Written on November 25, 2016
26-minute naps at 3:30 in the afternoon. Why 26 minutes? It’s how the astronauts do it.
Sleeping without having to set an alarm. Waking up at noontime the next day and not having to panic about it. Entering political science class right on the fifteenth of the fifteen school bell rings. Our political science professor announcing a free cut 40 minutes before class, 20 minutes after I’ve decided to cut the class.
The first day of school. The last day of school.
Checking the last thing off a to-do list. Having absolutely nothing scheduled for the day. Finally being able to take my sneakers and foot socks off after a long day of walking and rushing to meetings. Falling asleep unintentionally. Feeling the weight of my body over my old mattress, tired, heavy.
Scratching that one itchy spot on my scalp. Realizing my hiccups are gone. Realizing that I don’t remember the last time I had the hiccups. My little sister Issa at six years old: “there is no view that is ugly.”
Knowing that fast-food ketchups have different levels of ketchup-ness (see number at the corner of a sachet). Successfully peeling a shrimp’s shell off with a fork and a spoon. Sucking the insides out of the shrimp’s decapitated head. Dipping the rest of it in toyo and sinamak. Finally devouring its sour and salty goodness.
Achieving the perfect rice-to-ulam ratio.
Local beer. Imported beer. Going home to a fridge especially stocked by my father with beer. Ice cold beer. Beer at the right temperature. Beer with sisig. Beer with the barkada. Beer and a good book. Beer on its own. A mug of beer for me, while you have your usual cup, Americano, plus white chocolate mocha, extra milk, less ice.
No hangover, thanks to the two Biogesics I took before crashing the night before.
Kenny’s corn muffins, fresh, a slightly crispy mushroom top on a pillow-soft base. Biting into a warm Burger McDo. Becoming aware that the Burger McDo from McDonald’s Libis is the Alpha Burger Mcdo. Minute Maid orange juice, no pulp. Midnight trips to the nearest McDo with the old man for a Big ‘n’ Tasty.
When friends listen to songs I introduce to them, or watch the TED Talks I link to them. When a new song is discovered and is on repeat for the next hour. When One Dance makes me dance. When Everglow makes me cry. When Solo reminds me of Xiamen eight years ago. When Sweet Child O’ Mine takes me back to high school. When Kanye’s Only One takes me back to you.
Hotel lobby smell. The smell of my Ko-a (father’s sister in Chinese) Nene’s living room three nights before Christmas eve. A freshly trimmed front yard. Petrichor. Perfume that isn’t too strong on the nose. New car smell. My dad’s car smell. Finally being able to smell after a week-and-a-half-long flu. Sneezing loud enough to scare Issa’s hiccups away.
The echoes of a perfectly executed high-five. When my three-year-old sister Kate finally stops crying after 30 minutes of non-stop screaming and waterworks at one in the morning.
The crisp sound a dry leaf makes when stomped on. Not letting a single dry leaf pass uncrushed. You getting annoyed by this: “sige, isang dahon pa,” you’d threaten.
Long silences on long Iloilo City nights. The short silences fifteen seconds before the red light turns green signaling the meager 1:20-AM Manila traffic to race through Katipunan Avenue. Late-night talks on dreams, dying, and the meaning behind Coldplay ticket prices and Kevin Love’s 34-point 1st Quarter.
Meaningful conversations. Meaningless conversations. Silence that isn’t awkward.
Evening walks through the resting campus. Through the cold, slow-motion rain. Friday nights out. Saturday nights in. Flipping over to the cold side of the pillow. Jumping into freshly changed sheets after long cold showers.
Falling stars. Free hugs. Full moons.
Windy days and not-so-sunny, cloudless skies. Feeling the breeze through the back of my ears after a fresh haircut. Discovering the magic of hair conditioner. Really, really soft hair. Your hair, dancingly swaying left, right, left, as you walk away, right foot, left foot, right foot, left.