I was awakened in a steaming night of August by the clinking of metal springs underneath my bed. I rolled, so careful not to produce more sounds that would disturb the girls. But the more I focused; the more I became conscious of the band of noise around my five by two feet of one-thousand eight hundred pesos worth of suspended space. The small electric fan at my feet had been toppling down whenever I stretched my legs. The squeaking from my roommate’s gnawing teeth resonated as well. And then, there were the vibrations on the wall from the fan’s motor; an interlude of the passing vehicles and some honking of a pedicab; the tick-tock of the clock, the d, and, the palpitation of my heart. Together, they became rock music the entire time I was conscious in my bed. I wondered who else inside the room was awake.
Job…check. House…next… The blazing afternoon of May 2, 2010 was just an hour after I was hired as a visual effects artist in a post-production house—my first job, actually.The heat was oblivious to my intense search for a dorm or an apartment. I must have a place to stay before the night could prey me to the opportunists lurking in the stranger street. Then, there it was. Just a few lots from my first inquiry, I spotted a white cardboard hanging on the gate: Female Bedspacers, inquire inside. It said. It did not fit my imagination of a home, actually. But, I lowered my criteria because I was exhausted to look for better options. I acknowledged the advertisement, and rang the bell.
Inside the compound, four two-storey apartments aligned on the right side of the pathway. It was traced towards the center by the lines of hanging clothes. In the middle, some women were interrupted when I entered.T he second door was my target, so, I stood there. A minute later, an old woman, mincing her steps and wobbling her head, appeared. She came out, unexpectedly from the third door. Then, she stole me from my potential host. Her physique was of a typical aged person. She has a white short hair, wrinkled face and arching spine except her arms. It was a convolution of bagging skin down from her elbow to the back of her hands. It was momentous revelation. And, I was preparing to back away and to look somewhere else until she began talking. I stayed because it was impolite to leave a conversation. I surveyed for a bit longer. She introduced herself and proposed to be called Tita Annie. Afterwards, she invited me inside.
I imagined a tiled floor, lacquered muebles and colorful curtains; but as soon as my sight adjusted to the darkness inside—reality came as a blinding flash of light. The apartment was small. With twelve steps—I was on the kitchen. Three more forward, I was in the bathroom. Half step, I was on the laundry room. Five step backwards, I was in Tita’s bedroom. Adding five more, I was on my way upward to the second floor. There were two doors on both sides, immediately found after climbing the stairs. The one on the right has one vacant slot.
The master bedroom has a large bed beside the huge window which framed the busy street outside. At one side, there was a divider which had small figurines on the shelves. The electric wall fan laboriously oscillated to shove off the heat inside the room. Crowding at the right side was a double deck which occupied one third of the area; boxes and plastic bags atop Tita’s personal cabinet; our locker; a dresser with some newspapers underneath it;a poster on the cobwebbed wall; and, the door which opened inwards. Fortunately,t he room had still space left for a person to pass and peek at the window. And, among all those blockades,t he enclosed place was jam packed off our tenants—Pamela, the siblings: Karla and Kat, Argielyn.
I had been considering to take the place until she told me the rent. I was dismayed with the one month advance one month deposit policy. I needed five thousand pesos as initial payment. I searched around hoping to find a reason why I will have to board in the apartment. I examined the double deck she was offering me. It was small, fit for a person to sleep on. It has no mattress. I still have to buy one. It was unreached by the air from the electric fan. I need one electric fan. Worst, the bed has no ladder. I have to step on a chair and stretched my leg the window sill in order to climb the upper deck. I disagreed.
“Two thousand pesos” was her first offer. I looked around again. The room was crowded for five people, I thought. The bathroom was small because of the huge drum of stored water. The floor was made of wood. The laundry room smelled like spoiled meat. The kitchen was a sore, too. It has plastics hanging all over the cabinets above the sink. Tita’s room was in an appropriate location in front of the kitchen. Also, it was dark inside. I weighed the consequences. “One thousand eight hundred pesos”, I told her. I only needed a bed. I accepted to sleep on the upper double deck bed, under her condition—I should not let the other tenants know of our rent agreement.
