Edits by Leland :) (which are quite a lot haha)
I didn't delete the previous one because I want to keep the original post that I made for future reference. :P
It was quite a cold evening as my friend and I were comfortably sitting in one of our tambayans in the University. It has a strategic location where a lot of people made their way in this area to their respective college buildings. We talked to friends who passed by, and critiqued and commented on the physical appearances of people we don't know.
After some time we got thirsty from all the talking and gossiping, so I suggested that we buy a softdrink from the vending machine, since it's cheaper to buy there. My friend went to the nearest vendo, while I waited for her in our tambayan to secure our things. She came back empty-handed, saying that the vendo wasn't working. Desperate for a drink, I told her that we should try buying from the other vendos.
We picked up our things, left the tambayan, and walked towards to the 2nd nearest vending machine, which was located near the gate of the College of Engineering building. My friend tried to insert the P20 bill inside the machine, but it won't pick up the money. I tried my luck with my own P20 bill, which was more new and thicker than my friend's bill. The same thing happens.
I called out to the guard near the Eng Gate. "Ate, the vendo's not working. Pero may light naman oh.." I said while pointing to the red light in the vending machine.
The guard inspected the vendo and said, "Ay, walang yellow light kaya di talaga yan gagana. Try nyo sa North Gate."
"Ah, okay po." I replied. My friend and I both thanked the guard and made our way to the next vending machine. The walk was quite far, and we joked that this was like an Amazing Race wherein we have to find the working vending machine. After a few minutes, we arrived at the vendo near the North Gate.
We were delighted when we saw that the machine's yellow light is on. My friend inserted her money in the machine and I pressed the Coca Cola option button. We heard a loud clunk at the bottom of the vendo.
"Yay!" We squealed in delight. I opened the can and took a big gulp.
"Ah, that's refreshing." I said happily.
_______________
In life, we encounter people with almost the same features but different personalities. Like vendo machines, they may look similar outside, but their contents may vary. The numbers of sodas inside of one vendo isn't exactly the same as the other ones. Also, not all of it are working properly.
Putting effort to knowing a person is like inserting that innocent P20 bill. We only expect the machine to accept what we give, but, in truth, we can be ignored--or rejected, as the case may be. We can also consider those cases where our efforts are just taken for granted, which can be likened to those times when the stupid machine just gobbles our money up.
But we cannot discount the fact that most of the time, we get what we paid for. Hearing that glorious "clunk" on those scorching hot days feels great.
Then again, vending machines have lights to say if it will work. You never know with human relationships till you try. Either way, it is always a great feeling to experience those moments when we can just say:
Ah, that's refreshing.
Saturday, June 12, 2010
Thursday, June 10, 2010
The Vending Machine Analogy
It was quite a cold evening as my friend and I were comfortably sitting in one of our tambayans in the University. It has a strategic location where a lot of people made their way in this area to their respective college buildings. We talked to friends who passed by, and critiqued and commented on the physical appearances of people we don't know.
After some time we got thirsty from all the talking and gossiping, so I suggested that we buy a softdrink from the vending machine, since it's cheaper to buy there. My friend went to the nearest vendo, while I waited for her in our tambayan to secure our things. She came back empty-handed, saying that the vendo wasn't working. Desperate for a drink, I told her that we should try buying from the other vendos.
We picked up our things, left the tambayan, and walked towards to the 2nd nearest vending machine, which was located near the gate of the College of Engineering building. My friend tried to insert the P20 bill inside the machine, but it won't pick up the money. I tried my luck with my own P20 bill, which was more new and thicker than my friend's bill. The same thing happens.
I called out to the guard near the Eng Gate. "Ate, the vendo's not working. Pero may light naman oh.." I said while pointing to the red light in the vending machine.
The guard inspected the vendo and said, "Ay, walang yellow light kaya di talaga yan gagana. Try nyo sa North Gate."
"Ah, okay po." I replied. My friend and I both thanked the guard and made our way to the next vending machine. The walk was quite far, and we joked that this was like an Amazing Race wherein we have to find the working vending machine. After a few minutes, we arrived at the vendo near the North Gate.
We were delighted when we saw that the machine's yellow light is on. My friend inserted her money in the machine and I pressed the Coca Cola option button. We heard a loud clunk at the bottom of the vendo.
"Yay!" We squealed in delight. I opened the can and took a big gulp.
"Ah, that's refreshing." I said happily.
_______________
In life, we encounter people with almost the same features but different personalities, like in the case of the vending machine, they're all the same outside, but the contents aren't. The numbers of sodas inside of one vendo isn't exactly the same as the other ones. Also, not all of it are working properly.
When one tries to insert a P20 bill in the machine, its like inserting effort to that person that we came across or maybe have an interest in. Several outcomes can occur, like the money could be picked up by the machine, same as the person accepting your efforts without hesitation. But if you didn't see the red light and you tried to exert effort on that person, you'll just be ignored, or worse, rejected.
