Fiction

I laughed so hard when my friend told me that she thought the short stories I wrote were about me. Seriously, the three short stories I recently wrote and posted here were fictional. It didn't involve me or anyone I know. They are all love children of my wild imagination and immense boredom.

So to avoid further confusion, I've re-tagged those posts and placed FICTION. :)

The Perfect Stranger

The last of the three stories.

I’ve never approved of blind dates. I find that kind of arrangement too desperate and creepy. However, after almost a year of eating mac-and-cheese alone and playing solitaire on Friday nights, I decided to give it a try. Agreeing to it proved to be a wrong move though, because my date turned out to be total jackass. That’s why after “accidentally” spilling some wine on him, I sat on the bar alone. I don’t really drink, but it just felt like the appropriate thing to do at that time. So there I sat, thinking about the poor life choices I’ve made and how low I’ve sunk.

I’m not sure how much I drank that night, but somehow I must have been really drunk because at that time I witnessed an apparition. An angel appeared and sat beside me. He was really beautiful and was dressed to the nines. I could only gape at this marvellous creature that sat beside me and flashed me the most beautiful smile I’ve ever seen.

I sat very still after that. I couldn’t concentrate on my drink. All I could think about was how awful I look sitting beside such beauty. I was a wreck and I should probably have left, but I couldn’t. I wanted to bask in the presence of this handsome demigod. He probably noticed how my hands were trembling because he turned to me and asked if I was okay. His sensual accent made it hard for me to move without effort. I could only turn my head halfway and smile meekly when I replied, “Could be better.” I probably should’ve just smiled at him and not bother to give him an actual answer as he was, I’m sure, just being nice and didn’t really care how I was feeling. However, I was caught off guard when he frowned a little and asked me to explain. Why would this man care?

For an hour or so we talked about how my life wasn’t going the way I hoped it would and how hard it was to find someone who’s actually worth my time. Every time he opens his mouth to say something, I find myself admiring him more. He was really smart and very nice – a killer combination. And when he laughs, God, I swear I could feel tingles on my toes. I was really into the guy. He was the man I’ve always dreamed of. Jackpot.

He was such a catch. Too good of a catch, in fact, that he’s taken. Oh, God, How could I have even thought I had a chance with the guy? Surely he was off the market! Plus I didn’t think I was his type so I guess I was just being entirely foolish thinking our little encounter would have lead to something more. He was only here for a week to surprise his wife for her birthday, which I thought was awfully sweet. They were supposed to meet in that same restaurant but it turned out that his wife had to finish something important and was running late.

Two hours have passed and still no sign of his wife. I began to wonder if maybe fate was giving me an opportunity to do what I’ve always wanted since this beautiful stranger came along. Maybe fate wanted me to take a chance before I wake up from the dream. So as he was explaining to me how they made their relationship work, I closed my eyes and took a leap of faith. I leaned into him and kissed him. I expected him to shove me off, but he didn’t. He didn’t kiss me back either, in case you were wondering. He just sat still and let me do what I wanted to do. When I realized how much of a fool I was making myself out to be, I let go. It was probably the most embarrassing thing I have ever done in my entire life and he just sat there and smiled.

After apologizing for what seemed like an eternity, he lifted up my chin and told me it was alright. He told me he’d be lying if he said he didn’t like it, but he knew he had boundaries he shouldn’t cross. Being the perfect gentleman that he is, he let me down slowly and told me what I wanted to hear. He told me how beautiful I really was and how much he adored my personality, but that there’s someone else out there for me. He told me how I should be patient and that someday I’d find someone who’d go out of his way to surprise me for my birthday as well. In his words, he told me how I didn’t deserve to be just a one-night stand to a married foreigner. I deserved so much more than that.

When the door of the restaurant swung open, a plain looking lady came in and waved at him. He told me his wife had arrived and offered to introduce me to her. I declined and said that I really had to go. We had a perfect two hours without even exchanging names, and I wanted to leave that wonderful moment the way it was.

