A Tribute to My Sweet Old Lady

She lives at the third floor of our building and owns a small store at the ground floor. I usually see her every morning on my way to work.
She is a sweet and caring old woman. She always flashes a pleasant smile every time she sees me. She regards me as her son. Whenever I get close to her, I see to it that I pat her shoulder. That’s my way of reciprocating the kind and comforting words I'm receiving from her.

When she sees me, one of the following kind phrases floats into the air like a soothing music that is being played over the radio:

           "Ang pogi pogi talaga ng anak ko…"
           "God bless you anak…"
           "Hi sweetheart!…ang neat neat talaga ng anak ko.."
           "Maaga ka ngayon a… Ingat ha.."
           "Ngayon ka lang nakaluwas? Nagkasakit ka ba?"

I know that I'm not that neat (or not neat at all). And that I'm not a good-looking guy. But who the heck cares, someone appreciates Jun-Jun. Someone appreciates me! Goody good.

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I’m thinking of giving her a small gift one of these days….

The Candle

Inch by inch the candle melts,
Little by little the darkness succeeds.
As the last tiny speck of light grows fainter,
So does the hope that hangs in there.

Strong and turbulent winds blow,
The confusion and uncertainty grow.
The light that emanates from the almost melted candle,
Dies out and forever will remain idle.

Colors

Colors change for no reason.
Most of the time, colors fade.
Seldom do they become brighter.
I hope you're not just another color.
I trust that you'll stay vibrant. Vivid. Brilliant!

Heartbeat

My own heartbeat broke the silence last night. It sounded like a clock hooked up to a 450-watt amplifier. The feeling was terrifying. It was as if a lightning bolt periodically hit me, complete with a boisterous thunder.

The more I tried to calm myself, the worse it seemed to get.

The more I forced myself to fall asleep, the more it made me stay awake.

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I wish I'll be able to have a good sleep again. I wish.