It was 8 am in the morning, waking up as the ray of the familiar summer sunlight passes through the thin curtain, directly into my eyes. A reminder that it was a time to spend alone, without work, without the nurture of anybody around, without the slightest idea of what would become my day.
It was the 8th of April, 2009. The next day would be a big day for many, its the Maundy Thursday, a long holiday extending to the Eastern Sunday. Many would be thrilled with the idea of a long vacation. People could put their pens down, ride their self-earned cars to their hometown where eager families wait for their visit.
But here I am, taking an extended vacation. It was a week vacation for me and my colleague in my work. Apparently, monday was also a national holiday, so everybody was thrilled with the idea of taking a two day leave to have a super, extended vacation. When I said everybody, I meant everybody in my department, including our Department Head, who was not a Filipino anyway, decided to take a week vacation. Left me with one thing to do, join the vacation flee.
And so here I am, find myself alone, with no one to invite to breakfast. I had friends, but nobody would be accessible in the middle of the week. Friends at work? Their either beating their tongue to finish whatever job to be finished before the vacation, or joined the vacation fiasco and already miles away from the soon-to-be crowded roads of Metro Manila Zoo (a harsh description?). College friends? Well, summer heat is on, you'll never enjoy college life if you don't get a taste of summer escapade, and this week would be perfect. Or perhaps busy with their graduation preparation, (I really wished you had passed it, but 2383, I know you can do better in the CPA board that graduation ceremony wouldn't even matter). Net_friends? Well, got lot of reasons not to show on a weekday, not really interested if true or not. Family? I could swim the sea and let the current wash my body from my sin while at it. Obviously, Mindanao is far too distant to even think of going to without proper preparation, not to mention the excessive budget you must have. Housemates? Well, out to work, it seems I'm the only one with the good working environment that allow long vacations like this to happen, others, they wouldn't even look at the paperworks.
So, after a thousand thoughts on how this day should proceed, I went on deciding sleeping was the best option. But sleeped too long already a day ago, my head just screaming to get up. The sun even has its own way of betraying my profound idea of a good morning sleep, it continue to splash its shining golden ray to my weak well-rested eyes. Lost, I pushed myself up and shake my head, telling myself, I could do better than to lay in my bed all day.
With the positive thoughts I tried to sink into my mind (always think positive, let the universe conspire to bring you what you think, familiar with THE SECRET), I hoped I could survive this day. With breakfast already at the table, I couldn't find the appetite to even look at what is already served, perhaps my stomach would urge me to look sooner. I sat on the brown lifeless sofa, still with the ragged morning hair and a few morning star, turned the TV on and waited for any familiar show. No use, I've been way into my office every morning that I couldn't really relate to what is shown on the limited channel our TV gets. I switched to CSI and I had a few luck, Yu-Gi-Oh is showing and I still have the memory of this anime, I could use some refreshing ideas.
With the TV on, and unclean self alone in this tiny place, I forced myself to formulate whatever option I have this day. Yesterday, I thought of getting my passport for future use, June had been a date I look forward to look for options abroad. But yesterday, I didn't have enough motivation to do so. I thought of going to this Employment Agency that keeps on calling me whenever there is an Foreign employer around, but I forgot to copy my updated CV on my office desktop, blame it to the 8GB Flash Drive I lost. I tried to remember places I could visit, but going alone would be a lot worse than here, I could try to meet new people but it takes the perfect mood to have the jive for it, and today, I'm not in that mood. I could study and read technical books to enhance whatever is left in my deceptive brain, but I'm not really used to read numbers in the morning, the night can wait. Lots of possible things to do, but here I am, empty and out of idea. It never was like this, I used to walk the street of my hometown whenever I have downtime like this, but here was different. No familiar faces to pass, no idea where to execute my walking loop to keep my mind busy. Just a bit strange place on a strange day.
'Twas then I realize, the sunlight earlier was just an illusion to make me believe something that wasn't even there. It was daylight in many parts of this area, but I know in my world, the deceptive rays of sun was just the natures trick to make me believe its bright. But I know deep inside, there is Darkness Amidst the Daylight.