On my way out of the restaurant, I thought about the blissful two hours we’ve shared. Tonight I met the perfect stranger and he turned out to be an angel. A French angel who was sent to lift my spirits up and restore my faith to the world. So before I started to walk home, I turned to look at him through the window and said, “Au revoir étranger.”

The Prince

With much enthusiasm and diligence, Juanita drew. Her crayons were scattered on the floor and her paper was thin from too much erasing. She wanted her work to be perfect and didn’t mind what was going on around her. The time for recess had come and she still showed no sign of stopping anytime soon. Luis, the kid with whom she shared her table with, asked her to go play with him at the playground and she didn’t even bother to look up. Juanita has never ignored him before so it made him frown, emphasizing the heart shaped birthmark on the corner of his lips.

Being the curious little boy that he is, Luis asked what it was she was so busy with. He didn’t like being ignored, so he wanted to know what it was that got hold of Juanita’s full attention.

“I’m drawing my prince charming”, she replied. ”I need to make it really good so I’d know him when I see him.”

“Cool!” said Luis. “Can I help?”

Juanita just shrugged in response and said, “I guess.”

There they sat for the remainder of their recess. Juanita drew as Luis offered his thoughts. It was Luis who said that princes no longer wore crowns, but used multicoloured caps instead. It was his idea to have the prince wear blue because, according to him, princes don’t like red. It was also he who had said that sneakers were what princes wore nowadays. Luis would tell Juanita how to draw her prince and she’d simply follow like a mindless droid.

When they were done, they patted each other’s back for a job well done; just the way their teacher, Miss Chan, does. It was as perfect as they could hope. Proud of their work, they decided to show it to Miss Chan. But before Juanita could hand it to their teacher, Luis snatched the drawing from her to give it the “final touch”. After adding a little detail, he folded it and handed it to her.

Juanita walked up to Miss Chan’s table with a big smile on her face and handed her the folded drawing. As Miss Chan opened the drawing, she made a curious face before smiling so sweetly. Juanita wasn’t sure what Miss Chan had in mind and thought that maybe she didn’t think it was good enough. Before Juanita could open her mouth to ask for drawing back, Miss Chan patted her on the back and said, “Well done, Juanita. You even drew his birthmark.”

Confused, Juanita asked, “What?”

Miss Chan just smiled a little wider and said, “It’s so sweet of you to draw Luis.”

Tides Turned

My attempt at writing a short story.

The rain was pouring hard. Every drop of rain slammed to my umbrella with fierce intensity and I was just standing there on the sidewalk, staring into space. It’s been three years since that fateful day and yet I still find myself coming here every day for the past year, hoping to see him come out of that big black door and run towards me.

“Hey, move it!” The sound of a man’s voice and his screeching bike tires startled me. That was when I realized how stupid I looked. Why did I keep coming back here anyway? Why did I want to keep hurting myself like this? I made a stupid decision once upon a time, and now I had to man up to it and live with the bitterness of regret.

I saw the door open and out came Johnny –- or should I say, Conner. That’s what they call him now. He’s no longer mine and they made it official by giving him another name. Ha! Why did I even bother to look for him when he clearly doesn’t need me and all my baggage in his life?

The sky was starting to clear up and the rain had reduced to a drizzle. I kept my eye on Joh–- I mean, Conner, hoping he’d look my way once. I didn’t care if he wouldn’t recognize me; all I asked was a quick glance. A passing glance at an odd stranger who stood across the street.

I had stood there in vain, for when they drove away he didn’t even look my way. I remained standing there for twenty minutes, keeping my eye on a moving truck that was long gone out of sight. I’ve abandoned him a long time ago, now he has abandoned me. With tears in my eyes and thorns in my heart, I whispered to the wind what I came here to say. Happy birthday, son.

