I was greeted with that oh-so-refreshing smell of rain when I stepped out of the office last Wednesday. To my surprise, it didn't make me melancholic as it used to. Before that moment, the smell of rain [or rain itself] always made me cry with a couple of excep-tions. I didn't smoke as I hanged out in front of the building. Cigarette smoke would be quite a spoiler. I wanted to savor the moment.
You know how they say that the most effective sense for memory retention is the olfactory? The very instant the scent registered on my brain, I was taken back to July 24, 2004 - Chevy's birthday celebration.
I have no idea why it was the first memory that rushed to my mind. I swear, I haven't even been thinking of Lex for a couple of months now, give or take a day or two.
He picked me up from the house and we passed by the shop so I could say goodbye to Pop. He asked if he had to introduce himself. I told him twas too early for introductions. Pop stepped out of the shop, saw the car, then saw the school spirit sticker on the back windshield. Pop thought I was back with Lud.
I was wearing my red cotton sleeveless top, black tennis skirt and bakya. He told me I should've worn sneaks. I reasoned bakya is made for the rainy season.
I brought my auto-folding umbrella [which I now remember is still with Wencie!!! I left it in his bag after their induction ball which coincidentally was also on a rainy night]. He told me I shouldn't have coz it'll be a fuss. True enough, we left it under the table in Pier One and he had to go back to fetch it.
I squeezed my big fat ass in the crowded dancefloor in Common Ground by myself coz Chevy and the crew were being a bore [hihihi]. A few minutes later, I felt an arm wrap around my waist. He protected me from the sexual harrassment of the pervs. [can't get it outta my head]
He despises Hifhof but he tried his best not to look awkward. You should see him trying to dance with that beer bottle clutched to his chest with a hand. He's the cutest thing.
That night was also memorable because twas the first time I did ho-hum on the ledge. I made sure he wasn't looking but when I got back to our table he asked, "Ikaw ba yun?".
We went home at around 1AM, an hour late of his curfew. He was 24 then and he still had a curfew. That's because being the good son he is, he had to sleep in his Mum's room to tend to her needs. She has hypertension.
He drove me to Basti's, though, coz twas too early for me to call it a night and Same Crowd was there. We spent a good 15 minutes in the car before he finally let me get off.
The oddest thing is I would've been sad at any other time had I been reminded of this. Instead, it got me smiling through my whole travel from the office to Figaro in Las Piñas where Nog and I were to discuss our Galera plans. Yes, I was smiling (and not only because this'll be my second trip to Galera this summer). [Bitter Floi no more]
Ahhh... the good days. I easily discharge bad memories from my mind and select the good memories to keep me smiling for the rest of my life.
Thank you, Lex.
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Post Script.
To you dear reader, if you haven't been religiously following my posts [does anyone?!], and if you're bored and have nothing else more interesting to do like breathe, I advise you click on the links. Wala lang. Click lang. Basahin mo na rin.
*.* as if! @ 4:46:00 PM • • RBJ
®fLoi enjoy 2005©