A rejected P20 bill can't make you get that softdrink in the vending machine. But sometimes even when the effort you gave to the person is accepted, there will be a time when you can't get what you wanted. There will be times that the machine is defective, just "ate" the money and you still can't get a drink.
But the best thing that could happen is when you get what you paid for, or in other words, what you worked hard for. You hear the "clunk" and get the softdrink that you wanted that will relieve your thirst.
There are a lot of vending machines in our life. Don't waste your money on the defective ones. Use it on the only vendo that works. When you get the softdrink that you want and drink it, you'll just say:
Ah, that's refreshing.
After some time we got thirsty from all the talking and gossiping, so I suggested that we buy a softdrink from the vending machine, since it's cheaper to buy there. My friend went to the nearest vendo, while I waited for her in our tambayan to secure our things. She came back empty-handed, saying that the vendo wasn't working. Desperate for a drink, I told her that we should try buying from the other vendos.
We picked up our things, left the tambayan, and walked towards to the 2nd nearest vending machine, which was located near the gate of the College of Engineering building. My friend tried to insert the P20 bill inside the machine, but it won't pick up the money. I tried my luck with my own P20 bill, which was more new and thicker than my friend's bill. The same thing happens.
I called out to the guard near the Eng Gate. "Ate, the vendo's not working. Pero may light naman oh.." I said while pointing to the red light in the vending machine.
The guard inspected the vendo and said, "Ay, walang yellow light kaya di talaga yan gagana. Try nyo sa North Gate."
"Ah, okay po." I replied. My friend and I both thanked the guard and made our way to the next vending machine. The walk was quite far, and we joked that this was like an Amazing Race wherein we have to find the working vending machine. After a few minutes, we arrived at the vendo near the North Gate.
We were delighted when we saw that the machine's yellow light is on. My friend inserted her money in the machine and I pressed the Coca Cola option button. We heard a loud clunk at the bottom of the vendo.
"Yay!" We squealed in delight. I opened the can and took a big gulp.
"Ah, that's refreshing." I said happily.
_______________
In life, we encounter people with almost the same features but different personalities, like in the case of the vending machine, they're all the same outside, but the contents aren't. The numbers of sodas inside of one vendo isn't exactly the same as the other ones. Also, not all of it are working properly.
When one tries to insert a P20 bill in the machine, its like inserting effort to that person that we came across or maybe have an interest in. Several outcomes can occur, like the money could be picked up by the machine, same as the person accepting your efforts without hesitation. But if you didn't see the red light and you tried to exert effort on that person, you'll just be ignored, or worse, rejected.
A rejected P20 bill can't make you get that softdrink in the vending machine. But sometimes even when the effort you gave to the person is accepted, there will be a time when you can't get what you wanted. There will be times that the machine is defective, just "ate" the money and you still can't get a drink.
But the best thing that could happen is when you get what you paid for, or in other words, what you worked hard for. You hear the "clunk" and get the softdrink that you wanted that will relieve your thirst.
There are a lot of vending machines in our life. Don't waste your money on the defective ones. Use it on the only vendo that works. When you get the softdrink that you want and drink it, you'll just say:
Ah, that's refreshing.
Thursday, June 03, 2010
The Confrontation
I never thought that it would happen this way.
It was a cloudy afternoon. I somehow sensed that it would rain, but I still didn't bring my umbrella with me. I thought that if ever the rain pours down, I'll be there at his house already, safe and sound.
When it started to drizzle, so I walked faster towards his home. Little did I know that it was a warning that I shouldn't have come there in the first place.
***
He opened the door and looked like he was surprised to see me. I guessed that he wasn't pleased at first, but then he smiled and immediately let me inside his house. He rushed towards his room and got a towel for me. He wrapped it around my shoulders let his arms stay there for a while. I felt his warmth. It felt good.
"You should've brought an umbrella," he said in a worrying tone, "you might catch a cold."
"I just wanted to see you, Max." I countered. "I haven't seen you in days!"
He gave my shoulders a gentle squeeze. "Aww. I missed you too, Aya."
"But I didn't say that I miss you!" I laughed aloud, not minding my manners.
"You just did! Hahaha!!!" Max chuckled when I pinched his tummy. We laughed out loud together.
When our laughters died down, neither of us said a thing. I cleared my throat.
"I just want to clarify something."
He just nodded to signal me to go on. I held his hand that was resting on my shoulders and slowly shrugged it off, but not letting go of his hand. "You...I..."
His hand tried to slip away from mine, but I tightened my grip. "What kind of relationship do we have right now? I'm asking this because I'm really, really confused."
"Aya, I'm not in the mood to talk about this.." He stopped struggling but he wasn't looking at me.
