A letter from a stranger

Dear Miss Anonymous,

I know this must came as a surprise to you since you don’t know me.

I wouldn’t blame you if you ignore this

But I saw you and your friend a couple nights ago at a restaurant in town.

I love that place. Good food and ambiance.

I bet you come often too.

You seem comfortable ordering the food.

Anyway, since I saw you that night, something kept bothering me.

I wanted so much to ask you but I don’t think it’s appropriate.

So here I am hiding cowardly behind this letter.

I hope it isn’t much of a bother.

You guys seem so happy together.

Like more than a friend, closer than sisters.

And from the way she softly caress your fingers.

I’m beginning to think you and her are queers.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not here to judge.

I’m not here to criticize you on how you live your life.

I wanted so much to digest and comprehend.

Do you feel the same as I feel with men?

Some say your kind of love is lust in disguise.

Some even say things that are more ugly than nice.

I read somewhere that love is still love

But understanding your world is like drawing in the dark

So I hope you could help me clarify.

All these questions that’s been messing up my mind.

And please don’t think of me as a threat

Hell, God knows I have my own secret

Thanks for not ignoring this message

I’m sorry if I offended you in any way

Yours truly

Stranger at the next table

noname

Disappear with me into the night

Hide away in my embrace

Never fear what lies ahead

This love is our escape

Leave those vain stare unheeded

Leave your guilt behind

Launch with me my wild steed

This love is our crime

I shall not cower away from fate

I will not bow to the prejudice of some

I may perish fighting for justice

But I’ll die smiling in your arms

To know that truth exists

Obscured from common eyes

And that freedom persist

Beyond the haughty lies

Sky Blue

The rain pours on relentlessly. Down below, the ground swells and surrenders into puddles of murky waters. My damp jacket and gloves sways away lazily on the dining chair. Hope with the help of the ceiling fan, they’ll dry up in time for work tomorrow. The rainy season is back and it’s making a grand entrance. Not that I mind. There’s something about heavy rains that make everything feels safe and purified. 

I am lying on the couch waiting for Emme to come home from work. Blanco, who is now closing in to 4kg, fur, tail and all, makes himself comfortable on my chest. His sky blue eyes look on to me while he occasionally licks my nose. I wonder what they think of us human. Perhaps to them, we are the pets. Or worst, the self-heated furniture. Well, not sure about that but I’m pretty sure he misses us when we’re gone to work. Evident from the way he bolted to the door at the sound of it unlocking.  Furniture or not, that’s good enough for me.

Earlier today, I had a chat with a business associate who came for a visit. Conversation moved from being about work to life. The usual small talk. But something he said kept echoing in my head, 

“So, are you living here with your family?”

That question caught me off guard. My natural reflexes wanted to say yes. I wanted to say, “Oh, I’m living with my wife”. But that would have been the ultimate conversation killer, wouldn’t it? Hence, to keep things calm I smiled instead. A vague response which he soon brushes off and we moved on to talking about other things.

It’s only 5.00 pm but the house is darker than dusk. Heavy clouds the color of soot drifted slowly and descends as if scouting for a place to land. Blanco have since moved to the other side of the sofa. Emme should be home in a few minutes. Gosh, I miss her.

I wish I could tell the world that Emme is more than a wife to me. That we’ve been married since the day her lips found mine. That love exists in many forms and it is invincible from all things human deem ‘important’. And that this love is real – alive and kicking. 

 I guess my curse is my urge to boast to the whole world that I’m in love.

I want the world to know how wonderful Emme is. And how amazing my life has been since my heart made that leap of faith. I want my families and friends to know that I’m happy now. And that they have nothing to worry about. I am safe and sound.

A click on the door knob. And there goes Blanco, running to the door.