I grabbed a Gatorade from the fridge and smashed it onto my head. The scalp was begging for some hard massage. The carton box flung as I punched it, hoping to drill a hole through and through. Two thuds from my left and right foot rung the entire second floor. There was no shadow in the room; early afternoon shadowboxing with the plywood door. I wanted to hit myself in the mirror – right in the kisser.
Category: The Ride
Sit back, put your feet up and enjoy the ride.
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Looking Glass
Rannie Taxi, 9:50 AM – I was running late as usual. The weather was almost humid; hotter than the other days.
As I stepped out of the gate, it emerged as a getaway vehicle. The first thing I noticed was the water-stained window. It is all right to see through the looking glass in a tainted manner.
To Pasig. 9:51 AM. 
Waiting in Line. 9:52 AM. 
Lucky Star. 9:52 AM. 
Breakfast Window. 9:58 AM. 
Breakfast Stop. 9:58 AM. 
Host Graffiti. 10:03 AM. 
Meat. 10:07 AM. 
To Work. 10:08 AM. 
Traffic Enforcers. 10:12 AM. 
Rockwell. 10:14 AM. 
Jesus. 10:14 AM. 
Sniping. 10:15 AM. 
That New Building. 10:20 AM. 
Getting Ready for Christmas. 10:21 AM. 
Drifting. 10:22 AM. 
No Helmet, No Head. 10:23 AM. 
The Dayshift Cops. 10:23 AM. 
Jumping Jack. 10:24 AM. -
Golden Cup
Come, let me sing into your ear
Those dancing days are gone
All that silk and satin gear
Crouch upon a stone
Wrapping that foul body up
In as foul a rag -
Let the Sunshine
A dream of togetherness
Turned into a brighter mess
A faint sign, my spoken best
Now, nowMake way for the simple hours
No finding the time, it’s ours
A fate or it’s a desire
I know -
Another Night
Disregarding the fact that it is my cousin’s birthday, I remember how we once celebrated All Saints’ Day. Grandma dangled all the doorknobs in my auntie’s house with rosaries. It kept all the spirits from entering the rooms, she said. She offered food for the departed. A sole plate full of the same birthday meal caught my eye. I asked mom if I could take a pinch off that lechon. No.
After resting for a while (going around the house, talking to dogs, and doing nothing), I started cleaning up, taking off that pungent smell of puke on my hair. And I was ready to head towards the cemetery along with the multitude.
The weather hushed and made way for this day.
Entrance. I arrived at the cemetery past five in the afternoon. 
Glow In the Dark. There were hundreds of vendors in the middle of the stretch, creating streets – left and right. 
Waiting. There will be a family reunion. 
Cotton Candy. I remember this vendor from grade school. 
I Want It So Bad. I am not sure if those were mini light sabers. 
Passing. There were puddles from Santi’s passing. 
Dusk. By the time it got dark, I headed back to our family memorial site. 
Kwek-Kwek. These are breaded quail eggs. 
Popcorn. Popcorns and church on Sundays – inseparable. 
Brooding Sky. It was not about to rain. It was about to show a rounder moon. 
Steady. Relatives from Manila came by earlier than usual to avoid the traffic jam. 
Two. Some pathways had vanished. I was able to spot a dozen of my relatives then a maze faced me when I tried to get to them. 
Candle Wax Collector. They stopped by each memorial to collect waxes. The rate they sold it was eight pesos per kilo. 
Playing with Flame. I saw her sitting there for the longest time. 
Eryza and Ashley. My niece and cousin. 
Cower. One minute she was jittery and the other. 
Exit. There was only one place to go after the cemetery. 
To the Carnival! Every kid was excited but would not let it show. -
Coming Home
First day of November, All Saints’ Day. It is mandatory to come home. There is a family reunion whether you’re alive or not. And the carnival – who would want to miss the awesome carnival in the evening?
I hitched from Quezon City to Cavite City in my brother’s car. With the booze from last night still kicking in, I snapped away even with the glass window coating in between the camera and the moving world.
Aguinaldo’s House. A jeepney driver fixes his vehicle. 
Glory to God. Amen. 
Baptist Church / Jeep. I notice only two Baptist Churches in Cavite City. 
Family 100. Jampacked pedicab. 
Ladislao Diwa Elementary School. Everything is green in this public school. 
Dalahican. A jeepney route label. 
Sidewalk Shop. There are thousands of shoe repairmen lined in front of Good Morning store. OK, just five or six but one would wonder why it is the most saturated spot. 
Santos. I see Santa Claus. Lots of “PX” goods in Good Morning store. 
God is Good. Another shoe repairman sporting a bible passage on his shirt. 
Gupit Caviteño. When I was eleven, I ordered the “Gupit Binata” and ended up looking like Andrew E. 
Baby Bus. A hybrid of an ordinary bus and a jeepney, the ubiquitous baby bus. 
Vulcanizing Shop. I passed by this lowly shop as I walked to the cemetery. -
Take Your Lucky Break
Too many people going underground
Too many reaching for a piece of cake
Too many people pulled and pushed around
Too many waiting for that lucky break
(more…) -
Cheesecake, Beefcake, and Dear Old Clara
I caught her taking a swig out of the orange juice tetra pack. There was a steady stream about her cheek.
A clownish commotion in the living room was taking the spotlight. That was where I left Cheesecake and Beefcake. They were the cheeky aunties of dear old Clara. You noticed her when she came in just right after me, didn’t you? There were bright drip-drops on her fleece-white polo shirt. (more…)
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Yesterday’s Silence
I was locked to read your eyes like an old Latin prayer book. Only the punctuations I had understood; and the blessing of your apparition. Only this pillow set us apart like a mountain that bid only signals to commune; but I was able to caress your hand.
How time crawled. The day brightened, it shed. We were still, unmoving position of mind game dancing. You were the only one playing. (more…)