The Album & The Letter

Chapter 2 - The Spark

SOMETIME AROUND AUGUST, 2010

A small ball bounces through the streets, kids playing in the background. A man yells telling them not to play in the middle of the road as he washes his car and through his garden hose, a small rainbow is reflected from the water which then washes away to the street canals. Some old Filipino song blends within the ambiance of a street full of life. Hot and humid, moments like these are weirdly vivid through random days in the future.

An old decrepit garage door opens..

Amplifier hums.. instruments being tuned.. mic being checked.

Jam: ONE, TWO! ONE TWO THREE!!

*SAME GROUND BY KITCHIE NADAL PLAYS IN THE BACKGROUND*

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Cameraman: They did mention that you were in a band. Did you play original songs or just covers?

Present Jam: Oh yeah, we were frickin good! .. well, atleast I think we were. Actually, I'm not so sure. Looking back at the songs that me and the band wrote, they were pretty cheesy haha.. very cheesy. Oh gosh..

🎶"'Cause I have learned that love is beyond what human can imagine more it clears the more I gotta let you go.."🎶

Present Jam Narration: There we were.. being a menace to the neighborhood *chuckles* there was Jason, 22 at the time, on bass.. pretty chill guy, someone you'd see just smoking outside with not a care in the world.. and for his subjects. Typical looking hippie, long orange hair, beanie, thick glasses and Jean jackets. Wears a nonchalant face but deep down, he's a pretty down to earth type of dude.

Will was our drummer. Pretty big guy, I think he played for college varsity once but flunked and just focused on the band afterwards. He was the oldest at 24 I think? Eitherway he's that type of guy to crack jokes that nobody really understood *chuckles* he wore some facial hair and just threw on what was available in his cabinet.

And of course, who could forget the most handsome one in the band *laughs* I wrote songs for the band and played guitar but when our main vocalist is sick, which she always was mind you, I'd do some vocals too. Before this crew cut? I had the coolest hairstyle, I had a lived on middle part with the back side flaring, very cool.

Cameraman: Sure pal.

And then there was Cess the co-vocalist, guitarist, keys, basically every instrument she touches.. Very angsty teen, she was around 19 I think. Always wore corsets, dark cropped tees, boot cut jeans and black dresses. She had a very hardcore punk attitude and her wardrobe definitely reflected that. She was very kind to us though, to everyone else? Gosh did she bark! Rebelled against her parents, her teachers and even threw the middle finger at the principal back in highschool when me and her were classmates.

🎶"'Cause what I don't understand Is why I'm feeling so bad now when I know it was my idea.. I could've just denied the truth and lied but why am I the only one standing stranded on the same ground.." 🎶

*GUITAR SOLO*

Cess is leaning on a big old 80's amplifier her dad bought. She's very sick both physically and mentally because of a recent emotional struggle with her parents. She glares at Jam and continues to sing.

Cess (singing): If all else fails.. would you be there to love me..?

When all else fails, would you be brave to see right through me..🎶

The Band celebrates as they finished their cover.. after 12 takes.

Will: Grabe tol ang lupit!!!

Jason: Nice one guys, pero parang di ata tonado yung bass ko.

Jam: Ayos lang yan, di ka rin naman naririnig eh *laughs*

Will: Cut niyo na yung video! Gusto ko na panoorin!!

Jason: Cess, maayos ba kuha?

Cess: Jam.

Jam: Po?

Cess: Hindi naka record yung camera.

Jam: Ay... Oops..

Cess walks inside the house and slams the door.

The rest of the band: JAM!

*SCENE CUTS TO PAM SITTING ALONE ON THE STAIRS OF THE MARIKINA RIVER AMPHITHEATER*

Pam eats turon and stares at the river thinking about how refreshing it looks and feels. Despite the calming surroundings she finds it hard to put the pen to work on her journal. She thinks for a moment, takes a bite of her turon and then begins to write.

"The wind clashes with the waves of the river. The sky is bright and there is even a rainbow. This makes my day happy and my life a bit lighter. Who would've thought that the only thing that I needed was just a step outside? I begin to ponde-"

The wind blows heavy on Pam and her notes rustles before the wind. Her turon flies away. Pam stands up and walks toward the side of the river. She continues to stare as every step she takes becomes duller and duller. There is nothing to write for, nothing to talk about, no one to talk to and nothing to do in her day but she makes the best of it despite these circumstances. She even wore a cute dress.

