Under The Same Gray Sky: Chapter 4

Class was over for the day. Before heading home, Jessie stopped by the mall to buy stuffs in the bookstore for his school project. The bookstore was on the 2nd level so he took the escalator. The air was thin and cool as it passes by Jessie's arms, seemingly embracing him. He took a mid-deep breath. He was in no rush, so as he stepped onto the escalator, he was just looking around, subconsciously listening to the piano playing on the speakers all around. There were people in front and behind him, as they all ascend to the 2nd floor. Just parallel to where he stood was the way to get back to the 1st level. He looked ahead, and just as he looked up, something caught his eye. Descending down the other escalator was this girl the word 'beautiful' would be an understatement. Her hair was straight, had a shade of light brown. Her bangs was covering one of her eyebrows. She was in uniform, apparently from the same school with Jessie. Everything now seemed to go slow, the music was now a little louder. Jessie's attention was still locked on this schoolmate. As they come closer, Jessie's heart was all over his chest, he felt it warm and exploding in every beat. He was catching his breath now. He never felt anything like this. He was nervous, happy, in awe, confused and wanting at the same time. Her face was clearer now. Her eyes were tiny but very expressive. Her lips were that of an angel. Her skin was fairly white and definitely will be a pleasure to touch. She was glowing. She was holding her books to her chest. When they were just a breath away, their eyes collided. She let go of a sweet smile. Jessie looked down in awkward, now breathing deeper. He felt warm all over his arms. He stepped out of the escalator and hurriedly looked back. Looking at her back, the way she walks and carry herself, you could tell she's an absolute head turner. Jessie wasn't sure of what he felt that moment. Was it love at first sight? Or just infatuation deceiving him? He has no answers. Yet.

After buying the things he needed he drove back home, listening to mellow tunes. All the way home and even as he lay his head to bed, that mental picture he took of an angel at the mall was never off his mind. "I saw an angel today..." He thought to himself.

to be continued...

Under The Same Gray Sky: Chapter 3

His morning routines are set to play. Unlike the rarest of days, Jessie was rushing his way to class, his uniform was don half-hazard, his hair was messy and his bag was half open. Same as the usual. What kept him a minute later in class was that he noticed a school ID just a step outside his classroom. He picked it up without even looking at who's was it, and instead just placed it inside his pocket. Off to class he went.

"The early worm is in the house." whispered his seatmate.

"Yeah, yeah whatever. Did we just started class, Al?"

"Yup, about 20 minutes ago."

School bell screamed lunch.

In the cafeteria, Jessie was about to pay for his iced tea when he reached for his pocket and felt something that shouldn't be inside his pocket. He took it out and remembered the school ID he picked up this morning.

"I've seen this girl often... She look's better with her hair down." Jessie thought to himself.

He went off to find his table in the cafeteria.

"Who's is that bud?" Al inquired.

"Some 'Angel Espanyol' See?" Jessie showed the ID to his chum.

"Oh her. Doesn't she usually take her lunch he.... Bingo! There she is."

"I don't know. Maybe I should return this to her when she's not with them. It's kinda awkward with all her friends around, you know." said Jessie.

Al stood up and took the ID form Jessie's hand. "Allow me." He fixed his hair a bit then headed for the other table. He was within arm's reach to his destination when suddenly he turned around and brisk walk back to Jessie.

"What? What happened, man?" Jessie asked.

"You do it bud. I saw that freakin' fagot again giving me the eye. This time with a smirk on his face! hiiiiiii.....!"

Jessie just let out a soft laugh and saw Angel stood up to buy some refreshments.

"Be right back." He took the ID back from Al and slowly approached Angel.

"Uhm... Err... Ah... Excuse m..." clears his throat, "excuse me. I believe this belongs to you?"

"Oh! Thank you! Thank you so much. You don't know how.... you're a life saver. Thanks." Angel very softly exclaimed.

"Don't mention it! Really. I think you might have dropped it this morning, just outside room 203." Jessie replied.

"I thought I did. I went back there a couple of times this morning. But my efforts were in vain." a smile "Thank you again."

"Sure. No problem. Well, see you around."

"Ya." Angel replied.

Jessie sat back to his table where Al was dodging behind his bag.

"Hurry up, bud. I don't like the way that she-man is eyeballing me. It's really creepy. " Al said in an anxious voice.

"Relax, man. I think he... or she rather is the all-look-no-touch kinda fella. She's harmless" Jessie jokingly said. "Enjoy your lunch. Here let's just swap seats.............. better?"

"I guess... But you give a signal if that mo-fo is heading here." Al said.

"Whatever man. Bon a petite!"

Lunch was refreshing for Jessie. He was again teasing Al until the bell rang.

to be continued...

