Chapter Three

We Both Dream

I stand beside a medium sized white bookshelf near the open window of the living room. I look at a small silver picture frame in the bookshelf. It is a photo of Mallory riding her new pink bicycle. She wears white sleeveless top, purple leggings and pink slippers. And her black hair is neatly pulled on a ponytail with some baby bangs falling on her forehead. As she genuinely smiles for the camera, she shows two of her missing teeth at the upper front of her mouth. She was 4 years old when the photo was taken. And it is the first time she learns how to ride a bicycle. I smiled and pick a book from the bookshelf. I hold a book and a cup of tea with both hands.  

I sit on the big brown couch which is pretty old. Obviously the leather of the couch is not in a good condition. You will see that the coffee brown leather of the couch is nearly torn out. And there are some white cracks coming out from the surface of the couch.  And you bet, it is the only couch we have for a family of two plus a dog.  This couch is older than Mallory, maybe four or five years older than her. I know I should replace it with new couch when I get extra money. Extra money, I thought, everybody’s dream is to win the lottery. And winning the lottery is only an imagination for me.

I hold a book, The Time Traveler’s Wife. The cover of the book shows a girl wearing black knee length dress and black school shoes with long white socks.  And beside the girl is what looks like a red picnic cloth, with neatly folded man’s clothes and shoes on top of it.

I read through 269 pages of the book. I have watched the movie like years ago, and I honestly think movies often tell the story a little differently as compared to the book version. Just like Nicholas Sparks, A Walk to Remember, the story is somehow dissimilar as compared to Mandy Moore’s movie version of the book.

I look at the cover of the book again, Time Traveler's Wife. Just what if one can leap through time?  I watch how the smoke which comes from the cup of tea floats into the air. What if time brings me back years ago before I had Mallory?  I am sure I don’t want to not have her, even when she is naughty and needy most of the time. I blow the thin white smoke which comes from the cup. Or what if I can fast forward to see what kind of life there will be for us?  I wish we’ll be rich in the future. I deeply exhaled, I honestly know that an eight hour job cannot make me rich. And it’s sad.

I drink from the cup, the tea tastes like burnt leaves with a funny earthly smell. Maybe now it is not perfect but it’s fine, at least we are fine. I am thankful that I still have a job despite the pandemic.

And the most important thing is that Mallory and I are healthy. I wonder when this pandemic will ever end?  I pray this pandemic will end soon, people have suffered too much already.

I exhaled deeply and reached for the remote control. I turn on the television. ‘The public are warned against the spread of Corona Virus also known as Covid 19.’ ‘Due to the Covid 19 pandemic lockdown has been implemented in numerous countries and territories worldwide.’ ‘As of now there is no known medicine against Covid 19.’ 

said the news anchor.

I came to realize how my life hasn’t really changed with the pandemic. Am I really that anti social?

March 16, 2020, President Rodrigo Duterte: “I have come to the conclusion that stricter measures are necessary. For this reason, pursuant to my powers as President under the Constitution and RA 11332 (Law on Reporting of Communicable Diseases), I am placing the entire mainland of Luzon under quarantine until April 12, 2020.”

I hold a tray of food, looking for a table where we can have a good view of the television. The pantry is almost empty anyway with less people showing up in the office because of the fear from Coronavirus. ‘We can sit here.’ I said to Peter, my co-worker and best friend who is more introvert than I am. He is my best friend and we don’t talk that much. Peter either follows what I say or ignores me, and most often he ignores me, but this time he follows me. He wears blue tattered jeans and a brown sweatshirt. He is about 5’3 feet tall with fair skin tone and there are some freckles on both his cheeks.

I put down my plate on the table. My plate contains half a cup of rice, roast chicken and some vegetables on the side.

‘What happened to your favorite spot beside the window?’ he said looking in the other direction. ‘Sit,’ I said. `We have to watch the news, they might send us home early today.’ He sits beside me as he breaks my chicken into pieces and puts some into his mouth. He continues to chew as he hides some of his black hair behind his ears.

‘Want some pork?’

‘I’ll take som,’ I said. ‘Did he said until April 12?’

‘Yes,’ he said. ‘Adios, and see you on April 12.’

‘That’s more than 3 weeks,’

‘Yeah,’ he said. ‘So plan ahead what you want to do.’

‘What about you?’

