Goodbyes and farewells are something that no one ever wants to face. Regardless of whether it's a friendship or close relationship, it's never easy. Sometimes, when it's time to say goodbye, there is no other choice. Goodbyes are a part of everyone's life.
It is not the end. It simply means 'I'll miss you. Until we meet again'...
Interlude: The Reverie
It was windy, a cold night.
He was in a jeepney going home after a tiresome day at school doing plays, projects, and cleaning. He thought about Green Day, Justin Bieber, and Taylor Swift and irking about not having the chance to actually meet them in person. He thought about the end of the world, hid favorite music, Lady Gaga about her Born This Way music video thinking how obscene and improper it is, and a Tim Lebbon which he surely wanted to finish reading. He felt a strong force on his shoulder. A force he mistakenly thought he was punched. And it was. Someone had punched him on the shoulder from the outside. There was nothing there except for the cold wind rushing through the jeep’s window. The pain was unbearable. He looked back, leaning on the window of the parked jeepney, so that his head would pop out, search for the person who laid a hand on his shoulder. It was a woman. A crazy, filthy woman staring back at him from the distance. His shoulders were bleeding now, rich red blood staining his uniform. He knew as soon as he took a second look that it was a knife she was holding. He was stabbed. Everyone in the car was alarmed, stunned by the woman’s brutality. Soon she ran into the car’s direction, forcing herself to climb inside. She wore a tattered t-shirt too big for her size, and a brownish white skirt. Her face a fraction of blisters around the forehead; her eyes, wrinkled, nose crooked to the right. She climbed inside and laughed crazily as she placed herself right next to the man. He felt suddenly cold, shattering, and frightened. Soon the woman did a series of blows at him. She stabbed him on the head, on his temples, blood gushing all over his face. She stabbed him on the chest, laughing and enjoying herself. Not contented, she cut his neck and stabbed him for the last time on the back of his head. He screamed in pain. Everyone panicked and ran out of the car as fast as they can.
He was awfully wounded; blood was all over his body. His face twitched incredibly. He laid there for a long time. There was nothing he could do. Soon he was dead. The dead, bloody man…
was me
I sat up in bed, holding my head and wondering whether I’s cried out. There had been no thumping from the next bedroom, no cursing from the next door, so I assumed that my sore throat was caused by sleeping with my mouth open rather than by screaming. I massaged my temples to squeeze out the remnants of the nightmare. LOL, it was only a dream. I got up and got ready for school.
The Last Grading
Before everyone bade their goodbyes to their junior lives, the thing that I worried most about was my nose. It wasn’t straight. The bridge began in a good downwardly vertical line, and then it just swooped off to the left. It was crooked even in my baby pictures, I think. It looked as if someone—a doctor? A nurse? God in a mean mood?—had laid a finger at the side of my nose and pushed the straightness right out of it. The problem was, a crooked nose could make a whole face looked crooked. Even when I was in a good mood and smiling, some little part of me was observing myself. I smiled a crooked smile, I would think. I grinned a crooked grin.
My friend, Ciara, whose nose was perfect, said my nose wasn’t that bad, but if it bothered me so much, why didn’t I just get a nose job and forget about it?
But that was centuries ago. I forgot about it now and a crooked nose couldn’t be that bad. OK, I’ll admit it, I’m a little fine-looking boy (haha!) and I thank God for giving it to me.
So it was a typical Tuesday. I was sitting at the back of the room, listening to my teacher about gas laws. Every Tuesday we have a two hour period on Chemistry and I’m fine with it. I listened attentively because I pretty well need to. Gas Laws is a topic I remembered so well back in third grading. The formulas are in some way catchy and I easily memorized it.
Weeks passed and a new topic came in my way. My teacher got in the classroom and introduced Solubility. At first I kind of found it easy because of the simple formulas, but later on the problems were the problem. It was very confusing and I don’t know where to place the givens on the derived formulas.
Days passed, another topic was introduced—the Hydrocarbons. I enjoyed it pretty well because I found it easy and although it’s fragile because I got to jot down every hydrocarbons in the problem. I really got the hang of it.
Another topic was the Colloids. I’m not really good in memorization and the problem there was that the topic needs memorization. So the sol, emulsion, foam, whatever was in there, to tell the truth, I really don’t care. I didn’t give much attention to it; moreover, I even didn’t review it.
Fourth grading seemed like the busiest part of the school year. The prom and outputs seemed to go altogether. The sad part is I had to leave my junior life and go on to be a senior—which was the good part.
Interlude: The Night
It was enchanting. It was a night to remember. The place was magical; the people, grandiose. The food was luscious. Everybody was glad. They ate, they partied, they talked pleasant things, they danced…
And I made the biggest mistake.
The Result
So it was the last part of my junior life and before the finals came, long tests and outputs seemed never-ending. We had the last and final practical test in Chemistry and as usual, it wasn’t easy. The result? I got 7! Hooray for me!—not. Oh well, nothing to brag about that.
After the practical test and long tests, the Finals came. Everyone was preparing for it. I too got to prepare coz I want to get a high score in Chemistry. So it was a Wednesday after the test was postponed due to flood. Ha! FLOOD. Ok, so everyone was getting the test and I was so nervous about the problem solving but in no time (2 hours) I finished the test with flying colors☺ The result? I got 53! Yaay! I was so happy for the first time in my Chem life. Haha! Although it isn’t too low nor it is too high, I still got an average score.
It seems like just the other day when we were all talking about our third year life. But now is the time to let go and bid goodbye to this happy chapter of our life.
I remember thinking that it would be hard to say goodbye ... and I was right - it is hard.
Yet I consider myself fortunate to have met such a special person ... a person that we care so much about ... that it makes saying goodbye to her hard!
As we say goodbye, we remind ourselves that farewells are not forever, nor are they the end. They are simply words to say that we will miss you dearly and that we will remember you fondly.
Although we may be separated by time and distance in the interim, nothing will diminish the important role that you have and always will play in our lives ma’am Tings.
We wish you happy adventures, fantastic new friendships, amazing experiences and the journey of a lifetime.
Richard Bach says, "Can miles truly separate you from friends? If you want to be with someone you love ... aren't you already there?"
And so it is ... and always will be with you as we carry you always close to our hearts.
May the road rise up to meet you, may the wind be ever at your back. May the sun shine warm upon your face and the rain fall softly on your fields. And until we meet again, may God hold you in the hollow of his hand.
Goodbye Ma'am Tingatinga! Thank you for everything! Godbless! Till we meet again☺
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