Finally it dawns on her. She is beginning to realize once again that her life is a complete bore and she cannot accept this. She sees her reflection on the water and picks up a small rock. She gently throws it towards her reflection and it ripples towards the other side of the river.

Truck driver: Hoy ate wag ka tatalon! *Laughs*

Pam (thinking): Maybe I will.. but not on the river.

The band leisures around Cess' garage in the warm afternoon. Jason talks about how him and his girlfriend are going to Mall of Asia and that he's looking to buy her a gift because it's their anniversary.

Scene cuts to Jam being confused as to why the camera did not record. While he is glossing over the camera settings, the rest of the band is talking behind him.

Will: Cess? Kamusta ka naman?

Cess: Bakit? May mali ba?

Will: *Gulp* Uhh wala naman, nangangamusta lang..

Jason: Okay!! So uhh.. kain na tayo-

Cess: Hindi ako okay. Yun nalang. Pero kayo, kamusta naman love life niyo?

Jason: Oooh I don't really want to talk about it..

Will: Yeahhhh ako rin..

Cess: Bakit? Porket single parin ako ganyan kayo? Pwede naman natin pagusapan, di lang naman akong tao dito no..

Will: Well.. it's okay Cess, single rin naman ako, pati si Jam! Diba jam?

Jam: Shh!! Di ako makapag focus sa camera!!

Will: Ay sorry, ikaw Jason? Diba sabi mo bibilhan mo ng gift yung jowa mo?

Jason: Girlfriend nga! Anyways, yes!!! *Kinilig*

Cess: Hm. Ikaw Jam? Anong balita sayo?

Jam: Hmm.. wala naman, since birth pa, ewan. Parang hindi para sakin yan.

The rest of the band argues about it because Jam seems to know a lot about love since Jam writes most of the love songs.

Jam: Alright alright! Well.. merong isa, nung nag enroll ako sa uni may nakilala akong babae. Diko alam yung nararamdaman ko nuon pero alam mo yung feeling na biglang bumagal yung mundo? Yung feeling na siya lang yung nakikita ng mata mo, wala nang iba..

Jam continues to tell what happened at the university that day. He talks about Pam and how they met. Jam doesn't understand what he's feeling. He knows how to talk about love but deep down, he has never felt anything like it before.

Cess: Pam huh.. cute. I'm gonna get something to eat.

Cess walks inside the house.

Jason: Okay.. so mga pards, nag iisip ako ng gift para sa girlfriend ko eh kaso lang, I'm not really sure what she likes or not, nahihirapan ako mag decide.

Will: Alam mo nagtataka rin ako kung bakit ka nagka jowa eh *laughs*

Jason: Girlfriend pare, girlfriend.. At isa pa, meron din akong ibang priorities ano!

Will: Tulad ng ano? Yung mga binagsak mo na subjects?!

Jason: Wow! Nagsalita yung college drop-out! No offense Jam..

Will: Aba! Nagsalita yung magiging college drop-out rin!

Jam: Guys!

Will and Jason: Ano?!

Jam: Alam ko na bakit di siya nag record!!

Will and Jason: Baket?!

Jam: Imbis na video, ang napindot ko pala is timer!

Jason: Timer?!

Jam: Yeah!! For a photo!

Will: Bakit parang ang saya saya mo Jam?! Sayang talaga kinanta natin kanina.

Jam: Get over it Will! Masaya ako kasi tignan niyo yung picture oh!

The picture shows the band in the garage playing lively. All of them look very happy and alive and it almost as if you can see them moving and actually playing. In the middle there was Cess smiling gently. A rare sight for the band. Something they rarely see every day and now it is finally captured by accident. Jam thinks of an idea to cheer Cess after messing up the recording.

Scene cuts to Pam taking a shower. She turns around to face the shower head. A few seconds passes and she sneezes and regrets what she did. She goes out the bathroom and sees her mother Anika drinking away again for the 4th time this afternoon.

Pam asks about her dad that she never really knew about and Anika tells her that her dad was a good for nothing slack and that he's in prison for fraud.

Anika: Bahala siya sa buhay niya! Mabulok siya sa kulungan!.. pero atleast iniwan niya tayo ng maraming pera! *Laughs*

Pam is disgusted and goes to her room upstairs. Pam jumps to bed and writes in her journal.

