I'm a Baby!

My first address when I moved out was: “Unit 13, 113 Esteban Abada St…” Buti na lang hindi ako superstitious. In fact, I thought it was kinda cool having that address.

But one time I woke up and I found myself naked. The shirt I swear I wore when I went to bed was on the floor just beside the bed. It was soaking wet na parang kinuha siya sa pagkakababad sa batya at nilapag du’n sa sahig. Hanggang ngayon hindi ko alam kung paano nangyari ‘yun. Text back ng daddy ko nu’ng kinuwento ko ‘yung nangyari: “Hang religious icon in your house. Pray.” Oh, shet! Is this supposed to make me feel good?!

Sa totoo lang, hindi naman ako natakot. Nu’ng bata ako matatakutin talaga ako pero when I started paying rent I just couldn’t allow myself to be afraid at the place I pay for. Ang theory ko nagsi-sleepwalk ako.

Take this incident, for example: a woman called me up on my cellphone to confirm our meeting later that day. Hindi ko siya kilala pero alam niya ang full name ko, ang address ko, at kung saan ako nagtatrabaho. Insurance agent siya at ni-refer ako sa kanya ng isang close friend. But still I don’t remember having set a meeting with this stranger. She said she called me up at my house the day before (sa Panay Avenue apartment Thea and I shared). I gave her daw my info and set the appointment. Weird. I remember being asleep at the time she called. And I remember being alone at the time. Kinilabutan ako. Could a doppelganger have answered the phone? “Did the person you talk to sound like me?” I asked. “Honestly, sir, yes.” And then she went on to say that “You told me pa nga you’re 24 years old, right?” “I’m twenty-five, actually.” At bigla akong tinopak and I made up a story: “But my twin brother died when he was 24.” She never called me again about that insurance.

Magmi-midnight at ang tanging kasabay ko sa elevator sa GMA ay isang batang babaeng na-recognize through her ID na isang student intern. Pagbaba niya, sabi ko sa kanya, “Miss, pakisabi sa guard diyan na may writer sa basement na namatay.” Na-shock siya, “Ho?!” “Oo. Wala pa yatang nakakaalam. Paki-report na lang po.” “Sige po. Ano po’ng pangalan?” I looked her straight in the eye and said, “Ako po ‘yun. Ako po. Wala pang nakakaalam.” Hindi naka-react ‘yung bata. Akala ko matatawa siya pero hindi. Siguro iniisip din niya nagjo-joke ako pero nagsara na ‘yung pinto ng elevator at hindi ko na siya nakita ulit sa GMA.

If I die, I think I'd make a good ghost.