T O M O D A C H I
For the first night of September, I found myself sitting with my college friends for dinner at a nearby Japanese fastfood. It was our first get-together on a Friday night (we usually do the monthly date on a Saturday) with the specific agenda of finalizing our planned out-of-town trip to Enchanted Kingdom next week. Somehow, we manage to spend about ten minutes talking ‘bout the agenda while the rest of the few hours that we have… catching up on what we’ve been missing on each other’s lives.
There’s Sheena who’s sitting next to me at the table – her pink blushed cheeks, her camera-un-shyness, her angst with her ex-boyfriend and nostalgia for his new one who is in Thailand now.
There’s Rodel opposite me – his nice braces (soon-to-be perfect set of teeth), his get-up which looks like ‘gonna-party-tonight’ rather than ‘i-was-from-the office’, his issues with his Indian boss and work in general, his clan and undying quest for a lovelife – even offering to find me one.
There’s Jhoy beside me – her perfect attendance at work, her desire to invest a business with friends, and her almost balanced life and love.
There’s Erwin – his nice short-sleeved dress shirt, the regular thoughtful question about my career, and his internet time spent reading my blog.
There’s Glads, seated next to Rodel – her diet perhaps because her birthday is coming soon, worries about her present job, and her desire to work somewhere more stable and where she can prove her worth.
And then there are the latecomers…
Jhing, her Nokia 6680 which Rodel had just noticed, her plans to try her luck in Dubai, and her conversations with an ex-officemate, Sheena.
Judie, her desire to find a new job soon, her pending NBI clearance and her parents who won’t just let her come with us on this planned out-of-town trip.
Jayson, his first time on our group date, his gratitude for me treating him Japanese food and his better luck (than Judie) to get a new job after lasting just 9 days on his former.
There are also those missing-at-the-moment friends…
Jane, her menstrual pain excuse for not being able to join us today, her happiness to be able to be at the same work with someone you love, and her hidden excitement to see us all next week at the field trip.
Jhayr, his acceptable volleyball practice alibi for not being able to make it on time at all, his apologetic voice when I called him on his cellphone and his affirmative response when I asked him if Jane and him are joining us next week.
Anne, her total no-show tonight and no-comment about this plan for next weekend.
And finally towards the end of the night, there is the ‘friend’ who’s been invisible and silent for awhile and is now seeming to come back to my life…
True enough for me, there’s no place on this earth more comfortable than beside a friend. I miss college primarily because back then, we seem to have all the time in the world for each other. We have the same classes, same experiences. We chat up regularly so no one misses out on something.
This night when we parted ways, I miss them even more… can’t wait for another week.
* “tomodachi” is Nihonggo for ‘friend’
