As we finished at around 8pm at the Paranaque shop, I gathered my staff for a simple dinner at nearby Jollibee. It was truly a tiring day since it was basically non stop the moment I drove off from the house to QC, the tasks keep piling up that I had to designate a few other tasks to the secretary for us to cover a few request from the nearby clients. Jollibee, for all intents and purposes is the symbol of the working class. When you say Jollibee, its something thats already marked in everyone’s mind as “I love you Sabado”, or the Chicken joy which Aga Muhlach and some kids would bite off effortlessly in front of the camera even though it was basically steaming hot which I do not underhand still now how that is possible. A sort of reward, a light at the end of a dark tunnel and the easiest way to please crying kids.
Anyways, there are certain things that have made a mark to each of us, especially during our childhood that as it tears and labours through time, it will, and always be an item which enables us to quickly look back and remember the past. The same goes for songs and places, say for example a certain lyric or rhythm that reminds you of the barkadahan, how you and your friends would sit at the corner of the classroom on a rainy July, with the guitar in hand, halfway through lunch break as you would sing to the iconic melodies of Eraser Heads or True Faith. How about that burnt smell of bread, would remind you of your 5:am breakfast, as your mom prepares you a sandwich before heading to school. Or that particular smell from a car’s resonator, which brings you back to the college years as you would often smell such odor as you come home to your girlfriend’s house in Antipolo. The car’s resonator emitting such smell from your uphill sprints, spirited but cautious, enjoyed and appreciated. Or a song from Dave Matthews band, which you were listening non stop as you tried to recover from being busted by your long time crush, trying to move on, trying to move out, understanding and painstakingly trying to reason out with yourself, of why's, where's, of when's and will there ever be.
Certain cars that remind you of the golden age. Of parking your cars at the side of Libis, burger in hand, Walkie Talkie on the left, cheering and waiting. The EKs and EGs, the rare Evo’s from Autoplus and Redline Racing Skyline during that time. Gods of the internet, figures of the talk boards.
I guess that is what makes us human, literally and figuratively. That we are able to feel the past, present and possibly the future through objects and events that give way to memories and understanding.
