how i drank my first beer: the sedan

Just when I thought that things could not get any worse, I suddenly find myself reclined on top of the car, parked by the roadside, as it unexpectedly broke down while we were cruising leisurely along a road somewhere in Batangas. It would have been a completely fucked up situation if PaulPaul decided not to wait and watch the car with me while designated driver went back to the nearest town to look for a mechanic.

"Oh dali, isa pa," PaulPaul said.

"Ayaw ko na!" I exclaimed as I turned off my gadget and put my sunglasses on. For forty minutes now, I have been giving him a major beat down on every game we have played on our PSPs and it gets tiring. Plus, my battery's running low and...

"Bored ka na no?"

I'm bored. Exactly.

He tossed his PSP on the passenger seat, sat beside me, and attempted to reach for my sunglasses.

"Ano ba?" I whined as he took it for himself. "Gaya gaya ka."

He lets out a barely discernible chuckle after which silence ensued. No chirping birds on the horizon. No rustic wind strong enough to rustle the leaves. Not a single traffic along this foreign road. If it weren't three in the afternoon, it would've been a scene straight out of a horror flick.

Without turning his head, PaulPaul nudged me, "Uy, kanina ka pa tahimik ah. Nagmumuni-muni ka na naman diyan."

I was. I joined their getaway hoping that it would be distracting enough to veer my thoughts away from an impending heartbreak. Trusting that I would get some form of clarity or resolve out of this. Vehemently praying that this would prove cathartic for me. But before any of this could happen, we need to get to our destination.

"Pabalik na yun," he said as he slid off and picked something inside the car.

"Sana," I said as I heard my stomach grumble. I haven't had lunch yet. None of us have.

As if in answer, PaulPaul handed me a pack of Cheetos and a bottle of water before resuming his seat.

"Buti sumama ka," he said before munching on a couple of cheese twists. "Kailangan pang pilitin talaga..."

"Siyempre. Hindi naman ako kaladkarin."

"Oo, lahat na nga nagyaya sa'yo eh. Kala ko pati ako kaya mo ng tanggihan."

"Ikaw? Lalong lalo ka na," I joked and smiled half-heartedly.

PaulPaul frowned. "Ganoon? Kaya nga tayo nag-outing eh. Basta yung pinangako mo sa akin ha."

I smirked and checked the time on my watch. "Hindi pa ba nag-text sa'yo?"

He slipped his hand on the pocket of his jeans to take out his phone. "Wala, battery empty na ako eh," he said showing his phone to me. "Malamang pabalik na yun. Sa'yo ba nag-text na?"

"I don't know. My phone's off."

"Parang sira 'to. Buksan mo."

"Ayaw ko! Wala na halos battery yun at wala akong dalang charger."

"Fine."

"Fine," I said smiling as I took my sunglasses from him.

"Naman," he scowled.

"Adventure."

"Fine. At least solo kita dito," PaulPaul said while trying to keep a straight face.

"Sira!"

He laughed before taking a swig off his water bottle.

I looked towards the cloudless horizon and realized that things are not as bleak as they seem. I decided to stick with my original plan and leave all my problems in Manila for the moment. After all, if I can be unmindful of the fact that we are still stranded in God knows where, I have no reason to be saddened or distressed by things of lesser importance. Perhaps, it was both the wake-up call and the pick-me-up which I needed to get me through the weekend. It is true, the antidote for fifty worries is just one good friend.