pero walang sisihan sakaling ang matira sa iyo eh butu-buto, kalahating baso lang ng Coke ang parte mo, o maubusan ka ng pisngi ng mangga.
Bukas, alas-diyes ng umaga, patitigilin ko ang oras. Hihinto sa pag-ikot ang mundo at ang araw ay mapipirmi sa kanyang kinaroroonan sa kalawakan. Walang makakapansin ng mga pangyayaring ito dahil patitigilin ko rin ang pagkilos ng bawat tao, hayop at makina. Walang gagalaw sa loob ng isang buong araw; ako lang ang maiiwang humihinga sa daigdig nating babalutin ng katahimikan. Maswerte ka, nakaabot sa iyo ang babalang ito. Maiiwasan mong mangulangot, magbasa ng Toro o mangopya sa katabi mo; hindi kita mahuhuli sa akto pagdating ng takdang oras.
Hindi madaling mag-commute papasok ng UP Manila at pauwi araw-araw, lalo na kung katulad kong sa Las Piñas pa nakatira at inaabot ng isa hanggang dalawang oras ang biyahe sa bus.
We all have this "thing" in our lives. One "thing." That's how I'd like to call it. It's the "thing" we particularly work hard for. The "thing" that makes us do other things we did not think we would ever do. A "thing" we enjoy, despise, laugh at, cry for, and worry over in our lives.