May
I had difficulty sleeping on my first night in the apartment. Aside from the heat and the unstable bed, I was not really used at sleeping on somebody else’s bed. At home, I have my own mattress and pillows. I did not have to share the electric fan with other people. Nor, did I have any problems producing loud sounds because I was alone in my room. Beneath the upper deck where I lay quietly, I heard Ate Pamela snoring. I wondered how she could have slept in a bed which swayed whenever I rolled above. Among the girls inside the room, she has a lot of experiences living in boarding houses. She had been living away from her family since college until she worked in an educational consultation agency nearby. At thirty-two, she had not been in a place which she could permanently call her house. The siblings, on the other hand, moved in two days after I rented the bed space. Ate Karla and Kat were from Isabela. They had been nomads in Makati for almost three years. I wished I had my sister with me, too. We would have occupied that large bed and then, sprawled in our sleep. By the floor, Argielyn was liberally enjoying her space. She could roll and could shift positions any way she wanted, because she slept on the floor. She was contented in her niche, I could tell from the energy she has, the next day. At least; she did not have to worry about climbing up my deck or punching a sister whenever she liberally extended her limbs.
Waking up the next day was not a challenge and has become repetitive. Kat had left for work by six in the morning. I did not need my alarm to wake me up because I was stirred by the movement of the bed. I knew that Ate Pamela had just left her post below. While she bathed, I had my breakfast in bed. I often have bread because it was easy to prepare. At seven in the morning, I would take my turn at the bathroom; while, Ate Karla had just left for work. By the time I finished, Ate Pamela had dressed and had put on her makeup. On the corner, Argielyn would silence her alarm clock and lazily rose from her bed. I had, by that instant, able to dry my hair in the electric fan. Argielyn would rushto the bathroom at around 8:30 am, barely in time for her work. After a few glancing at the mirror, I would leave the room to Argielyn who was getting dressed already.
I returned from work at nine in the evening finding the living room crowded with all the tenants. I hesitated to pass. I might disturb their watch. I waited for my chance. Tita Annie was seating on a couch with her foot raised on top of a low stool and her hair has hair rollers in it. She was surrounded by the girls who were hooked to the television. Aside from the five of us, I shared the house with six other female bedspacers who occupied the room opposite to ours.I knew the names but I never familiarized myself to whom it belonged. Despite that my presence brought an awkward air to the woman seating next to where I stood, I put my bag down and watched the television. At the corner of my eye, I examined the culture they have inside the house. They were matured women judging from their composure and their confidence.The woman seated nearest the television was eating a sandwich for dinner. She handled the food with her pinky finger jutted from her hands. Then, she bit the food slowly, avoiding the ham and the mayonnaise from squeezing out of the bread. I had been staring at her by the time she noticed me. Though awkward, I smiled to her. She covered her mouth when she was choked by the interruption I made. The next woman beside her was a teacher, as what I have remembered from Ate Pamela. She was scrutinizing the lesson plan for the next day. Compare with the previous woman, she was more natural. She was unmindful of the proper sitting posture so long as she was comfortable in her seat. There was a woman talking over the phone as she opened the door behind. I squeezed my body in the corner. Then, she waved to them while headed straight to the stairs. I wished I had that confidence too. Not only her but also those women in the living room were accustomed to the independent lifestyle here in the big city. I had my chance to excuse myself from their company until the teleserye paused for a commercial.
I came upon them gathered in the big bed. My roommates barely talked in the morning, so, they extended the night for updates and gossips. I, exhausted from my first day of serious work, was ready to go to bed.
June
The biggest advantage of living independently was the lessons have not to be forced but were allowed to sink in with the help of reminders and experiences. Tita Annie has improvised this idea into a more incorporating way. She, literally, scattered wall posts inside her house.
“Pakisara ng pintuan ng labahan”
“Bawal maglagay ng mga plastic sa may ibabaw ng kalan”
“Huwag mag-iwan ng sabon sa may sink”
“Bawal mag-iwan ng buhok sa belfry. Kanya-kanyang pulot”
“Don’t use the flush in the toilet”
“Iwanan ang tsinelas sa may pintuan”
“Five minutes call per day only.”
“Turn off the lights and electric fan”
“Huwag mamalansta ng isang piraso ng damit. Makigrupo sa iba.”
“Huwag ibagsak ang pintuan”
“Huwag hihigpitan ang faucet at dahan dahan sa paggamit ng tubig”
“Went to market”
“Curfew hours: 10:30 PM- 6:00 AM”
“Bawal mag-ingay”
“Bawal magluto”
For the first time in my life, I had to fall in line before I could use the bathroom. My regular bath time was around 6:30 am, after Ate Pamela’s turn. I had to be inside the bath at that scheduled; if not, I would have to wait for my turn after the two girls from the other room. If I wanted to be early for work, I have to enter the bath on or before six in the morning or, I have to ask Ate Pamela to switch our bath schedules. And also; for the first time in my life, I had to wash in a common bathroom. I could have accepted that fact, if it were not for the considerations I still had to be conscious about. I should not stay for more than twenty minutes inside prior to the person next in the line. Five minutes for bowel, if I had to. Three minutes to apply the shampoo. Another three minutes for scrubbing and soaping my body. The four minutes were for rinsing and for brushing my teeth. After all the cleansing, I made sure that the area was spotless for the next user.