“Life is chaotic but no matter how chaotic it is, the future somehow makes it look all aligned. All perfectly woven into each other. Each little and monumental decisions gives us unique futures. We all have different futures.. but that doesn't make us special, it just makes us normal. It makes us human.”

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3 days passes, Jam and the others are taking a picnic at the grasses of CCP.

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Jason: Jam! Will! Samahan niyo ko mamaya ah? Punta tayo sa MOA!! Lapit na rin naman tayo!

Will: Lakad nanaman?! Grabe di ka ba napapagod?

Jason: Ang lapit lapit lang!

Jam: Kaya sana eh, kaso puro skyflakes binili mo, wala pa tayo dun gutom na tayo agad!

Cess: Kung maglalakad kayo, kayo nalang.

Jason: Huh, saan ka pupunta Cess?

Cess: Uuwi. Malamang.

Will: Ang kati naman dito! Cess, usog ka konti, nauupuan ko na yung damo!

Jason: Yung maong mo yan na ilang taon mo na di nilabhan! Tara na kasi, bibilhan kita ng bagong pantalon!!

Will: Talaga lang hah, mangako ka!

Jason: Oo nga! Pramis! Sige na!! Kailangan ko talaga bumili para sa Girlfriend ko! Gusto mo lumuhod ako?

Will: Emo ka nanaman, sige na nga, Jam, sasama ka?

Jam is writing a song from his notebook.

Jam: Hm? Ah, sabagay, kailangan ko rin ng bagong battery para sa Sony Ericsson ko

Cess: Sige na nga sasama na rin ako.

The band looks at Cess with a confused and surprised expression in their faces.

Cess: Sige wag nalang pala.

Jam, Will and Jason: Hala!

Cess (Staring menacingly): Joke lang.

Jason stands up in joy.

Jason: Alright! Next stop! Mall of Asia!!

Random jogger: Baliw!

Scene cuts to Pam ironing her clothes.

Pam (Pawis na pawis): Okay! Phew! And that's for next Thursday. So now I got *counting* pito lang? Hay, okay na siguro to. Next next week ko na ulit gagawin.

Razzle Dazzle.mp3 plays in the background

Pam (Nagulat): PUTA! Hay, papalitan ko na nga yung ringtone na yon! *Picks up Samsung Colby* Hello?!

Anika (Lasing): Hoy Pam!! *Laughs* andito kami sa One esplanade! Pwede mo ba ako *burps* samahan pauwi? *Laughs*

Pam: Sinong kami?! At tsaka, Mama! Bakit ka nasa MOA?!

Anika: Ah! May kasal kasi dito!! Diko rin alam bakit nila ako sinama eh, pero ang dami nilang alak! Anyways, ingat sa byahe! *Phone dies*

Pam: Anak.. ng.. PU-

Scene cuts to the band walking towards MOA. All of them are tired because of the soaring heat.

Will (Hinihingal): TA!!!! Grabe.. Jason, wala ka ba alam na masasakyan?

Jason: Hah? Bago lang ako dito eh..

Will: Jusko.. dinamay mo pa ako.. sasanayin ko na nga maglaba! Jam.. Alam mo ba kung nasan na tayo?

Jam: Ewan.. sinusundan ko lang kayo eh..

Cess (nadapa): Jason.. *sits on the ground*

Will and Jam rushes towards Cess. Jason follows but stops immediately after seeing Cess' murderous intentions.

Cess: Tang.. ina mo... JASON!!

Cess chases after Jason and all of them suddenly got a burst of energy from hate, laughter and just over-all bonding. They don't even know where they're going. This is how they are most of the time. All of the time.

Scene cuts to Pam doing her usual commute to pick up her mother. Jeepney traffic, standing on the bus and many many tiring walks. She arrives sweating. Her beige dress and her light pink cardigan is drenched in anger and frustrations. Still, she finds time to fix herself, to present herself as someone who isn't losing their minds at the moment.

*NEAR ONE ESPLANADE*

Pam is walking from the seaside blvd all the while the band is inching away at J.W Diokno blvd. As they get closer to their destination, a group of white pigeons, seemingly like doves appear near the area, blocking their view of each other. Pam hears strange banters coming from the other side.

Suddenly, the group bursts out of the corner like madmen and frightens the birds sending them flying all over the place. When the white feathers and the dust clears, Jam and Pam, there again locking their gaze at each other and suddenly, that heartbeat back from the uni is felt again. This time, beating harder and faster than ever..

END