The subject was our old house in ParaƱaque. The house was spacious enough to hold rehearsals for two different plays simultaneously, and clean enough to go barefoot in it. We rented that house for 15 years, and had to move out for financial reasons. Hence, our permanent residence is now in Laguna. As a child, I faced much difficulty in parting with the house, and the world that came with it - having to ride a school bus, my busmates, neighborhood friends, the short distance to school, the routine, the dogs, the playground, the peace, -- everything.
Last night, I dreamed about that house. We were having some sort of a rehearsal for a play. It was full of familiar faces. The venue was our old house.
The appearance of the house changed drastically. Its mini garden was no longer a garden. It was cleared out and replaced with resin-coated flooring, extending up to the garage. The inside sported a dance studio flooring (reminds me of the SSC Performing Arts Room), from the old marble tiles that it had. The divisions were a lot more different... It made the house look bigger, and cleaner? I did not remember seeing the 2nd floor though.
So it's as if we still live there, while confronted with the same need to leave the house. This time, I was trying to think of the things that I can already do. Like, work and sustain the rent (The most unthinkable call center idea came into my head). I was squeezing out renting info from my mom, asking her about how much is the rent etc.
I remembered that I was thinking of several things before that other sequence that is still within that dream and with the same context - I was crying. That unstoppable outpouring. Several people came to look at me, watch me cry. They just watched. Some asked me why. I remember that there were 5 or 4 people around me, randomly positioned as if in a normal daily school setting - sitting or leaning on the railings. And I was there crying... Wearing a pink tank top and crying.
And I forgot the rest of it.
Sana Kuya Rico gets to read this again. Medyo connected siya sa mga nagaganap sakin nowadays
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