Waiting

You sit on the corner

Sipping your hot coffee

Watching the people pass by

You sit there

You sit there and wait

You enter a bookshop

Browsing along the shelves

Looking at shadows on the floor

You stand there

You stand there and wait

You walk out to the sidewalk

Feeling the rain on your skin

Listening to the pitter-patter

You stay there

You stay there and wait

You lie on your warm bed

Feeling your own heart beat

You sigh and feel hopeless

The truth is obvious

But still you wait

Boy, Do I Think Too Much Before Sleeping!

Lying on my bed, waiting for sweet slumber to take over, I find myself thinking about my friend's dilemma. Talking about her boy trouble was the last conversation I had before I decided to hit the sack.

Just lately, my girl friends were having boy troubles, and trying to help them somehow feels like directing a drama written in a language I don't understand. I feel like I know how it should go, but in reality, I simply have no idea! I haven't had much experience in terms of the heart, and my feeble wisdom on the subject comes mostly from the fiction I read. I'm a novice trying to coach a team in the big league.

"I'm married to my friends", that's what we always say. We are a tight group of friends who claim that we are enough for each other, but I know that time will come when we would finally open our doors to other people for a more intimate commitment. And although our bond would remain intact, our little group would probably have to take a back seat for some. I know this and I've prepared myself for it. It might get to the ones left behind, but we'll surely come to terms with it. My friends mean so much to me and I won't take it against them because I don't want to hold them back. That's why even with my lack of experience and the prospect of that inevitable-but-a-little-unwanted future, I try to help out with their problems of the heart.

I really want things to get better for them. I want them to experience something that I feel is long overdue for people as lovely and amazing as my soul siblings. I want them to feel how it is to love and be loved, and maybe how it is to get your heart broken too. I want them to realize how they deserve nothing but the best, and that compromising is never an option. I want them to feel the rush of a budding love affair and taste the bittersweet fruit that's out of my reach.

I'm not gonna pretend that I'm not hoping to hitch a ride on the love train, but right now it's my best friends' turn to get on. And although I'll still be stuck at the station waiting, I want to make sure that they enjoy the ride and get off at the next stop in one piece. So whether they ask for it or not, I'll be here to share my honest opinion and point out their blind spots. I'll be here to cheer them on when they need it or give them a good smacking when they let things get out of control, because that's what friends do. And no matter where I am or what I'm doing, they can always count on me to be one.

Keep In Mind

Via Con Dios, 'La.

Although my father wasn't an orphan, he didn't grow up with his biological parents. He was raised by his aunt who longed for another child in their house. I'm not sure how the arrangements were made, but it was my great aunt who stood as his mother for some time. She sent him to school, bought him a piano and let him call her Mommy. My father had nine other siblings, but no one else calls her Mommy. He even used to have a share of my great aunt's land properties. He was like a son to her.

When we came along, my great aunt's presence was still very much felt. She was present on every birthday when I was a kid. She gave me my first favorite book, an old book of fairy tales. She taught me how to play Dominoes and told me stories like how she loved seeing The Sound of Music in the big screen. We were pretty close and I was pretty certain that I was her favorite among my siblings. Haha! My Lola Percing and I had this tight bond that she even calls me her child.

But now cancer has taken over her body. She'd been in a lot of pain that she wished would just go away. I've been told that she'd been screaming in the hospital. Crying and begging for all of it to be over. Hearing about it breaks my heart, and I could only imagine how my father felt when he was there to witness all of it. It was early this morning when we got a call that told us that the pain had finally stopped. The pain had gone, and so had she.

We lost her to cancer, but at least now she can finally rest. No more pain and no more sorrow. I know she's in a better place now, and I hope she's happy. I know how much she loved her garden, and now she can be with God in his eternal garden of paradise. I love you, 'La. Rest in peace.

Well, hello there, blog!

It's been a while, I admit, since I last wrote something here. I mean something other than half-baked poetry that I come up with before dozing off at night. I haven't written a "proper" entry. If blogs collected dust, this page would have probably set off my allergies even before I could open it. So here I am. Visiting. Feeling the vibe and hoping to be inspired to write again. I miss it. I miss this. Lately, I haven't been feeling it. Well, I hope to be writing again soon and get my groove back. Haha!

