Gaps, patches and in-betweens

We were under a dictatorship but for Marcos the jig was up. Benigno Aquino was shot. Political turmoil. People were angry and discontented. The killings, the violation of human rights was at a boiling point. People were outraged. EDSA 1. Then the dictator left. But maybe I was so wrapped up in my adolescent world I can only remember flashes of political instability. In our world, it was not the politics that made it worst but all the insecurities that came with adolescence that would hit you right when hormones were jumping, facial imperfections such as pimples, oily face and body hairs were appearing, and discomfort of the regular monthly blood release signaling your capacity to procreate at a time when the love of your high school life decided to smile at you, noticed you and your pimples, or your new haircut and suddenly took an interest in teasing or talking to you. It was the time of chocnut and tootsie roll, the smell of banana cues, mango shake, waffles, and Ka- Liwanag’s lugaw,...

It has been a family ritual of ours to horde CDs and play couch potato for days, well, ok, if schedule permits. The challenge for the films, is to satisfy an array of demanding audience. The task for us supposedly responsible parents is to keep the family within limits of sanity especially this summertime and the kids are bored stiff. It has never been this challenging during school days because the kids are easier to please and sometimes would even skip some films as they are going to school and would have to sleep and do their assignments (otherwise, we wouldn’t be responsible parents!). But summer, ah, summer, the heat in Baguio gets to the level of actually wanting to wear shorts and manila summer attire at home or outside, turn on the electric fan, not wanting blankets at night, and the boredom of no school and only your sister to play with for my two daughters. This last part is what gets to me. They sometimes get into screaming bouts, the house will be in an uproar and will have...

“I-am-sorry” admission to cheating and lying of the highest leader of the land broadcasted on national television. Angry, resigned, betrayed, couldn’t-care-less-there’s- work-to-do faces whiz by me. Drones report on dollar against peso rate doing good, better than the past few years. Groans escalate with the price of gasoline. Babies scream for milk. Working mothers whimper at the price and the dry nipples. Resigned sighs on house rent and city services increase. Celphones and computers whisper plans of coups and lightning protests. 1017 was issued. People in violation were cuffed. Jaws fell open at the farce. 1017 was lifted. People are still cuffed. A fog of Martial rule hangs in the air. People holler outside to unseat the President. The police stomps CPR. Protesters whimper. Press is smothered by invisible gags. Middle class people bicker. We buy everything from drinking water to TV channel. My eldest is turning grade 3 this June. My youngest is practicing her nursery graduation so...