Night and Day

5 - Image of the Burning Men

In an office building, inside an elevator, a young woman in her mid-twenties was holding her laughter with her other friends. The lift was obviously crowded as most office workers serving the tower are going home. She got off with her friends as they reached the ground floor and commenced their chat. They reached the lobby door and greeted the young man waiting for her. It was Vince. She gave him a kiss on the cheek and waved goodbye to her coworkers.

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Tom and Robbie share a quiet afternoon on the gallery. Tom is catching up on his notes as their final exams for the semester are coming. He shows a diagram from a book to Robbie, who is at the counter finishing a project.

"Bert, ano sa tingin mo?" he asks.

"Spiral Jetty?" referring to the American earth sculpture.

"Rice terraces sana," he corrects, but was amazed by how the friend knows his art history.

"Mga ilang b'wan? 'Saka kumpleto na ba tayo sa materials?"

"Kaya siguro natin bago magtapos ang Panagbenga. Sa materyales naman, napuno na ng org. yung storage sa may teatro. Mga ilang b'wan siguro tuyo na yung mga kawayan."

"Pero may model ka na? Parang masyadong malaki 'to kaysa sa lupa."

Tom takes out a pencil and starts sketching his rough diagram for Robbie. The men continue with their planning when the shop door opens. Carlos enters and he greets the classmates. Tom approached him.

"Tom, sorry, baka p'wede ka makausap kahit saglit lang?"

There were dark shadows under his eyes. Tom might have an idea what is happening. He asks Carlos to wait for him outside while he tells Robbie.

"Boss, fifteen-minute break, okay lang?"

The friend laughs and ruffles his hair in return.

Tom finds Carlos on the alley beside the store. That day was slow and so as the passersby. He feels he is the last person Carlos should be talking to, but he also needs to feed his curiosity. The personal events from the past months had shaken him for a while that he forgot why this person is still beside him in the first place. Ako sana yung nandun, he feels, but also regrets that what if a real accident happened while he is hours away from home. He might have not forgiven himself.

"Tom, kumusta ka na?" breaks Carlos.

"Mabuti naman, busy lang ng kaunti," he answers.

"Sorry."

He is so apologetic right now it feels he is not talking to the right person.

"Ay hindi ngayon, okay lang talaga sakin. Nagulat lang din ako na nandito ka," he laughs nervously. Masusuntok ako nito, he thought.

"Ah, salamat din sa oras. May project ka ba sa foundation?" Carlos asks, he is now looking at Tom.

"Wala ngayon Loy, may mag-e-exhibit kasi dito next month. Pu'nta ka pag libre ka?"

Tom receives a smile. Ang hirap din naman nang magalit sa ngiting 'yan, he thought.

To shake off an approaching idea, he asks, "Caloy, okay ka lang ba?"

There was silence, and then there were tears. Shit, anong gagawin ko? Tom thought.

"Sorry talaga P're. Dapat ikaw nalang pinadala dun."