I Miss You, Too

Is it just me?

Or was it really you that I saw?

I saw your face in the crowd.

I know that face that stood out from a sea of people at the train station. Then, it dawned on me.

The roads I tread everyday aren’t the same as yours.

But I followed you until I’m about a couple of feet near you; so I could catch a glimpse of your face.

He wasn’t you.

Was that your perfume?

The one that smells of tea leaves?

I can smell you from somewhere.

There was a tingling sensation on my nostrils because of a familiar fragrance that wafted in the air.

I breathed in.

I followed where the fragrance was coming from, and it led me to someone else. Not you.

Was that your voice?

I thought I heard you calling my name.

I searched for you.

You weren’t around; it wasn’t you.

I called you instead.

“Hello?”

I smiled.

That is why I try to call, every now and then, to check out on you.

Your laughter, your inquisitive pitch, your engaging tone; they’re enough to get me through the day.

Am I dreaming?

There's a mirage of you in the heat of summer's day

 The sun is bright, scorching; my throat is parched.

I guess I'm half awake.

There were times that at night, after saying our good nights, I’d leave a space on my bed for you.

I wish you were beside me.

I’d put a pillow there, in your absence.

I hunger for your touch.

I’d close my eyes as my hands mimic yours; how you slowly caress parts of me.

My fingers would trace parts of me where you planted your kisses.

I yearn for the feel of your body against mine.

So you asked, “do you ever really miss me?”

I do.

I miss you.

I long for you.

*my entry to Magpie Tales

*photo credit

Intertwined II

Previous story here...

***

Mom, Louie, and I were walking on an overpass; just the usual day, nothing special. We went down the stairs after reaching the other side of the road.

We waited for a little while before we were able to hail a jeepney, and it stopped in front of us. I escorted mom inside, came in, and Louie went in after me. Just when the jeepney was about to accelerate, I saw little hands grip the hand rails on the jeepney’s rear.

Then, a little girl eased her way up, not minding the speed of the jeepney, and took a seat right at the entrance.

She’s barefooted, has soiled clothes, and seems as if it has been a long time since she bathed.

Batang grasa.

“Baba! Bumaba ka dyan!” shouted the driver.

The little girl was unmoved, as if she didn’t hear a thing.

“Sinabi nang bumaba ka dyan eh!”

Then she turned around and shot an angry gaze at the driver, and the driver saw this on his rear view mirror.

“Aba, ikaw pa ang galit? Baba!”

Manong driver slowed down a bit so that the little girl could alight from the jeepney.

            “Baba!”

She turned to me, and gave me a grin. It’s as if she’s up to something no good; I could feel it.

Turns out, my instinct was right.

She jumped from the jeep, and ran across the street, not minding that a speeding bus was coming.

            “Ay!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

Screams, screeches, silence.

The little girl was run over by the bus.

Under it, her frail body was crushed and the scene was sanguinary.

Gore & blood.

Mom, Louie, and I were shocked.

            “Manong, itigil nyo yung jeep! Kawawa yung bata,” said Louie.

            “Ay, nako, manong… Hayaan nyo siya. Sino ba nagsabing tumawid sya? Eh alam nyang kalsada yun. Di mo kasalanan,” said a woman.

            “Oo nga, tsaka manong, maraming tao dito sa jeep mo oh, male-late na kami,” said another.

            “Tara, manong, andar na,” said a man.

Apathy.

No one seems to care.

What was weird was that time she looked at me and grinned; it’s as if she knew what happened.

It’s as if she planned it.

Then I woke up, panting.

***

“Bat kaya ganyan mga panaginip nyo?” asked Louie while taking a sip of coffee.

“Hindi ko rin alam, bro. Pero ang weird lang,” said I.

“Actually, nanaginip din ako… Weird din…” said Louie.

Then mom asked, “Talaga, anak? Anong napanaginipan mo?”

“Ganito yun…” Louie started.

***to be continued...

Intertwined

While having breakfast earlier,

“Nate, anak? Alam mo I had a dream?”

“Di nga mom? Ako rin eh… What’s your dream about?”

She was with my brother, Louie, at some scenic spot somewhere.

There’s a waterfall and a huge body of water below; it looks deep. They're at shore near it. People were there; locals just passing by and tourists taking pictures and admiring the beauty of the waterfall.

One thing she noticed, was no one was taking to another. Tourists should been rather inquisitive; locals, convivial.

Yet, everyone seems indifferent.

From afar, she saw something; someone… There was a kid’s body, floating in the water. She seems lifeless.

“Help!”

“A girl drowned!” mom shouted, pointing at the floating girl.

No one seemed to care.

