Sunday, May 31, 2009

Domesticities

1. Yesterday, I cooked chicken soup enough to feed a small orphanage. I handed over a big bowl to the next door neghbor, but I was still left with a vast amount of the soup that made me think about Africa.

I had to end up forcing everything down my throat, images of scrawny Somalian kids in my head, like a UN PowerPoint presentation. I felt less guilt, though, because I didn't let the food spoil.

I need, no, I wish I can afford my own refrigerator.

2. When I first saw my new apartment, I would hardly call it love at first sight. The walls are dark pink (though the landlady insisted they are lavender), the toilet lacks a flush, and the apartment is a little too conveniently located--aside from a church, a self-help laundry shop, pharmacy, bakery, and water-refilling station a few steps away from my door, there is also a mortuary very, very nearby. Some afternoons, I'll wake up suddenly because a there's a funeral procession, and Hindi kita Malilimutan (I will Never Forget You) is on. It never fails to cheer the spirit.

In the end, I took the apartment because of the cheap rent, the tiled floor, the window looking out into the street, and the double-lock doors. I'll be moving out soon, but in the meantime, I will have to bear with the afternoon dirges.

3. Leon is dying. My plant was doing fine, and then after his fifth flower wilted, he entered a depression phase that rivaled mine. His leaves yellowed and then browned, and he seemed to made up his mind not to bloom again. I thought he was going back in the closet.

Curiously enough, he got over his emotional phase, almost at the same time I got over mine. I asked Leon what made him unhappy, but he wouldn't tell me. Like me, my plant likes to keep things to himself once he's already okay.

Plea for help: My copy of The Hobbit is gone. Gone! I was dusting my books yesterday, and I found out it's gone because I want all my Tolkien books to be arranged beside each other in the shelf. As usual, I might have lent it to someone but I could not remember who. If you're the one who borrowed the book from me, please let me know as soon as possible. A prize awaits you if you text me within the next 24 hours.

7 comments:

ShatterShards said...

Congrats(?) on your new place! After a while, it will get to you, wailing mourners and all.

I've never really been good with plants. They tend to die on me for no apparent reason...

Blog away, Victor. The world needs to experience epixtasis more often. hehe

Anonymous said...

would love to meet Leon sometime :)

Anonymous said...
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VICTOR said...

@ShatterShards: not really my "new" place. been here for almost six months now. epixtasis. i had to look that word up. lol.

@checkyourstars: But I must warn you that Leon rarely speaks to anyone, even to me.

@anonymous: what did i tell you? i told you ages ago, you won't be able to resist first, when he copmes back. wang chi wai? sino si tony leung? lol.

A.Dimaano said...

- Shet, I felt the same way yesterday when my sister and I ate at Gerry's Grill. The bill was almost 1300! And it was just me and sister, di ba? Haaay! =(

- The first requirement when I look for an apartment is there must be uninterrupted supply of water. Next is if its near my office and department store(s). And the place must not be flooded during rainy season.

- Paluin kita! Di mo alagaan mabuti ang plant mo. Hmpf! LOL! Like King Solomon in the Bible, I talk to my plants to cheer them up.

Yeah, seriously. =P

citybuoy said...

you're moving? hope Leon's okay.

VICTOR said...

@Mr. Scheez: I know. Money has this uncanny ability to make you feel guilty.

@Nyl: I've been planning to. Move, that is. And resign. And get another job. And get a pet. And a dozen other plans. :)

Leon's okay. I underestimate him sometimes.