Of Coke McFloat at 4 am Lunch

June 19, 2010

      With the stress, frustration as well as depression I am getting from the type of job that I currenly have, I was able to get comfort from enjoying coke Mcfloat.

      Well, considering the serotonin contained on the fudge that sets my mood from being depressed because of being unable to go beyond my self-set expectations, the chill the sundae provides me to raise that feeling of frustration from not hitting my goals, and the caffeine on the coke which stimulates my sympathetic nervous system to activate the “flight/fight” response which I need to combat stress, I assure myself that Coke Mcfloat really suits my need . ^^

     Actually Mcfloat offers a one deal package that addresses my concern so currently, it became my most favorite drink. ^^

     It was 4 am when we had our lunch break. And, I was able to take lunch at the nearest fastfood chain which is just steps away from the building of our company with Bien, the most promising agent for wave 210. (Hooo Bien!)

      Actually, to make that moment not boring for us both, I started initiating a conversation by the method I am actually tagged for - asking questions.

Me: (Looking at the french fries). Napaka-unhealthy talaga ng kinakain ko. laking fastfood ka ba?

Bien: hindi. mas gusto ko yung lutong bahay. Nasanay kasi ako kay mama. wala lang akong choice kasi ito bukas sa ganitong oras at pinakamalapit.

Me: Gaano ka kadalas umuwi sa inyo?

Bien: noon every pay day. pero ngayon every month na lang. Hinahatian ko kasi si mama sa sweldo ko.

Me: wow! ang bait naman ^^. Ako pag umuuwi ako sa amin parang patay gutom lang.

       (Then laughs)

Bien: ako din. kapag nga nagluluto si mama, kahit simple lang sinasabihan ko nang, wow! ang sarap naman niyan ma! ^^

Me: ikaw ba bunso?

Bien: Pangatlo ako. si ate, yung panganay namin wala na. namatay siya dahil sa skit ng puso nung march. si papa din wala na. nagkakanser siya. nawala din nung april.

Me: Shit! magkasunod lang

       (Silence. I was to cry but i just tried to held those tears back and cover my emotion.)

       (Silence)

Me: Ako, di ko kakayanin un. Ang tibay mo naman ^^. Actually yung mga sakit na yun, posible mo ding makuha.

Bien: Actually, I am already diagnosed, Nagpa-ECG ako nun tapos ang sabi sa result, may Premature Supraventricular contraction daw ako.Nosebleed no!

       (I  acted like the diagnosis is unfamiliar to me but I know that Premature Supraventricular Contraction could be a predisposing factor for him to have a more grave heart condition like myocardial infarction or fatal dysrhythmias.)

Me: di ba on-line writer ka?

Bien: Mali pala yung nabigay ko sa yung page nun. easywriters.net dapat yun:

Me: ok lang ba yung narereceive mo from that work.

Bien: ok lang. pero mahirap kasi kapag if ever na may ipaparevise yung foreign student, wala na yung bayad. tsaka masakit sa ulo.

Me: kaya mo yun. matalino ka naman eh. wala ka bang balak ipagpatuloy yung pag-aarl mo?

Bien: ang pangit nga ng course ko.

Me: Mag-mass com ka kaya. bagay sa yo yun.

Bien: eh di ko pa nga tapos yung first course ko tapos lilipat na namn eh di lalong wala akong matatapos (laughs). tsaka kung mamatay lang din namn ako, bakit ko pa kailangang mag-aral at makatapos.

       (Blanked with what to rebut to alleviate  the heavy emotion of the conversation we already have, I tried to divert it to his blogsite).

Me: Nakita ko pala yung website mo. yung patzki.com. 

Bien: saan dun yung nakita mo?

Me: yung sa  blogs. nabasa ko nga dun yung mga kadramaham mo eh.

Bien: ah…

Me: bakit di mo lagi i-update yung blog mo?

Bien: saka lang naman ako nagsusulat kapag stressed ako. anu gusto mo, lagi akong ma-stress?

       (laughs).

       Then I told myself, “so what are you trying to imply, that I am always stressed so I have my blog always updated?”.

Bien: Mahilig ako maglakad. maganda yung exercise.  Dati nalilibut ko pa yung oval sa elbi eh ang lawak kaya nun. ngayon, di ko pa nkakahalahati, hapo na ako.

       (I also wanted to tell, “ako din, mahilig maglakad, kapag nga nalalagpas ako ng isang barangay sa dapat kung babaan, nilalalakad ko na lang. tapos minsan, bigla na lang magugulat mga kasama ko sa kwarto kapag nasa outing kami, kasi paggising nila wala ako tapos malalaman nila, naglakad lang ako ng 30 minutes sa tabi-tabi. ) hahaha!

       (Looking at the wall clock)

Me: tara na.

       We both carried our Coke Mcfloat. We left the corner where he told me his life story. I was able to discover what lies beneath the genuine happy aura his presence gives. I was able to unveil the mystery behind those chunky laughs I am always amazed of. 

       Behind every happiness lies the hardship from winning the struggle. In every triumph lies the positivism of the fighter.

       That a person will not determine the meaning of happiness unless he experienced how to be sad.That a person can not appreciate the sunshine if he was not able to experience the rain.

       (Walking towards the elevator)

Bien: ang sarap talaga ng mcfloat.

Me: nung una ko tong masubukan, una kong kinakain yung sundae. di ko kasi maappreciate yung lasa niya. actually, ’till now, i’m still trying to apprecaite it.

Bien: (laughs) ako din.

       I keep myself on taking mcfloat as it is - mixture of the coke, fudge and sundae, trying to appreciate the real nature of its taste. And as of now, I already do appreciate the taste.

       Like taking mcfloat as it is, I am also trying not to cherry pick the experiences included in the package called life. Like the mcfloat, I should learn to accept the nature of my life and learn to live it with appreciation.

       Lunch break is over. 

       Looking forward for more talks with Bien. Expecting for greater frequency of buying Mcfloat. Appreciating happiness more despite of struggles person should hurdle in life.