WRITING THE LETTER N
By: Iris P. Concepcion
"How do you write n?" the kid asked me one lazy afternoon.
She is again doing a ravaging manifestation of creative outbreak running afoul to her height, plugged closely in between her fingers. Like a shroud molten from the gallery of Egyptian mummies, she has a latent fascination for the name of the caricatured guy (again, this fixation astounds).
That is me, of course, again, enshrined with a chaotic and berserk mane.
I instructed her to write "and" between the couple.
"What is in?" she prodded on.
Since kids are exceptionally more introspective than their counterpart adults, she sketched this not-so-plain-dummy fluke once more.
Anyone who writes, even forwards, that the egg is rotten is either a recovering chiropractor patient or a bungee jumping finalist. An eggerian beauty is not a sight, it is a renewal of self.
It is not exceptional gift that we seek. It keeps on repeating itself though. On our plate, like a peerless and unscratched vintage record.
Fancy a sleeping marathon as I wind up scoring a point by removing a dirty cuticle off my feet.
The kid who drew this is still in prep school.
Imagine the possibilities of the future where she could shape the world as she herself wishes under her monster and galactical pencil.
I, as an adult, engage myself in atrophies meant to sound silly. I could not compete with the brilliancy of these kids, always. Once in a while though, I keep questions to myself.
I call them Questions Of The Underworld And The Divertly Slighted:
1. Why do first-class countries hide their electrical lines? Why do they invest more in efficient, faster, speedier mass transport than horribly maintain inefficient and pollutant vehicles?
2. Why do poor countries pay much power for posts that had seen better days?
3. Where do the hidden charges in your water and power bills really go?
4. What social benefits (free, socialized amenities) have I truly gained access to in the past 40 years in exchange for tax payments? Within that span of unobliterated power, what have I done much in terms of social aesthetics and/or listening to/influencing others to implement these?
5. What winter trips, vacation leaves and writing workshops would I give up to sit down with a retarded person who needs a roof under his head?
6. What opening lines do you often utter during coffee conversations ("I offered marijuana to my mistress' friend, hahahahaha [old, sensible, respected hag] or "Do draft me a franchise proposal Iris." ). No brainer.
7. Have I patronized/ helped propel companies that do not give back to the government what is due it or do I see public institutions as bleeding, easy fund sources?
8. When pushed to the wall, would I go to the gym or adopt a kid?
9. Given a situation, do I stick it out with a family in need of medical or familial attention or would I seek another company ONLY because it gives me instant freebies?
10. How well have I treated people in the past when I do not get my own way? Am I vengeful, bitter or sulking? What have I done to inspire a person's creative growth? Better put, have I been a pain-in-the-ass to someone to uplift my image to the world better than it actually is?