‘Chill and drink,’ he said. ‘I will renovate our house.’

‘That’s so you.’

‘What about you any plan?’

‘Maybe more quality time with Mallory.’

‘That’s just right.’

I stand with the crowd waiting for the traffic light to change. I watch the number of vehicles passing by. 6:00pm, the traffic already looks heavy with numbers of cars and motorcycles on the road.

There is a green bus passing in our direction. I notice how the bus is overloaded with passengers that some people even remain standing inside the bus.

I observe a number of people waiting on the other side of the road. People here, people there and people everywhere, all wearing face-masks. And it is something new to see everybody wearing face masks since it is not Japan or Korea. The temperature here is so warm that you may not want to cover your nose and mouth. And yes, Covid 19 is what everybody didn’t see coming in a very hot country like the Philippines. When Covid 19 spread in China, I wrongly judged that the virus would not survive in countries with hot temperatures. And that is very wrong because the virus threatens us now. 

28 seconds before the traffic light turns to green.  I can almost imagine as soon as 28 seconds is over a big pack of zombies are waiting to take over the city. Crazy, indeed. 27days of quarantine, I need to store some food and  other basic needs. The traffic light changes color and we cross the pedestrian line. Yeah, that’s right I need to drop by the grocery store.

**The entire Luzon was placed in Enhanced Community quarantine from March 16 to April 12, 2020.

‘Earphone,’ he said and I plugged a piece of the bluetooth earphone to his right ear, while I got to use the other pair.

‘Spotify,’ I said. ‘What would you like me to play this time?’

‘What else do I like to listen to?’

‘Kings of Leon?’

‘Of course,’ he said.

During our 8 hour shift we both will listen to his favorite band, Kings of Leon. And that made me fall in love with their songs too.

‘Hey would you like to eat later before going home?’

‘Yes,’ I said. ‘What you got?’

‘Bread,’ he said. ‘We can share some croissants.’

‘That’s nice,’ I said. ‘I have here fresh milk we can share too.’

14^th February 2020, 7:20 PM most people left the office. I sit next to Peter as we share some food. ‘Here take this,’ he said as he pulled two pieces of bread inside a small brown paper bag. I pierced the tetra pack of milk using a straw. I sipped a little and handed him the milk. He drank from the same straw I used and continued to chew his food.

I purposely looked at his jacket while I chewed food. His brown jacket has a hole at the end of the sleeve where his thumb would like to pop out. I just couldn’t tell him the air conditioner makes me shiver with cold.

‘Why are you looking at my favorite jacket?’

‘Nothing,’

‘Okay,’

‘Ask me again?’ I said looking at the jacket he was wearing while I rubbed my hands against my arms. ‘Can I borrow your jacket?’

‘No,’ he said and laughed. ‘Wait for me here.’    

I watched him hurried to his locker and he quickly  returned with an extra t-shirt. ‘Here, put this on top of your shirt.’

‘Thanks,’ I said. ‘One more thing,’

‘What?’

‘I forgot my lip balm at home, the air conditioner makes my lips dry,’ I said. ‘I need to borrow yours.’

He handed me a green ChapStick while he pouted his lips at me and laughed.

We walked quietly side by side outside the office building. We didn’t say much.  A simple walk enjoying this comfortable silence on a cold February night. 

The End

By Kings of Leon

Running with the street lights

Laughing at the grave

He swears he's gonna give it up

It's never gonna be enough

I just wanna be there

When you're all alone

Thinking about a better day

When you had it in your bones

This could be the end

This could be the end

This could be the end

This could be the end

I see you in the evening

Sitting on your throne

You're playing with a fireball

And post it up against the wall

I just wanna hold you

Take you by your hand

And tell you that you're good enough

And tell you that it's gonna be tough

This could be the end

This could be the end

This could be the end

This could be the end

'Cause I ain't got a home

Running from the streetlights

Shining on her grave

Once you had the good stuff

Never gonna fill you up

I wanna be the one who

Gives them my world

And gives them all the feeling of it

Just a little taste of it

This could be the end

This could be the end

This could be the end

This could be the end

'Cause I ain't got a home

I'll forever roam

No, I ain't got a home

I'll forever roam

'Cause I ain't got a home

I'll forever roam

No, I ain't got a home

I'll forever roam

I ain't got a home