Walk with Eggs

vacant time (English version)

It's Friday afternoon, our vacant time. For two hours there would be no class, no discussion, and just time for ourselves. 

As per usual some of my classmates gathered in mini-groups, chairs formed into a circle and engaged in various topics they would like to discuss. Typical. 

Some had their instruments out and played music–Dylan played his keyboard and Peter played his guitar, some went to the canteen next door to eat or just spend their time there. And me? I'm here on my seat, scribbling doodles and sketches on my notebook. 

Although Lean, my seatmate, invited me to join in with the rest of the group circle to talk with them–which by the way is positioned just right in front of me–I prefer being here at my seat, alone. Pfft I don't even fit with them. I'd rather spend my time with myself than to be with them and feel out of place. Or I could go to the canteen and stay there for the meantime. 

I don't mind being alone. But I wouldn't mind a company either. If Therese and Lorraine weren't absent, maybe the three of us would be in the canteen right now, talking about things we like while enjoying some snacks. Well they're not here, so I'll be alone this time. Drawing messy sketches. And maybe a time for me to think about story plots or list out assignments for today and upcoming summative tests. It's not that bad after all.

***

Even though I'm focused on what I'm doing, I could still hear  my classmates' voices. Especially the ones talking in front of me. There's five of them after all. Quite noisy for me to ignore.

Well, I'll just listen to their conversation then. It's like an instant radio that brings sound to my not-so-boring world.

Partly listening to them while drawing, what a normal thing for me to do.

"Did you guys know?"

"No."

"Pilosopo, but I'll continue."

"Last Saturday, I was the one who carried the tray of eggs to be delivered. Didn't we have a henhouse and someone ordered eggs from us? It was really hard to walk while carrying a tray. It felt like falling every step I took. So I just slowed down. But mom called me, she told me to hurry up, so I rushed too. One of the eggs almost fell, luckily it didn't. Mom would be angry, for sure." Ahh I'm bored! I couldn't resist it anymore so I looked up and stared at them. As discreetly as possible. I don't want them inviting me to join again. Just watching them entertains me already. From an instant radio to an instant television.

"You know, I thought of something about those eggs," said France. The girl with ruffled bob haircut.

"Ohhh, what?" Tony asked, raising an eyebrow and partly smirking.

"Hey, it's not what you think! I know what you're thinking Tony. It's obvious to that stare of yours. I mean I thought of something on Lean's experience."

"Eggs are like the expectations they set on you. Or as you think," Frances said, raising a finger pointing to the ceiling.

Is it just me or the atmosphere got somehow a bit colder?

"You walk in a path with eggs on your hands. As you grow, it gets heavier. One to two to three to four and so on. It's added every time you reach another milestone," she added.

Eyes and ears on her. Even Tony who was eating banana chips paid attention. Gail and Ensen, who were looking at their phones, also turned around. Lean didn't escape my sight as she secretly took a few pieces of Tony's banana chips.

"You walk with eggs in your hands, careful not to drop and break them. Some may rush you or slow you down along the way. It's a bit difficult, isn't it? The egg must not break or else they would be disappointed on you. Hayys."

"Our eldest is in Grade 3! Keep up the good work!"

"Graduated Salutatorian, good job!"

"How are your grades? You're still an honor student this quarter right?"

"You're in the top class. Your classmates are smart, all honors and valedictorian and salutatorian when they graduated elementary school. Keep up, okay? You need to pass in XX University so you can study there in college."

Flashes of some lines played on my mind all of a sudden. Ahh a switch has been turned on after all. What France said made me remember those.

"...and to some, carrying the eggs is like a burden they have to bear."

And they went silent.

"Why don't you just eat the eggs then?" I muttered out of the blue. Wait. What now?

"What do you mean eat the eggs?" Gail asked. The others also shifted their gaze on me.

I don't like this.

"Just eat it so it won't be a burden to you anymore," I said.

One...

Two...

Three...

They still haven't averted they gaze on me, probably waiting for another answer. I shouldn't have talked in the first place. Baka.

"I mean, just put it in a different point of view where you don't see the eggs as a burden but an energy source for you to keep going. The eggs are still with you, you still have it. But it isn't a burden to you anymore," I added, drawing hand gestures mid-air while explaining.

"But don't overdo it. You don't want to gather too much cholesterol on your body."

They went silent again for a few seconds. And so did I.

"But how do you know it works? Do you apply it yourself?" A question by Ensen.

"Uh.."

"Enough with the eggs. I'm getting hungry."

Saved by Tony. Nice.

"You just ate banana chips, you're still hungry?"

"Hey! Where'd my chips go?!"

I just went back to drawing. I don't want to blurt out nonsense again.

Isn't it ironic? That my brain and mouth speak words even I didn't expect I would come up with but even I myself couldn't do it. Well, I haven't done it before. Better try it out to see if it works.

END