She, then, pulled Louie and asked him to help the little girl. Without another word, my brother took off his shoes, his shirt and dived in the water. The moment Louie splashed in, mom noticed it got the attention of the people around her. They all turned to see what was happening.

Then, the unusual occurred.

One local dived in the water, and transformed into a stingray.

A tourist dived in, as well, and turned into a dolphin.

Two more dived in, and turned into a shark and a huge eel.

They all swam to where the floating girl was, but no one (or nothing) helped my brother in saving the little girl.

Louie was able to get the little girl out of the water, and did CPR. After a couple of tries, Louie gave up.

It turns out, the little girl didn’t seem lifeless; she was dead.

“Ang weird naman nun mom! Nagta-transform ang mga tao?”

“Oo. Kakaiba nga eh. Eh ikaw, anak? What was your dream about?”

“Parang ganito siya…”

 ***to be continued...

Urania

Your heart, it beats

like most of them does

and it resounds his name

creating such a fuss

His heart, it beats

the same way as yours

as your love for each other grows

while sailing at sea, and rowing with oars

Then strong winds came blowing

and huge waves took form,

you thought you both survived

the fiercest of the storms

 

Sweet, wonderful memories

of a love that once was quaint,

are the things you choose to keep

as the thudding, the rhythm fades

You’ve given it your all

till you have nothing more to give

and your heart loses color, wilts

so that his’ may live.

~to you, one of my Muses

 

*my entry to Magpie Tales

*photo credit

Love Is

Happy Heart’s Day!

Who’s up for Spontaneity?

Apparently, I am.

Stress from last week, and the week before that, took a toll on my health. Flu. I hate flu. Early morning on Friday, I got a text message from my boss. She will be on an OB Trip, and she requested me to attend a meeting on her behalf.

I could’ve said no; not if there’s anyone else who would.

I downed my dosage of meds, and reported to work.

After the meeting, someone from HR noticed and said “Nate, you look really sick. Uuwi ka na ba after this meeting?”

I told him my boss didn’t just want me to attend the meeting. She really wanted me to get back to work, and so I did.

After work, I suddenly got a message from C,

Wanna go out? Lika na.

I can’t help but smile everytime he makes lambing. I said yes. Maybe I could use some yakapsule and kisspirin. Hihi.

He arrived at the coffee shop before I did. Unusual. But I guess that’s how much he misses me (charot!). I could feel the Valentine’s ambiance inside the shop. The store designs, the couples having a date. Keri lang pala. Hindi kame OP ni C. Haha.

After having dinner, we snuggled while watching In Time, then Vampires Suck. Halfway thru the 2^nd movie,

Babe, nasa malapit lang pala si Deebee. Invite mo here.

An impromptu meet up? Why not?

Ah talaga? Sige sige…

I’m surprised Deebee is up for it. Baka hindi siya busy sa work.

Kuya Nate d2 ko sa tapat. I’m d guy wearing the Lakers jacket.

I looked outside the coffee shop. True enough, there he was The Desole Boy.

Finally.

We offered him tea, since hindi siya pwede sa kape.

Wow. This is it. The Desole Boy is right in front of us.

The feeling is just like when I met Eon: Giddy. Nervous. Awkward.

But then, when we started to talk, conversations flowed effortlessly. It’s like we’ve known each other for a long time. It’s always a nice feeling to get to know the person behind the blog.

We bid him goodbye, around almost two in the morning. He still has to traverse a long way home.

Babe, ano nangyari kay Charles? Let’s go see him?

I dunno, babe. You know how shy he is. He won’t show up daw eh, pag nalaman nyang pupunta tayo.

C’mon, let’s support your little bro.

So we did.

We went to the venue, and Charles scored us some tickets to the party:

It was nice to have, finally, met him in person too.

Inside was a pretty wild crowd. Youngsters partying like there’s no tomorrow. The people are nice. Lil bro introduced us to some of his friends.

Go ahead, babe. Dance.

Ako lang? C’mon, it’ll be fun.

I’m not used to this, so go on. Dance.

And dance, he did. After a short while, lil bro’s friends dragged me to the dance floor. I went with them, coz I don’t wanna be a buzzkill.

Dance.

Groove a little.

Party’s off at 2:30 AM, so we said our goodbyes and headed home.

Inside the cab,

Pawis na pawis ka babe.

Hahahaha! Oh you know me, that’s my kind of scene.

Yeah, I could tell. I’m glad you enjoyed.

A liplock.

C makes me feel good. Nakalimutan kong nilalagnat ako. I didn’t feel sick at all, with him around.

So much spontaneity in one night: a random hangout with C, an impromptu meet up with two of my little brothers.

And to update my list of the little brothers I’ve seen in person:

Deebee

Russ

Joe

Jay

Charles

Hmmm... So who’s up next?

Let’s see.