Under The Same Gray Sky: Chapter 2

Transition from high school to co-education college was fairly smooth for Jessie. The first school chum that he had was his seatmate Al, a laid-back, soft-spoken kinda guy. Hence in the recent days, lunch was longer just eating per se. Though apparently quite, Al was always inclined to the interest in girls. In one of their first rather intimate conversations, Al had to be curious.

"Bud, (short for "buddy") let me ask you something. How many girlfriends have you had?"

Jessie let out a smirk and replied, "What interest is it to you? Are you up to something, man?"

"Nah, I'm just curious. Someone like your stature, your wit and guts... you must have played them all haven't you" Al jokingly said.

"You know, this may sound arrogant, but I've never been to a woman... well except my mom." both gentlemen laughed. "I've never really been in love, you know. I think I'm too young to be in love. There's just so much more things important than that love thing. I have my priorities and certainly girls? hah! They're not on top of my list." Al just nodded along with pouting lips.

Silence breath by. Then Jessie uttered "Well what about you, man? You look like your the silent-but-deadly type of guy. How many hearts have you broken?" Jessie said with a taunting smile.

"I've been to one...who's not my mom by the way. *hehe* But that was not l-o-v-e. It was one of those 'I wonder what if's' things I did back then. Nothing serious."

It was a few tics away before their next class. They forget to check the time amidst their conversation.

"Are you gonna eat that? Finish up already. We're gonna be late again, man." says Jessie.

"Come on, lighten up a bit. It's okay to be late in the next class, you know.... Hey! look! Look!" Al whispered. "Now that girl, that's gotta be wife material. You can tell."

"You're 16 years old. You're already talking about wife? What are you talking about??"

"You got me all wrong, bud. See," Al transferred and sat beside Jessie and placed his arm around Jessie's shoulder, "What I meant was, if you have someone like her, you're guaranteed a broken heart, a steady flow of tears or infidelity would never come near you."

"Maybe you're right. Hey I've seen that girl in my first day here. She loves to drink iced tea, too."

Al looked at him funny. "You're stalking her? You're a stalker ma' black man??"

"What?! Of course not. On my first few days here I've been doing more observing than conversing you now. So I see people and I see what they do, what they eat, what they wear... Look, look... see that big guy over there with an arm band? He's actually trying to hide a tattoo... And he's gay by the way."

"That guy? That guy who always gives me the eye when we cross paths?"

"Yyyyuupp.... He's a she. Saw him totally checking out a classmate of mine.... YOU!" Jessie let out a huge laugh.

"Shut up!" Al smirked.

"I'm not kidding. I'm certain."

"Whatever man. Lunch's done for me. Let's just go."

The two went up to there next class.

Jessie teased Al all the way to class.

It was a good day.

to be continued...

Under The Same Gray Sky: Chapter 1

The morning alarm from his small clock beside his table went off, bringing defeat to a long lazy sleep. Jessie just tap the snooze button asking for a stretched five more minutes. But before the alarm clock could set off again, the door swung open and a loud spank to his thigh swept all the sleeping dust away. "Get up sleepy head! You're supposed to be having breakfast by now. Get up! *spank!* Get up!" "Five more minutes, mom, please..."

After the morning rituals, Jessie rushed off to school. He was nervous yet anxious for the first day of school. It seemed like only a month was spent for his entire high school. This is his first time in four years to be studying in a co-education. This thought alone kept him uneasy driving all the way to school.

Parking was trial and tow-away. He was unsure if it was legal to park in a n inviting space. He was already running late, "oh, what the heck." So he did left his car there.

First days are always like a guessing game. You don't know what kind of peers you will have, or if some will play you an outcast, or if the class bully would fave you. Anyhow Jessie just set all those frowns away and kept telling himself "you are here to learn. Period", just to make himself feel lighter. The school was flowing colors in and out of the campus. everything and everyone was new. He was still searching for a familiar face in vain. "Hey dude!" a guy's voice caught his attention. When he turned his head, he thought that was for him". So he just brisk walk to find his class. "Room 203.... room 203..... oh, there it is." He stood in front of the door, took in one deep breath and looked around a bit. A pretty face stood amongst the crowd in a moment, then became one with the crowd. Well that certainly brought Jessie's nervousness to a low gear. One more breath then he enters the room. You could tell it was school's first day. Not very conversations going on, people are seated in intervals and everyone is obviously not themselves. He finds a seat at the back row, his favorite spot in a classroom.

Lunch time was fairly quiet for Jessie. Around his table, the only sound heard was his spoon and fork against the plastic plate. Just about 4 tables to his off hand, he saw a fresh familiar face. She was drinking iced tea, Jessie's favorite beverage. This prompted him to buy one for himself. After a quick time check, Jessie got off to his next class.

The first day turned out to be unexpectedly smooth. His classmates were generally warm to everyone. "Well I guess this spot was okay.", Jessie thought to himself as he turned on the ignition to catch up with the afternoon rush hour on his way home.

to be continued...

