election day.

i found my name posted on the door, room 4.
nahiwalay pako sa family ko. i dont know why, pero kinailangan ko pa tuloy, pumila ulit sa kabilang room.

mainit.
good thing, may pamaypay ako.

***
"ha?"
wala daw, ung name ko sa list nila.

di ako makapaniwala.
You're kidding me. You can't be saying this to me. Not now.

"pano po nangyari yon, nandun po sa door ung name ko.. pakitingin po ulit, 35-B numbr 28.."

they looked. Wala.

"pano po yan.."
they just looked at me, and shrugged.

huwattt?? ganon-ganon nlang ba yon.
sorry, ur name's not here. Next.

i felt my world crashing.
i felt.. cheated.
pinaghandaan ko tong araw na to. (okay not really)
pero i made it sure to mytself that im goin to make my vote count.
i wont let them get the best of me.
and besides i didn't go there for nothing.
natapakan, nainitan, nasiksik, pumila ng napakatagal..
mauuwi lang sa wala?
darn it.
no i wont let this happen.
BOBOTO AKO.
i stayed there.
i gave them the look.
mga teacher pa nman din kayo..
don't let me down.

******
the teachers asked me to just bring someone there who can prove that i am really a resident of the community.
mas okay daw kung public official.
my father came.
"ako po ang ama." siyet, para akong nawawalang bata.
they made him write into a piece of paper, para daw makasigurado in case something went wrong.

i made my way through the small pews.
im voting.

***
president. check.
vice. check.
darn senators. check.
congressman. mayor. vicemayor.
check. check. check.
getty. check.

relief rush through me, as i scanned my vote.
done. tapos na.
I vote. Therfore, i exist.
haha. basta! nagawa ko na!
nagawa ko ung part ko. naks.
it was, honestly, a great feeling.