Ciao for now.

Rapunzel's Song

O, Sing Sweet Nightingale, I sing

A lonely tune is what I bring

And sitting by the windowsill

Atop a tower on a hill

Singing a lonesome melody

Hoping that someone hears my plea

A wish for love to rescue me

A prince's kiss to set me free

As I look at the setting sun

With my hair gleaming by the light

I long to be free, free to run

In the meadows, all day, all night

O, what I'd give to be out there

Where no one needs to climb my hair

O, mother, please I want to fly

Bid this lonely tower goodbye

The birds sing of this thing called love

A thing, I know, that's meant for me

One day my prince will look above

And we'll fall in love - O, what glee!

O, when, o, when, will I be free?

O, when, o, when, will he come for me?

Dying Young

Oh, comes death tonight.
Woe, to the world left behind.
Life left unfathomed.

The Truth About Life

Ten Things You May Not Know About Peter Pan

Earlier this month, while browsing through deviantart for some Disney-related images, I came across a fan art of Peter Pan. I liked it so much that it reawakened my love for the movie and the character. Since then, I started to look for anything that's related to Peter Pan. It has become my personal obsession. I know not everyone appreciates the story, but, hey, we all have our preferences.

I realized that I have taken my Peter Pan addiction so far on tumblr that I've decided to post this here. I didn't want to turn that page into a Peter Pan shrine. After all, there are plenty of them out there already. Hehe. So to satisfy my "need" for anything Pan-related, here are ten things about Peter Pan that you may not have known.

• Disney's Peter Pan was the first Peter Pan ever to be played by a boy, but it was the 2003 version that had the first live boy to play the part. Traditionally, Pan had always been played by women.
• Since the very first showing of Peter Pan, the same actor who plays Captain Hook also plays Mr. Darling.
• In the original 1953 Disney version, there is a scene where Tinkerbell is dying and Peter sings a song to save her, but this scene was taken out in later versions. Tinkerbell appears with Peter later in the film and no explanation is given as to her healing.
• Kathryn Beaumont, the girl who voiced Wendy Darling in the Disney adaptation, also voiced Alice in Alice in Wonderland.
• J.M. Barrie gave the rights for Peter Pan to Great Ormond Street Hospital in 1929.
• Many people believe that Marilyn Monroe had the body that Tinkerbell's curvaceous one was based on, but it wasn't. It was actually based on actress Margaret Kerry.
• The name Wendy was popularized by the book. It was very uncommon before Barrie used it for the book's heroine.
• The characters of Peter Pan were based on Barrie's friends, the Llewleyn Davies kids. Peter Pan was said to be based from the child of the same name, Peter Llewelyn Davies.
• The height requirement for the Face Character of Peter Pan in Disneyland is between 5'1" to 5'4". Hurray for me!
• The melody for the song Second Star to the Right from Disney's Peter Pan was originally intended for Alice in Wonderland.

There Is Something Strange In Your Neighborhood

Have you read a good book lately? I have. And if you have the time, let me tell you all about it.

Just recently, I read a book called Kapitan Sino by the witty and remarkably humorous Filipino writer, Bob Ong. It's a little different from the others he wrote as it is not semi-biographical, but his charming wit and humor are still very much present in the said book.

Like Macarthur, his other novel-ish type book, it's still sort of a comic tragedy but it's not half as depressing. It tells the story of a Pinoy superhero and his struggles in life, but presented in a way that's closer to reality than most of the superhero comics or novels. It showed a superhero that's flawed and, in spite of having superpowers, very human. It also paints a very clear picture of the kind of society we're in.

I'm not very good at summarizing things, so I suggest you read for yourself. I won't say it's a great book because the plot is not really something new (and it might also cause you to raise your expectations), but it's a really good read. It's entertaining as it is very funny. Also, it has the Bob Ong trademark. You learn a good lesson after all the funny anecdotes without spending more than Php 200.