"When would you be ready, then?" I asked, my voice becoming pitchy. "When you're 'in the mood'?"
"I really don't get it. We go out on dates, then we don't. Then we go out again. And then stop. On, off, on, off!!! One time you treat me like I'm the most important person in the world. And then suddenly you treat me like trash!!" I screamed at him, and my tears suddenly went out of my eyes. I let go of his hand, and started to punch him aimlessly, my fists hitting his chest and arms. He held my wrists and tried to stop me from struggling.
"Aya.. I'm..." He tried to say in between my struggles, "I'm sorry..I'm really..."
I stared at him with wide, surprised eyes.
"..really sorry..."
What he said was almost like a whisper, but it made me stop struggling from him. He released my wrists when I moved my fists down.
It's like admitting defeat, I guess. I wondered for nothing. I waited for nothing. He just confirmed it with his own mouth.
"But I used to--" I cut his sentence by pushing the towel that he lent me on his chest.
"Don't say a thing." I turned my back towards him and headed towards the door.
Deep inside me I was wishing that he'll take my arm and tell me not to go. But he didn't. I guess he really didn't care at all. I opened the door and paused for a while. But there's no turning back. I inhaled deeply and closed the door behind me.
It's still raining. But worse. Its cold drops added to my already shivering heart. I wrapped my arms around myself, as if it would help, but that's the only thing I have.
I started to walk back home. Each step was very hard to do, for I'm slowly walking away from where I wanted to be.
This isn't a break-up because there's nothing to break at all, I thought to myself.
...
But my heart was broken.
_________________
This story is inspired by the song "Sorry" by Maria Mena. Listen to the song here. The rain influenced my mood too. I'll make a jolly one soon :)
It was a cloudy afternoon. I somehow sensed that it would rain, but I still didn't bring my umbrella with me. I thought that if ever the rain pours down, I'll be there at his house already, safe and sound.
When it started to drizzle, so I walked faster towards his home. Little did I know that it was a warning that I shouldn't have come there in the first place.
***
He opened the door and looked like he was surprised to see me. I guessed that he wasn't pleased at first, but then he smiled and immediately let me inside his house. He rushed towards his room and got a towel for me. He wrapped it around my shoulders let his arms stay there for a while. I felt his warmth. It felt good.
"You should've brought an umbrella," he said in a worrying tone, "you might catch a cold."
"I just wanted to see you, Max." I countered. "I haven't seen you in days!"
He gave my shoulders a gentle squeeze. "Aww. I missed you too, Aya."
"But I didn't say that I miss you!" I laughed aloud, not minding my manners.
"You just did! Hahaha!!!" Max chuckled when I pinched his tummy. We laughed out loud together.
When our laughters died down, neither of us said a thing. I cleared my throat.
"I just want to clarify something."
He just nodded to signal me to go on. I held his hand that was resting on my shoulders and slowly shrugged it off, but not letting go of his hand. "You...I..."
His hand tried to slip away from mine, but I tightened my grip. "What kind of relationship do we have right now? I'm asking this because I'm really, really confused."
"Aya, I'm not in the mood to talk about this.." He stopped struggling but he wasn't looking at me.
"When would you be ready, then?" I asked, my voice becoming pitchy. "When you're 'in the mood'?"
"I really don't get it. We go out on dates, then we don't. Then we go out again. And then stop. On, off, on, off!!! One time you treat me like I'm the most important person in the world. And then suddenly you treat me like trash!!" I screamed at him, and my tears suddenly went out of my eyes. I let go of his hand, and started to punch him aimlessly, my fists hitting his chest and arms. He held my wrists and tried to stop me from struggling.
"Aya.. I'm..." He tried to say in between my struggles, "I'm sorry..I'm really..."
I stared at him with wide, surprised eyes.
"..really sorry..."
What he said was almost like a whisper, but it made me stop struggling from him. He released my wrists when I moved my fists down.
It's like admitting defeat, I guess. I wondered for nothing. I waited for nothing. He just confirmed it with his own mouth.
"But I used to--" I cut his sentence by pushing the towel that he lent me on his chest.
"Don't say a thing." I turned my back towards him and headed towards the door.
Deep inside me I was wishing that he'll take my arm and tell me not to go. But he didn't. I guess he really didn't care at all. I opened the door and paused for a while. But there's no turning back. I inhaled deeply and closed the door behind me.
It's still raining. But worse. Its cold drops added to my already shivering heart. I wrapped my arms around myself, as if it would help, but that's the only thing I have.
I started to walk back home. Each step was very hard to do, for I'm slowly walking away from where I wanted to be.
This isn't a break-up because there's nothing to break at all, I thought to myself.
...
But my heart was broken.
_________________
This story is inspired by the song "Sorry" by Maria Mena. Listen to the song here. The rain influenced my mood too. I'll make a jolly one soon :)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)