SUNDAY SKY

SINKING

DISPLACE

MEETING

TEXT MESSAGE: What time are we going to meet?

I reply, “Just woke. Thanks for reminding me…”

RESUME

RECONSTRUCTION

RUSH

MEGA ZOMBIES

I ask the phone, “Where are you?”

“Behind you.”

I swing, cutting the call, turning, looking to see a wave sitting and closing a book.

I hug my number 1, “I missed you. Sorry, late, was writing. Let’s get out of here and go to Shangrila.”

WALK

1 asks, “How’s Dumaguete?”

I laugh, “How the hell did you know where I was?”

1 shrugs, “Stalker.”

MEMORY: THE DAY YOU FIND OUT TO WHERE I DISAPPER TO WHERE HE DOESN’T EVEN KNOW IS THE DAY YOU…

TALK

I say, “Heard about the PGS horror. I like your jar concept. Can’t wait to read it.”

1 says, “… there too.”

I say, “That surprised him actually that it was included. He wasn’t satisfied with the story. I didn’t like his story. Still needs a lot of work. We talked about it just the other day. ”

1 says, “So why then did you let him submit it?”

I laugh, “I didn’t know that he submitted it. And I don’t meddle with his choices in submission. Walk slower please. My shoes aren’t exactly for walking fast…”

STUMBLE

I laugh, “Woops,” clutching 1.

1 asks, “So how’s the writing?”

STOP

SIT

EXCHANGE REPORTS

1 asks, “Have you seen the site?”

I laugh, “No. Now what kind of a co-editor am I, huh?”

1 says, “Technophobe.”

I laugh, “Busy with business. But I’ve been gathering and receiving feedback offline. And look what he got me,” showing him the Asus.

1 says, “Eat.”

I call him and ask, “Can you plug me in?”

WIRED

(BACKGROUND BUSINESS TALK)

I say, “Okay naman introduction ah. More would just drag this all back into that speculative talk…”

MEMORY: SEPTEMBER 2008 “WHY DON’T YOU LIKE THIS STORY?” “EH MAY PUTANG INANG PROBLEMA SA SEMICOLON EH. IF YOU DON‘T KNOW THAT IT’S A PROBLEM THEN WE HAVE A PROBLEM.” “ELABORATE.” “ARGH!” “YOU’RE A WRITER. YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO ELABORATE.” “OH-HO, NOW YOU’RE TELLING ME WHAT I SHOULD BE ABLE TO DO?!” “ALL RIGHT, WHAT’S REALLY THE PROBLEM?” “HAY, PUNYETANG CENSORSHIP KASI YAN SA MGA KAILANGAN KONG SABIHIN EH.”

CHECKING

I see and smile, “Dude, you’re officially a space maven.” A SPACE-PUNK

BYPASSED HALF-OBSOLETE SYSTEM

INITIATING FUTURE

REPLY TO HALF-OBSOLETE LEGITIMACY

[YADA-YADA-BOING-BOING]

Yada-Boing-Cause IT CAN BE DONE and

TA-FUCKING-DA :

and fuck you to Earth

who say ‘who the fuck are NO-1-YOU to think you can just put a sampler like that out there REPRESENTING PHILIPPINES-US’ :

UPHOLDING SYMBIOSIS

initiate DISCOURSE on the CHOICES ONLY IF READ ALL stories in English under Philippine Speculative Fiction from 2005-1^st quarter 2008 minus Philippine Free Press publications

MEMORY: SEPTEMBER 2008 “…YOU SURE?” “THIS IS FOR WHAT?” “THE WEBSITE FOR PHILSPECFIC SAMPLER. I ALREADY TALKED TO YOU ABOUT THAT LAST MAY PA WHEN I WAS ASKING FOR FREE PRESS STORIES.” “AAHH! SORRY, SORRY, BUSY, TUMATANDA NA KO ‘NO?” “HAHA, OH WELL, OK LANG. RUNNING IT WITHOUT FREE PRESS.”

TRACING

I say, “Ah, now I know how you found out where I was.”

MORE BUSINESS ANALYSIS

1 says, “I have to go in a while.”

I say, “Personal talk next time.”

1 says, “Eh you called him eh.”

I laugh, “Sorry, next time. And you have to eat next time so let’s eat…”

Before 1 leaves, a picture, I hug my number 1, laughing, “This 1 still doesn’t hug. Sorry, you have no choice with me. I really missed you. I’m so proud of you.”

DISPLACE

After 1 leaves, I say, “We have to go to Cardinal Santos. Elena’s dad was rushed to the ER. Relapse. Bleeding.”

TEXT MESSAGE: You don’t have to come to the hospital. Still fixing… I’ll text you when I need something.

“So, where do you want to go? Let’s watch that Tagalog movie that you want to watch? Tagaytay?”

I say, “That bad, huh? We need to be available and near. Let’s get your car washed.”

RESUME

RECONSTRUCTION

TEXT MESSAGE: Can you give me a ride home from the hospital?

I reply, “Be there in a bit. Got the car washed. Done. On our way.”

PICK UP

QUICK REPORT

DROP OFF

I call, “You ok? Have you eaten? Want to have dinner daw with us?”

Answer, “Come over and hear what we’ve been doing.”

I ask, “New stuff? Your muse is riding you hard. Who else is there?”

Answer, “Vinti.”

I say, “He’s hungry. We’ll eat first then we’ll come over. Bring you monks something to eat.”

EATING

TALKING

WELCOME

I pat Vinti’s head, “You look like a little boy with that hair but good. Still the brilliant hands. How’s the painting? Look at some of Rom Villaseran’s new works.”

Vinti shrugs, looks at the pictures, says, “Ok ah! Ganyan na works niya ngayon?”

RESUME

RECONSTRUCTION

DISPLACE BACKGROUND TALK…

I say, “Yes Beh? You asked something?”

LAUGHTER See? “You have wifi there?”

I laugh, “Yep. I’m working.”

RESUME

RECONSTRUCTION

I ask, “What is that you guys are working on anyway?”

…COME ON, LISTEN TO IT, DID WE GET IT RIGHT?

I sputter, “Another one?”

I listen, I say, “I wrote it like that. Up to you what it means.”

Vinti says, “Interactive?”

I look, “How do you think the guitar smiles there?”

Vinti says, “I get it…”

RESUME

RECONSTRUCTION

I say, “Vinti, what do you call that?”

Vinti answers, “7, 4, break, Flanger.”

I laugh, “Damn brilliant. That smile is officially yours. My gift to you.”

Vinti smiles, “Really? Thanks!”

Then looks at my hand writing, “Economical handwriting.”

I mumble, It’s getting smaller and smaller DISPLACE DETAILS

RESUME

RECONSTRUCTION