If you're looking for something to read to pass the time, I suggest you read Kapitan Sino.

Whoa. I think I just wrote my first book review.

Perfect

I'm 21 years old, though at times I look like 12 (or 34). I'm only five feet three inches tall (or short), just like Jessica Simpson. Yes, Jessica Simpson, and no, I don't know why I had to put her in. I have the frame that Anorexics and Bulimics are trying so hard to achieve. About 85 % of the people I have talked to on the phone mistook me for the opposite sex. I have a forehead that's the size of the moon and a neck that's at par with a giraffe's. I am in love with music even though I sing like a strangled cow. I appreciate boring movies and I cry even at the most inappropriate scenes. I'm corny, sappy, and dramatic. I hate mess but I'm too lazy to be organized. I'm smart but not so much. I have a good memory, but it only works on things that don't matter. I could go on, but I'd rather stop.

I am not perfect and, yes, I'm not even close. But I'm hoping that someday I'd meet someone who I would be perfect for and would be perfect for me. And when that time comes, no matter how crazy the world would be, I know everything would turn out to be perfect. Just wait and see.

Black Coffee and Smiley-Pancakes with Extra Strawberry Drizzles

After having a marathon of one of my favorite animated series, I came to a realization. I miss being a kid. Yes, I know I haven't been much of a grown up lately, but what I meant was that I miss being a little child. I miss worrying over the little things like missing my favorite cartoon show and laughing over the silliest things like a corny text joke. I miss waking up on a Saturday morning, excited to have the whole day for playing with my toys and my friends. I miss not feeling guilty over reading comics and kiddie novels instead of school books. And most of all, I miss the freebies that kids get (especially during the holidays!). Haha!

I am now at the age where people expect me to be a mature individual. Yes, at 21, most people would expect you to give up your childish ways. They would expect you to get over your fascination for toys, addiction for video games and enthralment in animated shows. I completely understand why people would expect something like that on 21-year-olds. We are at the age that's ripe for taking responsibility and making things happen. And it's hard, as they say, to get things done when you're hung over your childhood fantasies and crayon-colored world.

As we grow up, we give up the happy-go-lucky child within us. We gag that kid. and lock it up in the deepest, darkest part of our being. We try to ignore it's distant cries and deprive ourselves of the little happiness it bring us when we see that little kid smile. We give in to the notion that growing up means moving on and leaving the child behind, thinking that you can always get back to that kid when you feel you've done what you thought you were supposed to do. But you will never be done with your duties anytime soon. And in time, you'll forget all about that little kid. The moment you'd realize what you've forgotten, it probably would have been too late. And the child you kept hidden for so long would have long been dead.

Just recently a friend of mine told me that she felt like she was starting to get her old princess-y self back. I was genuinely so happy for her because it meant that she hasn't given up the child in her completely. She still had the little girl that believed in happy-ever-afters, the one she was forced to give up for quite some time, in her and waiting for her to open the door that she was locked in. And it was only a matter of time before she could finally set her free once more. However, just after she told me all about it, another friend of mine sort of made a confession that was the complete opposite. He basically told me that he suppressed his love for something because he had become an adult. He was, for a lack of a better word, embarrassed to like something as childish as that thing. And that made me sad.

I'm no expert in Life, but I feel like being young and growing up aren't on different ends of a continuum. I don't think that you have to choose one over the other. I don't think you have to give up a part of you just to be someone that you think you're supposed to be. Keep in mind the wonderful words of G.K. Chesterton: Happy is he who still loves something he loved in the nursery: He has not been broken in two by time; he is not two men, but one, and he has saved not only his soul but his life. Why should you change who you are if you can get the job done just as well when you're being you? Of course, I'm not saying that you should always act like a child because that's just plain stupid. What I'm saying is, give your self a chance to be a kid every now and then, see things through the eyes of a child, and don't be afraid to love the same things that you used to when you were a little tot. It's not immature, nor is it retarded. It's called being yourself.