Under The Same Gray Sky

Just for fun, I'm starting out a sort of short story series in here in my blog. I'll be sorting my postings for this by chapter. I'm hoping when I end this story it would be sufficient enough to make a short story book, if compiled all together. So I'll title this "Under The Same Grey Sky". Just to give a preview, it'll basically be a love story, but I'll imagine my hardest to make this a unique love story and not just one of those I've-heard -this-story-before kinda romance. Anyways, I hope you'll indulge in it and be entertained somehow. I'm suggesting you listen to a mellow, white-noise, soft music while you read my story, just to bring you inside the story and make you feel part of the plot. Enjoy=')

Bata bata ang saya-saya

Yesterday as I was on my way to my patient's house, I happen to pass by these group of children, about 6 of them somewhere between 4-5 years old. Judging from their uniforms, I'd say some of them were fresh off from school, while the rest of them donned on their less than casual clothing. They were joyously playing with a bicycle, complete with it's training wheels. Each of them were very busy playing with their chum, so to speak. They never even bothered to give me an eye as I pass by them just a breath away. They were all "in their game" oblivious to the things around them, at the moment.

Looking at them brought me back to what it was like back in the days. I realized childhood is supposed to be the best times of our life. It may not be the best chapter, but hey, it stands out. When we were young, all we ever worry about is play. Everyday we step into our make believe world, playing with toys in ways not even mentioned in the instructions printed in the box. We don't need to work, instead we play. We don't need money, just a playmate or a toy. Basically a child does 3 things: sleep-eat-play. No worries, no problems. Well if we did have a problem, we always have the magic word - "mama" or "papa". We let them carry our burden for us. In a child's life, you live to play.

After over an hour I finally finished treating my patient. I said my goodbye to my dear patient and went outside their residence as I waited for my pay. I still see the kids playing. Forgetting about time, even forgetting to put down their bags from school. I just cant help but give off a grin.

As I garner more years to my life's resume, I came to appreciate more the sweetness and innocence of childhood, a stage in each of our lives where we once thought life is easy. I cant even remember the last time I hold a toy. Somebody once told me that it is unhealthy if we don't let the child in us out once in a while. We were once children. As we age, that child didn't die. It is still in us. Problem is some people take life seriously. So serious that they refuse to let the child in them breath again. They didn't know that they are slowly killing a certain part of themselves. I guess I'll end this post by saying, let the children remind us who we are and who we should not forget.

Peace out!
=')

Only in Bisaya

Here are the definitions of some bisaya jargon. Enjoy!

1. Branawt
- loss of electrical power

2. pa kodak
- to take picture

3. kolget
- basically means toothpaste

4. pridgeder
- a storage for cooling food and refreshments

5. kook it
- coca cola 8 oz

6. sing along
- a musical household component with an auxilary microphone

7. teep
- cassette or any cartridge

8. chit
- restaurant bill

9. ban-id
- a small, self-adhesive dressing for simple wounds

10. warless

- a telephone deprived of its wire; a place somewhere in mandaue

11. santan

- a certain lotion used when going to the beach to protect the skin from the sun

12. chess
- a yellowish dairy product commonly used in sandwiches and burgers

13. lards

- when one does not prefer small or regular sizes

14. termos

- a container used to store hot water

15. flag letret

- a ceremonial raising or lowering of the Philippine flag in schools

16. shades

- a tinted, stylish eyeglasses

17. snober

- street candy; especially used post yosi

18. anesay

- a rule used in street basketball or pick up games when no referee is available

19. kingkoy

- animated TV shows

20. johnson buds

- used for cleaning the ears

Natural Hot Bath

Ever tried taking a shower between 10am and 4 pm? Instead of refreshing yourself out from the hot summer ambiance, you get even more Celsius. At it's climax, you might just be able cook hard boiled eggs, literally! It's really, really bad. I thought this only occur at home where we lived relatively on a higher ground. But when I did took a bath at Cynthia's place, we needed to put in around 3 tubes of ice, which completely disappears in what seemed liked a blink of an eye.

I guess this is one way of relaying mother nature's message to us. I'm doing my part in every little way to help out, like turning off lights when not necessary, throwing even the minute garbage at it's proper disposal, stuffs like these. You should be too. Remember, we only have one Earth and we share it with everybody else.

My own Dell =')

I'm really very fond of window shopping for laptops just anywhere. I'm just staring through the displays and imagining that day when I could have my own. I've been counting the ways I could purchase one.

So then comes my balikbayan brother from the states. I never really expected it. Hence the surprise. I received one of the best presents ever, one which I longed for, and I got it from the person I least expected would give.

I guess the size of my smile that day said it all - I appreciate it big time and thank's a lot, bro.