September 2, 2022 - Jersey Number 01

I was chatting with a female friend at a food court in a mall in the Philippines. It was noon but we were only having a tall glass of cold lemonade.

A group of young college men wearing green jerseys with big bold black numbers at the back passed by our table. They were happily talking among each other on their way to the counter. It seemed like they just won the game.

Then, I noticed the slightly long haired guy with soft curls at the tips. He was wearing the number 01. He kept staring at me.

I just thought that he was mesmerized by my big black jeweled statement eyeglasses. I continued talking with my friend. I was so engrossed in telling her about vintage fashion and about growing your own food for security.

The group of young men passed us by once more on their way to the big table adjacent to the fountain where a big Trident concrete statue stood on top. My friend recognized one of them and waved at him. She said that was Jerry.

Then, I caught number 01 intently looking at me. Again.

He just couldn't take his eyes off me. It seemed like he knew me or probably he saw me somewhere. For sure it was not from my blogs and vlogs because I can count with my fingers the people who watch and read them.

I stared back at him. This is a stare down and I don't back out from it, I told myself.

His eyes lit up suddenly, then he smiled.

Before he could say anything, I blurted out...

((( TOKNOY! )))

It was Jay's first cousin, Toknoy. I wouldn't recognize him if he didn't dare to stare down. The last time I saw him was when he was a young school boy.

I hurriedly dragged him to meet Jay somewhere in the mall.

By the way, I hate going to malls in the Philippines. They're mostly a mile long and a half. It was already evening when we came out from the parking garage.

I told Jay of my dream last night, about meeting Toknoy by chance.

He said, "Actually, he is called Botoknoy (for long)."

Of all of Jay's cousins, I don't know why I dreamt of him.

You see, among all of the Divinagracias, I consider myself close to Mae. She became attached to me the first time I met her. I remember in 1995 to 1996 when Jay and I were newly married, she would call me in Davao City via long distance to Tagbilaran. She would let her younger cousins take their turns to talk to me too. Toknoy was one of them.

She called me countless times until she was caught one time by her Auntie Yoly. Soon after that, she moved to America with her brother, Mike.

My dream last night was in High-Definition. It was in vivid colors plus I could honestly smell the lemon in every sip of my lemonade at the food court.