So to hell with those insignificant people who mockingly chuckle when you get excited over a cartoon that you used to love. Don't even mind the curious glances of strange passers-by as you check out the toys that make you feel nostalgic. And screw those who silently judge you for still believing in fairy tales and happy ever after. They're probably just envious that you could afford to be a child and an adult at the same time.

Thank You, Yesterday

January 1. A new day, and a new year. Before I got out of bed, I pondered what I would want to do first on the first day of the year. I lay on that semi-soft, semi-hard mattress, feeling the cool breeze for quite sometime until I finally figured out that there was only one thing to do. To take a look back at the past year and thank God for the blessings that I've received.

If there was one word to describe the year that's passed, I wouldn't know what it is. Because for me, it would take more than one word to describe the wild ride that was 2009. It had been pretty ironic, and also blissful at some point. It was petty frustrating, but also a lot of fun. Last year wasn't recorded in a journal or a blog, but it was imprinted on my heart. I have run down below five reasons why I loved 2009. Of course there should be more but I guess that would suffice as I can't really put down ALL the reasons why I loved 2009. :)


♥ Last year, I fulfilled a promise. Due to unfortunate events, my older brother hadn't finished his studies. I'm not even quite sure what level he is in college. So the moment that it became clear to me that we were having academic problems for my brother and financial problems for the entire family, I made a vow that I will make my parents proud and finish my undergraduate studies. And on my graduation day, when I saw how happy my parents were, I knew I had fulfilled my promise.


♥ Last year, I was a Yes Man. After being inspired from the movie of the same name, my friends and I decided to become Yes Men. Whenever one of us suggested to do something like play golf, eat halo-halo, or whatever that would come to mind, we would only answer "Yes". It was fun while it lasted. We got to do stuff we didn't usually do and we also allowed ourselves to let go of our worries for some time. It didn't really last long though, since our responsibilities were calling out to us. Most of us were graduating, so school had become so hectic that we could no longer keep up with our Yes Man attitude. I hope we could get back to it again come 2010, though.


♥ Last year, I became a Nurse. If you knew me back in my senior year in high school, you'd know that I didn't want to be a nurse. And if you knew me back when I was a little kid, you'd know that becoming a nurse was never one of my millions of ambitions. Surprisingly enough, though, that's what I have become. I've studied to become one, got a pin to prove I am one, and passed the exams that would allow me to be one. Yes, thanks to God, I am now a nurse even if it wasn't what I've always wanted. Now, the next step is to look for a nursing job. Hehe.

♥ Last year, my friends and I gave back to the community. After our much awaited Christmas Party, my friends and I decided to extend the Christmas spirit to the abandoned children in the Missionaries of the Poor. We fed the lovely little children who had special needs. It was then that I realized how lucky I truly am. It was also then that I realized how stupid and selfish I was to have thought that the world had done me wrong just because of the minor misfortunes that befell upon me, when the children at MOP has had it worse and yet they find it in themselves to be happy with the little things that they have. It was truly one eye-opening experience that I would treasure for the rest of my life. And it was also a very good way to have ended the year.

♥ Last year, I decided to keep on doing the things I love. If you've read my previous entries, you'd know what I'm talking about. In the last quarter of 2009 I became an Indie Blogger (either James or Gwen came up with the nickname) and I got back to my roots and started drawing again. Although I haven't really finished any artwork yet due to my sucky schedule (I hate the night shift 'coz you always feel like there isn't much time!), I never stopped trying. And yes, I will never stop trying for as long as I can. Keep in mind that not everyone knows what would make them happy. So if you're lucky enough to find out what it is that makes you happy, don't let it go. Hold on to it because it just might be what you'd need to keep you going.

Now that 2009 has ended and the future is staring at us right in the face, I can't really say that I'm all excited. Because there's really no telling what may ensue come 2010. Who knows what kind of joy and sorrow we'd encounter this coming year. Well, c'est la vie! I may not know what tomorrow might bring, but I know I've got to say this: Thank you, yesterday.