In this pitch black space,
my body felt heavily bound to…a chair! A lamp came on and had its glare
directed at me. I blinked in reflex, for I am no aggressive person. Ah, here we
go again.
“YW, we need to talk.
Nothing serious, but a certain post last year tells me that you failed the
Resolution course big time. What is with this 25% score? I have no words for
this abomination.”
“Then sing it, friend.
Don’t have to be perfect, the world today digs songs like that.”
“Cheeky I see. We’ll see
how long that attitude of you will last. It certainly will not take you far.”
“I have yet to travel on a
plane this year. I know what you’re saying. No money lah friend.”
“What?! You could have gone
to North Ko-”
“Okinawa or Kenya would be
lovely. Beats the snowstorm any day.”
“Ahem. You could have
gone to Japan for all I care. But I am more concerned over this other issue.
You have been seen at scores of places with a shady fellar.”
“Hmm? Don’t recall going
anywhere with just one person. O wait, maybe I did. Mainly VK. You know we went
to like Philly, Otakon, and that one crab shack over the summer. Wait, you mean
my roommate. She’s harmless. Most medical students are. We both know that.”
“I am talking about a more
abstract presence.”
“Oh…I am sorry.
Procrastination was a splendid company. We should have all hung out together.
We like dished great meals, rowed the boat, talked about anime and lik-”
I stopped. Clearly, I don’t
do well with interrogations, especially not in the light of jealousy.
“So you like hanging out
with Procrastination now? What am I? Just some convenient tool you use to brag
to your cohorts? Huh?”
Are those tears?
“Chill, Progress. I admit I
have abandoned you unnecessarily and I’m sorry. Wait, I take that back. Give me
till the end of January and I’ll set things right again. I promise.”
“You promise?”
I nodded my head. “The
ropes can go now. I have more to say.”
With the restraints undone,
Progress watched me as I looked myself in the mirror. Consciousness can really
bite; these eye bags are consequences of sleepless nights. I don’t look anymore
happier with myself. Nothing has changed. If there’s one thing I realized, year
25 should not suck. It need not suck.
“Bear with me for now. I am
struggling to understand what I want for my future. Sometimes I have no answers
for these questions. I feel beat down and left out as time races on.”
“Sure, but remember to
bring me out once in a while okay?”
A smile needs no words to
explain. It is a realization to doing the right things.
Behold,
Vonnie S.
