#06

Outside is scorching hot. The weather can be unpredictable most of the time. Hot and sunny in the morning then heavy downpour ensues later in the afternoon all of a sudden. Making plans for an outing can be a pain sometimes. He switches the kettle on, in preparation of his caffeine fix. He needs it because he believes that the legal ‘speed’ will make his brain functioned. Scientifically proven? He just doesn’t care.

He’s expecting a friend who will be coming any minute now. That buddy called him earlier and he agreed to meet him. They have known each other for ages. They are quite close because this friend of his, used to wear his t-shirts, bands t-shirts mostly, without even asking. That’s how close they have been. And they are still close now. Only that his friend no longer taken any of his t-shirt anymore. Apparently his friend got to be a few size bigger. That’s what carbs can do to u. Scientifically proven? He just doesn’t care.

The friend arrives in his old but well maintained Japanese sedan. The car is still damn good for its age. He’s been on it for a few times. It’s comfy. Just comfy. He offers his friend with a cold drink. They are talking about few stuff mostly about some new band emerging from their town. The band is currently the talk of the town. Maybe. Or maybe it’s just a hyped up thing because of the works of social medias. But later the conversation suddenly revolves about his future. He tried to steer the conversation away from this particular topic but his friend’s intention was all good and he just need to listen for any proposals that might be of his interest. The thing is that he’s been quite skeptic with business proposals because the idea of running a business seems far fetched from reality. Everybody is making it sounds so easy to do. Convincing people about how a certain business system works and will definitely hit big numbers in a specific timeframe. But in the end, it’s just business rhetoric and no one is gaining anything except time loss, no returns and the end of friendships. Usually in the end things get really nasty. All in the name of business. Scientifically proven? He just doesn’t care...

#05

He wakes up to a loud TV noise outside his room. Someone is watching the morning Korean soap and the watcher’s hearing is quite impaired, judging from the sound volume that came out from the speakers. His room is not windowless per se. The sunlight is coming through some high almost-at-the-ceiling windows which gives him enough light just to see things around him. But he can’t see out which makes the room feels windowless. Apart from his queen size bed there are some books placed on an old shelf with some other items like family photo albums and some little ceramic pots kinda made for decorations. He never likes those kind of little stuff because it traps dust and they looked messy. But the photo albums and books are what he cherished most. He checks his phone, hoping for some good news but none can really be considered as good news. They are just okay news and he’s okay with that. After browsing for a few good minutes on his social media, a call comes in. He answers...

#04

The moon is half full. The air is still. He bids goodbye to his peers who are still attached to their mobile games. That thing is addictive. He rides back on his usual route home. Feeling a little wary of cops on bikes doing their rounds who could stop him anytime for no reason. But he has been so lucky all this while. He passes a seedy nightclub where he could see photos of showgirls mostly from mainland China beside the entrance. Luxury cars parked shamelessly in front of the premise. Well who cares when lust is in the air.

The road lights are dim but still give a fair vision for its users. He rides at 80kmh and starts to feel the chillness injecting right into his marrow. It is a long journey. He then slowly gets his hands off the handlebar and thinking of doing some Valentino Rossi kinda stunt. But only in few seconds the front wheel starts wobbling in spasm which he quickly grabs the handlebar and thinking what a terrible idea it was. He could’ve been killed by stupidity.

As he reaches home, the neighbourhood is already quiet. He parks his bike carefully and then slide open the entrance grill producing a bit of a grinding sound. But when it’s quiet that makes it a whole lot louder. He sits at the door for awhile before untying his shoelace. While looking around the neighbourhood within his limited peripheral, out of nowhere, the song “How Will I Laugh Tomorrow?” is playing in his head. He is in such a sad state...

#03

The sun descending to the west which creates a beautiful hue of orange and purple. The sky gets darker. Teenagers are still showing off their basketball playing skills which is less than impressive. He lights his 4th cigarette of the day. Feeling a little hungry but he just dismissed it. Still early for him. Peers discussing about mobile phones model which is a topic that doesn’t stir his interest. He feels lonely even when he’s in a crowd. He observes two kittens resting at the back alley. Without a care of what’s happening around. Suddenly, there’s a loud call for some orders. He puts away his cigarette. Half smoked. Time for some action....

#02

Cars passing by with their engines blaring and contributing to further pollution, smoke and noise. While inside, the fan speed on the controller was up to the max but the rotation proves otherwise. The heat is up but not too unbearable. He was waiting patiently for someone to come so he can get on with his business. His peers were too engrossed with their mobile games and not really give any attention to the outside world. Love songs played continuously and they really irks him to the point that if another song came about telling that the girl is waiting for the guy for a thousand years, he’s going to bash the PC with a skateboard, which is hung nicely on the wall by the way. But he couldn’t do that. He’s not going to rage. He’s known for his patience. So he sits and waits...

#01

He knew that the odds are against him. Yet he tried and tried. Things will not change for the better but he’s hopeful. Chillness in the air did not deter what he’s about to do. It’s cloudy and the bike ride seems so long like a never ending journey. The road is ruthless and unkind. But he can’t unwind. His head feels numb from the sleepless nights. His throat is dry from an over-consumption of tobacco. The reality bites him like a saber-toothed tiger. But he ain’t a quitter...

16 again...

At the age of 34…

I got a skateboard from my beloved wife…

I’m 16 again ;P…

Thanks to friends and family for all your best wishes…

I wish you longevity and happiness too…

-acai-