Si Friendship

Senti mode ako last Friday. Isang friendship kasi ang sumaklolo sa kin. Tipong bigla ko lang narealize, na futek, kailangan ko pala ng tulong! Kung hindi ko pa naramdaman na umuulan, na basa na ang rubber shoes ko at nakarating na pala ako ng Shaw Boulevard na naglalakad, marahil hindi ko mararamdaman ang pagod.

Siguro para sa iba, di naman ganoong kalayo ang Sapphire Road sa Shaw. Pero sa tulad kong tamad maglakad, maximum effort na 'yon. Pero dahil wala ako sa 'king sarili, hindi ko na 'yon naramdaman.

Nang sumagot si friendship sa tawag ko, nasabi kong isa siyang knight in shining armor. Sabi pa nga niya, siya na ang magbabayad ng taxi ko para mapadali ang byahe. Pero tulad ko pala, naghahanap din siya ng karamay. Inamin kasi niyang, noong mga oras na 'yon, gasgas ang kanyang baluti. (Sa mga hindi nanonood ng Jumong, ang baluti ay armor.)

Nakalimutan ko na na may problema ako nang magshare na si friendship. Kasi kung ako ang nasa kalagayan niya, hindi singtatag ng pakikiharap niya ang magiging estado ko.

Naalala ko tuloy ang mga pelikula ni Sharon na matapos siyang apiapihin, babawi siya at babangon sa last 30 minutes ng script. Parang sa mga FPJ (sumalangit nawa) movies naman, matapos saktan ang mga mahal niya sa buhay, saka siya gagaling sa pagsuntok at magiging asintado sa baril.

Happy ending. Justice is served.

Sa istorya naman ni friendship, in the making pa ang pagresbak niya. Pero hindi pa nga resbak 'yun. Tamang forgive and forget. Swerte niya kasi sandamakmak ang karamay niya dahil sangkaterba ang may alam na ang dati niyang gf ay gf na ngayon ng kanyang bespren.

Sabi ko nga sa kanya, "E ano ngayon kung sila na? Wala na naman kayo, di ba?"

But then, he felt betrayed. Nagamit daw kasi siya. Kumbaga, pinabaho siya ni bespren para bumango ang kolokoy sa ex-girlfriend nya. Sa mga taong nakapaligid sa kanila. Worse, they're all in the same workplace. On the same team. Not fair. Utter betrayal. At iyon ang pinagpuputok ng butse niya.

Naisip ko tuloy, kung ako ang may suot ng sapatos niya, malamang hoarder na ako ng Kleenex. Ngayon kasi, kaya pang patuyuin ng panyo ang mga hikbi ko.

Nasimplehan nga ako sa pinagsesentimyento ko.

May deadline kasi ako, at hindi ako mainspire magsulat.

David's Sling 01

I consider Emily, Janice and Kate as David's Angels. They came like angels flying towards David, changing his life from next to the other.

With Emily, David became modish with clothes and gadgets. He also turned vain, which to a point became annoying. You see, we share the same apartment. With just one full bathroom. So when he stays inside longer than I, which was most often as always, I was furious … and well, less of a woman. I would conjure images of David applying triple conditioners on his wavy brown hair, pampering his olive-toned skin with mint-scented body wash and…

One time, after an hour-long aggravating wait, I pounded on the door and roared, “David, goodness, I also have rights here! Bath rights! What in the hell are you doing that’s taking you so looonnggg!”

“Sorry, Sarah. I can’t let you in…” was David’s muffled reply.

“Of course you can’t! You’re still there!” I hollered.

Fifteen minutes later, David came out. I was so mad he could have dropped dead if there’s a radiation frequency for anger. But his after-bath after-shave scent subdued me in one millisecond.

Of course, I didn’t want him to know that.

Then, one day, he came home sober. Gone was the skittish smile which was then a prelude to Emily-and-I-went-to-this-and-that-and-met-this-and-that-and-talked-about-this-and-that talks where my oohs and aahs came in perfect timing as he filled me in about Cover Girl Emily Stories.

“Emily walked out,” he said in an almost defeated whisper.

(As usual... to be continued)