My next challenge was changing clothes discreetly, without exposing myself from my roommates and most especially to the neighbors who can view our room through the window.I managed to get dressed by hiding behind the closet doors and by clipping a blanket on one end to the edge of my double deck to the other closet door. With a towel wrapped around my body, I put on my pants first and then after that I slipped in my shirt. By the time I was finished, I had bathe again—in my own sweat.
Every Saturday mornings, I had to lock myself behind the screen door of the laundry room. While inside, I had to endure the heat and the stink of rags and clothes forgotten by their owners. Aside from that, I was irritated by the hanging clothes obstructing my rights for a more conducive washing. All the while, Tita’s head would pop in and out at the small screen of the door. It was a reminder that I exceeded in the usual minutes of washing. As I go out the laundry room, she reminded me to close the door of the laundry room to prevent cockroaches from getting inside the house. Plus, she commented on how many pail of water I used to wash my clothes. And next time, I should carefully pour the water in the sink, and sweep the floor after my turn.
July
On the third month, I was enlightened by the rarity of finding the room empty except for myself. I scribbled on my sketchpad while delighted the air from the electric fan to myself. I was pleased with the peacefulness and the solemnity of the air which inspired me to draw. I was unmindful of the time until my stomach growled. Craving for a delicious meal, I went to eat on a fine restaurant nearby. After I returned, I was immediately confronted by Tita Annie who had waited for me at the front door. I was surprised by the power of her words. “Gaano ka katagal sa labas?”, she began. “Dalawang oras po”, I told her. “Pinatay mo ba ang electric fan? Muntik na tayong mansunugan”, she said. “Ah, hindi po ako sigurado”, I replied. “Sa susunod, alalahanin mo muna bago ka lumabas”. “Ah, sorry po”. After that, my mood was destroyed. I went outside and returned before the curfew. To my astonishment, below the electric wall fan, was Tita’s new updated wall post.
The next Saturday, again, I was alone in the house again. To my disappointment, I shared the house with Tita Annie. Since the last time, I tried to avoid her. Fortunately, she was sleeping at the sofa. I decided to bathe. I when I opened the faucet, I had already noticed the loose washer. So, I made sure to close the faucet without tightening its handle. Then after, I went to my room. After dryingmy hair, I went to sleep too. When I woke up, some of the girls had returned. Ate Karla and Kat were fixing their things. At around five in the afternoon, we heard Tita Annie by the door. She went straight inside and looked for me. I have sensed that something happened again. Being the last person to have used the bathroom, she accused me of breaking the faucet. But by the time I had used the faucet, it had broken already. And I had been sleeping, how sure was she that I was the one at fault. I had to explain despite of her close-mindedness. I defended myself against her, but, to my dismay she misinterpreted it. “Akala ko ikaw na ang pinakamabait sa lahat, hindi pala”, she told me. I did not know how to feel. “Purke po mabait ako, hahayaan ko na lang po kayo na pagbintangan ninyo ako ng ganyan?”, I defended myself. It had to be the last conversation I would have with her. The following days, our discussion reached the other tenants. I was irritated to hear that I had talked back to Tita Annie when we had our confrontation. I ignored it and did allow to bother me.
August
I had been keeping all those observations to myself until this steamy night in august. Before I went to sleep, I confessed all my unfortunate experiences inside the house. I told them my troubles at the bathroom, at the laundryroom, the difficulty in sleeping, the discourses with Tita Annie and how I missed my home.
There at the boarding house, I learned so many things. I ate at the stranger’s plate. I had slept on somebody else’s bed; I picked up hairs at the bathroom floor; I had sandwiches for dinner; I controlled my steps; I conserved water and electricity; And, I tried to feel at home with strangers. I could not sleep when all these things and the noises echoed in my head. I looked at the window and thought about my family. I really missed them.
I woke up the next day. The night before, I had already talked to Tita about my plan of leaving the boarding house. At six, I was already out and was a nomad again. Until a few blocks away, I spotted my new place.
