Her fingers kept on brushing through the long strands of my hair...
"Life can be tough sometimes... I understand what you are going through, but you’ll get over it and say: this too, shall pass."
Sweetly, she uttered those comforting words as my tears kept pouring like heavy rains in June.
When I was younger, I didn't know what came to me. I rode my bike and tried to go on a straight line wondering how far I would go. Dust and smoke hit my eye, rain poured, but I still went on. Finally, when my legs and feet felt sore, I would stop and look around to see where I am.
Honey! Don't forget your briefcase! I screamed down the hallway. I looked around the corner, but Hank had already left. Damn! Now he is going to call home when he gets to the office and berate me on how he forgot his briefcase. I had gotten used to being blamed for his forgetful mind. Oh well. I could feel the steam from the bathroom coming out into the hallway. Shit! I'm going to lose all my hot water!
“You always treat your friends as work...”
It was like a red light flashing putting whatever I have in my mind to a halt.
I asked myself, “Am I? Is it me?”
I have become the suggestion of a stranger... the invited intruder.
Where is the phantom entrance to somebody’s somewhere?
I am fading from view.
I am nothing but a flicker.
I am nothing but a speck of dust, floating and shimmering in the air.
I am in the middle of it all just like you.
It is women's month and I celebrated International Women's day with simple yet courageous pride in being a woman. I wonder why there are women who simply let such a wonderful day pass by without celebrating the spirit of womanhood.
Isang araw, tinuturuan ni Lolo Pogi ang kaniyang apo na si Bogart upang matuto ng Halo-Halo Martial Arts.
Lolo Pogi: "Apo, kailangang matuto ka nitong Halo-Halo Martial Arts upang matuto ka ng Halo-Halo Martial Arts. Apir!"
Bogart: "E, Lolo Pogi, bakit po ako kailangan matuto ng Halo-Halo Martial Arts?"
Lolo Pogi: "Errr, para matuto ka ng Halo-Halo Martial Arts, kailangan matutunan mo ang Halo-Halo Martial Arts. Apir!"
Bogart: "Ganon po ba? Sige po, Lolo."
Lolo Pogi: "Apir ulet!"
Talaga nga bang maswerte ako?
Naranasan ko na naman ang panandaliang saya, nang nagkayayaan kami ng mga kaibigan kong manood ng sine. Yan lang ang libangan naming mga OFW, ang maghintay ng bagong pelikula na Tagalog. Mabuti nga, medyo madalas na ngayon ang mga Tagalog na palabas. Kamakailan lang, si Aga Muhlach at si Anne Curtis... maganda pero hindi ako maka-relate, sobrang pangmayaman ang tema ng storya.
Noong Sabado, maganda, si Sharon Cuneta. Ang daming mga eksena na hawig na hawig sa buhay ko, buhay naming mga OFW.
Friday afternoon, the usual end of the week office meeting. I took a bus. It was a seven-hour ride from my province. I put on my earphone and begun listening to the list of songs in my iPod.
I felt a cold slime lightly touched my big toe. I looked down and saw two silver gray fishes with black stripes playing with each other. One is tailing behind as if chasing the one ahead.
Joko Jun features Filipinos from around the world... musicians, writers, photographers, and other creative people.