LORENZO ELRIC GARCHITORENA

DANG IT! First week pa lang ng klase (hindi pa counted ang naunang week) ay sinalubong na agad kami ng sandamukal na projects at activities. May pinagagawa pang essay activity sa amin si Ma'am Erizah para sa English subject to be submitted next week. Pero sino naman itong sa halip na unahin ang mga importanteng mga bagay ay mas inuna na lang niya ang paglalaro? Such a waste of time, isn't it?

While still on my pajamas, I was busy playing with some console games while munching some chips, at naka-Indian sit sa carpeted floor ng aking kwarto. I lost my focus on everything lalo na at may bagong game cartridges na binili ni Dad from Canada. Vacant naman ako for the whole day, so this is my perfect time para maglaro... Or not!

I was supposed to do my assignments right now, but it doesn't matter! Puwede ko namang gawin ang lahat ng iyon next week. I really do believe that a philosopher once quoted this: "If you have important things to do today, just do it tomorrow."

It's my guilty pleasure to neglect my responsibilities, because procrastination is a gift sent from down below na nandedemonyo sa mga tao para makabawas sa pagiging productive ng humanity. Like, there's an unseen force na pumipigil sa ating magpakasipag.

Tiningnan ko ang oras, and it's already eight in the morning. Kanina pa umalis si Mom to go for her work (she's working as a professor at Sanctis Angelus University). Ako lang and our house helper, Ate Gigi ang kadalasang naiiwan sa bahay.

I have an older brother, Elroi who is now working at Manila as a chef, pero madalang na lang din siyang umuuwi sa amin. So our house is often shrouded with void--an eerie silence which is music to my ears.

Suddenly, after minutes of whiff-whaffing some opponents from the TV screen, I hear a short creaking sound coming from the door. Napalingon ako at baka si Ate Gigi iyon. But instead, a plump, ginger-colored cat suddenly entered. It rushed into me, starts to sit on my lap, and coiled himself.

"Istorbo ka, ah?" I whispered while scrubbing his thick fur. Then I grabbed some bits of the potato chip, put in on my lap, and my cat started to grumble it.

We adopted this feline pal two years ago. He was still a kitten then noong natagpuan ni Kuya sa may park noong nagba-bike siya banda roon; pagala-gala siya noon sa ilalim ng puno. That was also the year when his dog, Ptolemy crossed the rainbow bridge.

My brother named him Mr. Ginger (I protested before, dahil masiyadong generic--too cheesy para sa isang pangalan ng pusa). I was reactive then, lalo na at gusto kong pangalanan siyang Julius--from Julius Caesar.

Like a joystick on the controller, I started to play his paw. Naiwan ko tuloy sa ere ang character sa nilalaro kong game.

Cats may not be the most loyal animal in the planet (well, dogs are), but I do believe that there are human gestures--a certain language na naiintindihan din ng mga pusa. Kailangan din nila ng kalinga from their hooman slaves.

Although medyo bipolar lang ang isang ito, palaging dinadalaw ng moodswings. I already have scars sa aking kamay because of the scratches na ginawa ni Mr. Ginger sa akin kapag binubuhat ko. Pero sa totoo lang, I feel more comfortable with cats rather than with human beings, kahit hindi ka maintindihan, they will not judge you. In actuality, wala naman silang karapatang humusga; they will just "meow" at you, and that's it.

"Do you want to play?" I asked him while lending the controller to him. Pero inirapan lang ako at dumapa na lang sa carpeted floor; baka gusto lang niyang manood sa nilalaro ko. 

Oh, well, cats will just remain cats...

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