Excerpts from a chat…

[20:58] *****_0_5: lo i tried to smoke twice onewas marlboro light the other VOGUE totyal
[20:58] *****_0_5: walay after taste ang vogue pero my bf said i shud stop basin ma-aadik
[20:59] *****_0_5: newei, nigawas xa sako nose
[20:59] *****_0_5: so fun
[20:59] *****_0_5: once you puff, you can’t stof
[20:59] *****_0_5: haha

“Dung hold up ni kung gus2 ka padaun pg.iskwela ambi imu unit. Kuhaa ang SIM kay importante na para makntak nmu imu Mama.”

This is what Philip told me (as usual, via SMS) when I last registered to SMART’s Unlimited Text. For days, he was asking who I am but I only got the chance to tell him at that time. Hehe. Basically, all his contact numbers were saved in the phone memory, so if his tale is true, then I guess he doesn’t know any of you too.

“Grow up.” Yeah, that’s right. It’s the lesson I was taught today. “Grow up.” Hmm.. So good to my ears. And I will make it a point that I definitely will.

PuTIK lo manayaw dapat mi kr0n tp0s ngquit ko gHap0n,tang ina ng lag0t jud ko shit. . ! bCoz of my bf nganu ngquit ko puTA

Oh, yes. You heard — no, read — that right. That was the exact text message I received from a classmate last January 26. I was really stunned upon reading it. If you wanna know who she might be, then try your luck by reading her SMS to me last night:

Nels0n, 94 ako nMat im so hapPy! Ecstatic wahaha wala man gud ko ng.xpect tp0s la ng.review center. . Ako cm8 99

Yesterday I received a text message from Mama Corazon saying that she knew from my aunt that a couple whose last name is Cocamas and is from Bayugan 2 got involved in a motorcycle accident. She asked me if there are other people from the place who have the same last name. I wasn’t certain, so I sent Harvey a message.

Harv, tinuod?

His reply was pretty awkward. He was asking me of what I know. It seemed an honest reply so I didn’t bother… As I walked away from the school building this afternoon, I received another text message from Mama confirming the involvement of Harvey’s parents in the accident. This time, I sent a straightforward message to Harvey. His reply was:

Ok na sila. Discharged naman daw sila karon. Mag-uli gani ko ugma. Naa lang daw mga bruise, sa head tanan.