OPTION TWO.
If you could experience a particular weekend from your past over again for a second time. Which would it be, what made it so good and why do you want to re-live it.
If I could experience a particular weekend from my past over again for the second time, it would be my childhood weekend.
Because the moments I made that time would stretch my cheeks towards my ears.
There are two things about my childhood weekend that causes my heart to smile.
PLAYING AND EATING
PLAYING
When I was young, my parents would always make us sleep in the afternoons which I hated so much. Once I heard a psst sound, I would get myself ready to sneak out, it's a signal that my friend was waiting outside. It felt like our hearing back then was 100 times more functional than any normal person because we were the only ones who could hear it. So I would go faster yet silent. When I would reach the door, I would count from one to three and run as fast as I could while my friend would cheer and would say “faster! faster!”
Well, not all the time I would be victorious, sometimes my mother would catch me but I would just pretend not to hear her calling. Then we would burst into laughter when getting to my friend's house. I was not afraid of my mother because she never lay her hands on us whereas my father would spank us with a belt, slippers, clothes hanger, broom, or he would pinch our ears or twist our sideburns. At those times, I also felt nervous thinking my mother would tell my father about what I did but the excitement always overcame my nervousness.
Before the technology era- no social media, no online games, and other online activities, we just go outside with my friends and play traditional games.
Since there are so many games that we played. I would only give the three most played.
Hide and seek
Image from Pinterest
This game is known all over the world but maybe with different mechanics.
Here’s ours.
- The seeker would choose a base and then count from one to ten. After the count of ten, the players should already hide.
- After counting, the seeker would start to look for the players. When the seeker finds a player, he/she must shout the player's name and tap the base.
- The players who tapped the base are saved. Every player could also choose one person he/she wants to save.
- The player who was called out and doesn’t have a savior would be the next seeker.
Luksong Baka- Jumping over a cow
Image from Pinterest
Mechanics:
- The players must decide who the cow would be.
- The cow would then bend in a kneeling position. The rest of the players must jump over without having physical contact except for the hands on the back of the cow. They also should not fall.
- The cow gradually rises until almost standing up.
- The player who fails to jump will become the next cow.
Tumbang preso- knock down the prisoner (can)
Image from Pinterest
This game needs a can and your slippers.
Mechanics:
- The players should flip the can and make it stand. The last player who fails to make the can stand would become the guard.
- The game has two boundaries: the line where the players stand (toe line) and the circle where the can stand.
- From the toe line, the players would try to hit and turn the can down using their slippers.
- The guard must put the can back in the circle.
- The players must retrieve their slippers before the guard puts back the can.
- If the player fails to retrieve the slippers. The guard can step on the can and reach the slippers that are lying around. If the guard is successful, the owner of the slipper would become the guard.
If there were good games there were also bad habits of mine.
In my friend's house, when nobody is in their room, we would sneak in and steal coins from her big brothers’ bamboo coin bank and transfer them into my friend’s coin bank. We would lay on their bed and would insert a slim stick into the coin bank’s slit, move it in any direction until the coin would fall. It wasn’t easy but we were so patient in stealing. Lol
I also remember how bad I was. I took lice from my friend's head and transferred them to her cousin’s. I don’t know why I had a secret grudge against her cousin. I would just pretend to be friendly and act as if checking if she has lice, without her knowing I already spread them on her head.
I’m the one wearing a white shirt.
I want to re-live those times when all I think was PLAY and my only worries were how to sneak out of our house and the spank I will receive when I go home. I want to feel joy of playing those games again. Of course, no more stealing and transferring of lice.
I promise I'm a changed person now. So different from when I was young. 😅
EATING
When we were young, our father would always scold us during the eating time because from the dining, we would carry our plates to the living area to eat while watching tv. My father would drag us to the dining area or turn off the tv. Eating together at one table is important to him. We just followed him afraid to get a spanking but never cared for the reason.
At present, we find it hard to do it because both of my brothers are seafarers, they are always away for months and have a different time of their voyage. And I’m away from home so is my sister. Only my three siblings are at home.
My family is my shelter through ups and downs.
When I was sick, they’re the ones who took care of me.
When I didn’t have a penny, they’re the ones who provided for me.
When I was building my career, they’re the ones who supported me.
I used to take family time for granted. Hopefully, soon, we would dine together at one table again.
Our time is fleeting. Spend time with those you love the most.