Surreal

Ethnic Javanese gamelan orchestra music is forcing itself through the walls of my office, from the vacant department next door. We are confused (and find it hard to talk above the noise). Why on earth would anyone play gamelan next door?

And just as we were adapting to the relatively enjoyable music, we were shocked to hear a rooster, crowing as if it was the last dawn on earth (at 11 o’clock noon), from the same room next door. We say, “wtf ?”

The mystery is unbearable. We ask the office boy. He replies as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

“They’re clearing up the room next door for the new office.”

This did not make sense. Then he elaborated.

“They have to clean up the spirits residing in the ancient stuff stored in there.”
(editors note: the palace has several old artifacts dating from the era of bygone presidents, which have fallen into disuse, and is stored wherever there is space to store. "Evicting" spirits from ancient objects requires special ceremonies so as not to "anger them".)

I laughed. And then I saw he was serious. And then I saw the others nod their heads in comprehension. Said the secretary, “Well why do they have to do it during office days?”

Incredulously, the office boy had an answer to this. Because it’s Friday the 13^th.

Oh. I should have known.

* (photo of gamelan set is taken from www.berkeley.edu)

Hungry

This is what I would always want for lunch. I've discovered I am quite in love with sandwiches, conceptually and gastronomically. It is light and healthy, it is packed with all the things I love, it's ingredients are flexible and interchangeable. This one I found in a little street in DC, whimsically named "Pita Pan". Huge wheat pita-bread ridiculously packed with lettuce, avocado, tomatos, alfalfa sprouts, cucumber, mushrooms, cheese, and various other green leaves I can't recall the names of. I was in low-fat heaven.

It is now lunch time, and I sadly reminisce. It is a choice between cooking instant noodles in the pantry or getting "prison food" in the staff cafetaria. *sigh*

aftermath.

It came as a surprise
and I was surprised
that the game was just a game
the game was an actual game

I took my cup and drank
every little bitter drop
and afterwards I know I stank
to those who never saw the joke

But it was obviously there
and it's funny it happened to me
It's funny. Haha, it's funny.
and I don't want to care.

But in these witching hours (it's cold.)
I know that I've grown slightly old
I shift my gears and downgraded
I seriously played a funny game (I'm jaded.)

The moral of the story is now
to bravely stand my ground somehow
and say that it was just a game indeed
but we performed like stars. (We did.)