Childhood Memories and Friends

LONG-LOST BESTFRIEND

 

PAST 

May 1996, Naic, Cavite 

All of our bags were packed before sundown. The house is almost empty after we finished packing our things. I glanced at the bags placed in the corner. There is no turning back. We are ready to leave the next day. The house was in defeaning silence. The voice of my mom is the only sound that I can hear. She was too busy giving instructions to my elder brother. I was just staring outside my window, enjoying the scene…for the last time.

The night seemed so long as I didn’t want it to end. But the bright sun rose up and I can’t close my eyes again and pretend that I am only dreaming. It was time for us to go. The bus would leave early in the morning. They were  scurrying around the house and figuring out if something was left unpacked. I quickly picked a rose in the garden and proceeded into the backyard. I kneeled down and placed the rose beside a wooden cross. That was the last thing I could offer to him. A rose that would soon wither and decompose with him. He was buried two feet under that wooden cross. He was my favorite pet, a puppy who used to wiggle his tail when I get home. I can absolutely feel his excitement when he was alive. He died a couple of months ago, before we leave. His death triggered the weirdest part of me.

I went inside the house where we lived for eight years. That house witnessed my entire childhood. Perhaps, it has seen the happiest and the loneliest part of my life. I gazed around its four corners. I felt its warmth. There is something in this house that I can’t forget. As I take a last look, I saw a sketch on the wall. That was my name which I wrote four years ago. I stepped forward to take a closer look. I pointed my index finger on the wall and followed the strokes of my writings. Unconsiously, tears fell from my eyes. I wiped the tears on my cheeks and bid goodbye.

I stepped outside and I saw the green leaves of the mango trees. There were birds perching on the branches. All of them were freely chirping and I can hear it like a melody of a song, a song that expresses melancholy. I lifted my head and looked at them. The beautiful birds knew that I would soon leave. Like those birds, those trees became a playground for me. As a child, I usually climb trees and pick fresh mangos. I would definitely miss climbing the tallest mango tree nearby. I picked a leaf and placed it near my nose. It may sound weird but I love its scent. “Goodbye friends!”, I whispered softly.

The river, where I used to swim, is only a few steps away. I can vividly hear the rushing sound of the water as I walk. I love to see the restless waters of the river. The flow was too fast yet I felt the water has frozen. The place was cold because mist swirled around it. I enjoyed that tranquil moment in the place where I used to bait. This is also where I learned how to swim. Of course, it was not easy as a pie.  Learning how to swim almost took my life. The plants around the river were waving as if they know that was my last time there. I finally dipped my hands in the cold water and waved at them. 

My feet were so restless. They took me to the ricefield. There I saw the golden rice stalks. I just love to see these stalks being swayed by the blowing wind. In two weeks the rice will be harvested. The field will be empty again. But there would soon be haystacks. I would love to play on a haystack and go tumbling. I don’t mind the itch! The field would then be a great place to fly kites. My brother used to make me a kite and accompany me to the field. That is the best bonding moment that brothers could have. I would definitely miss it!

Then, I looked at the place I can see from where I stand. It seems near but it would take minutes of walk to get there. That is where my two bestfriends live. How can I forget those people? They are the most wonderful people I met. They are two great companions and friends. Mary Ann is a brave and kind-hearted girl. I love to see the smile on her face when she laughs. My classmates used to tease her because of her not-so-pointed nose. On the other hand, Harry is a bit silent but friendly. I never expected that he can crack jokes. At times, we used to do practical jokes. We would close our classroom and put some things above the door. The things would fall into our classmates’ head as they enter the room. We would then laugh at the scenario. It’s not a good joke but we do it for fun. Nodody gets hurt in the first place. He has been a good friend. I remembered the day when we were arguing how to pronounce the word “accent”. That was a bit childish but it made sense after all.  The three of us are inseparable. We even sit in the same row, beside each other. We usually spend lunch break together and share food that we have. In the afternoon, we walk and tell some stories. They were my elementary classmates. Not just classmates but childhood bestfriends.

Unfortunately, I can’t tell them that I have to leave. Our class has ended a month ago and we haven’t met after. They have no idea that they would not see me next June. I also don’t have an idea if they would remember me the next time we meet. Bad enough, what if we won’t see each other again? That’s the thing I am most afraid of.

I was thinking of these possibilities when my mom called me. We are all set. The door was locked and we are about to go. I slowly walked towards them. My feet seems too heavy that I could hardly take a stride. My mom asked me why I am so sad. She can see in my eyes that I don’t want to go. I stayed silent because I don’t have the option to stay either. However, the memory of my childhood is holding me back…

PRESENT

October 2007, Cebu City

It has been eleven years now since we left that place. So many things have changed. I never had the chance to go back though I always wanted to. The place where I grew up may look so different right now. The grave of my pet might have been covered by a thick layer of wet soil. The house might have been ruined by a great storm. The trees might have been cut into small pieces. The ricefield might have been developed into a commercial village. The river might have been polluted and dried up in the long run. 

My friends and I have grown up without hearing a bit of news from each other. There are a lot of means of communication but it seemed hard for us to get connected. I tried to send a snail mail but got no response. They have gone somewhere else like I did, I thought. E-mails won’t work because I don’t know their e-mail addresses. I don’t have their cellphone numbers either. We have gone into our separate ways. Yet, I am still hoping that our paths would cross again in the near future. I wonder how they look like. Are they still the same? Did they ever think of me when I was gone? These are only few questions that are conquering my troubled mind. I can only find the answers as soon as we cross our roads again. 

Sometimes, I just hope that I can press rewind as if my chilhood is contained in a film. I wish i can turn back the hands of time and travel back into the past. But I know those ideas are spaced out. Those happen in movies but never in reality. I may not be able to do that but I know that I can still keep the memories intact. Childhood would always be one of the best parts of my history. I would never forget the great memories I had in childhood, the memories I shared with some of the best people I’ve ever known. 

I have always associated childhood and friendship to flying a kite. The kite might fly away if the thread breaks. The wind, like time,  would blow it away and would create a great distance. The kite itself would be impossible to find. However, if you have the courage to find it, you still can. Friendship works the same way. One must find ways to be connected and keep the communication. That is what I do. I make an effort to make my friends feel that I am near them. We are just under the same sky so I could never be too far from them. It’s indeed true that despite the distance, the friendship is still there.