Walk with Eggs

Walk With Eggs (taglish 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 into 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? Eto, nasa seat ko, scribbling doodles and sketches on my notebook.

Although Lean, my seatmate, invited me to join in with the rest of the group circle discussion-which by the way is positioned just right in front of me–I prefer being here at my seat, alone. Hah, 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 pwede namang pumunta ako sa canteen at do'n na tumambay.

I don't mind being alone. But I wouldn't mind a company either. Kung hindi lang absent sina Therese at Lorraine, siguro nasa canteen na kaming tatlo ngayon, 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 homeworks 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 here my classmates' voices. Lalo na ang mga nag-uusap sa harapan ko.

Wala naman sigurong masama kung makikinig ako sa usapan nila 'di ba? Makikinig lang naman ako. 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.

"Alam niyo ba?"

"Hindi."
"Pilosopo pero tuloy ko na nga."

"Last Saturday, ako ang pinagbit bit ng tray ng itlog na idedeliver sa nag order. 'Di ba may manukan kami, tapos may nag order ng mga itlog sa'min. Grabe, ang hirap pala maglakad nang tuluyan habang may bitbit na tray. Parang mahuhulog kada hakbang ko e. Kaya ayon hinay hinay lang ako. Pero tinawag ako ni mama, bilisan ko raw kaya ayon nagmadali rin ako. Muntik na ngang mahulog ang isa sa mga itlog e, buti nalang talaga hindi nahulog. Lagot talaga ako pag nagkataon."

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.

"May naisip tuloy ako diyan sa itlog na yan," Ani ni Frances.

"Lahh ano?" Tanong naman ni Trev na nagtaas ng kilay at ngumisi.

"Hoy hindi kung ano mang nasa isip mo ngayon ah. I know what you're thinking Trev, obvious naman sa tingin mo hmm.  I mean may naisip ako sa experience ni Lean," wika niya.

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

A brief moment of silence. 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 everytime you reach another milestone," she added.

Eyes and ears on her. Pati si Trev na kumakain pa ng banana chips napatigil sa pagkuha sa pack ng pagkain. Si Ensen na nakatingin sa phone niya, napalingon din. Hindi rin nakatakas sa paningin ko si Lean na palihim na kumuha ng ilang piraso ng banana chips ni Trev.

"You walk with eggs in your hands, careful not to drop and break them. Some may rush you or slowen you along the way. Medyo mahirap 'no? Dapat hindi mabasag ang itlog or else they would be disappointed on you. Hayys."

"Grade 3 na ang panganay namin! Keep up the good work!"

"Graduated na Salutatorian, good job!"

"Ang grades mo nak ha? Wag mong pababayaan, honor ka pa rin naman siguro ngayong quarter 'no?"

"Nasa top class ka. Mga classmate mo matatalino, mga honors lahat at mga validictorian at salutatorian nong grumaduate sa elementary. Keep up, okay? Kailangan mong makapasa sa VU para do'n ka mag-aaral kapag college ka na."

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

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

At natahimik na sila. Sila lang, maingay pa rin ang iba.

"Why don't you just eat the eggs then?" I blurted out of the blue.

"What do you mean eat the eggs?"
Tanong ni Valerie. Napalingon din ang iba sa akin.

Eh? Napalakas pala pagsabi ko no'n.] Oops. I guess I'll have to say something then.

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

One...

Two...

Three...

They still haven't averted their gaze on me, naghihintay pa siguro ng sunod kong sasabihin. "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."  

Natahimik ulit sila ng ilang segundo. Pati na rin ako. Saan ba nanggaling ang mga sinabi ko?

They were 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.."

"Oh, tama na sa itlog na yan. Nagugutom na ako e."

"Kumakain ka nga ng banana chips e, gutom ka pa?"

"Oo nga Trev."

"Hey,

"Oy ba't ubos na? Lean, kinuha mo ang last, no?"

At nagkagulo na sila Trev at Lean sa banana chips. The rest just laughed it off and shifted to another topic.

Bumalik nalang ulit ako sa pagdo drawing. Baka kung ano pa masabi ko at di ako makasagot sa tanong, kung meron ulit.

Sigh, 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, 'di ko pa naman nagagawang subukan.

Better try it out to see if it works.