#i'd share siya's too but it's a mess right now :'/

[gristlegrinder]

YEAH!!! YEAH!!!!!!!!!

khismat has a very specific playlist vibe because she's an alternate-timeline commander where things go wrong, but. i really like it.

GW2BLR: GIVE ME YOUR COMMANDER PLAYLISTS

NOW!!!

mine in return.

[benefits1986]

Purple People: Prep Joey

Let's go beyond the usual people: red, green and beige, shall we?

I've always been a fan of red and blue. This goes beyond my latest Hogwarts House test result which was supposedly an ice breaker for my Potions-inspired brown bag sesh in time for the annual performance check. 38% Gryffindor. 31% Ravenclaw.

I've always wanted to be a red or blue Mask Man or Power Ranger. LOL. I've said this previously, but, now, it's funny that I don't feel ugh about the divide between XY and XX. It's just how pop cult tried boxing gender and at Prep, it's something that's not part of a kiddie playground back in the 90's.

In fact, even when I didn't get to be a Red or Blue Mask Man, I've been kind of spoiled by my XY-infested first classroom buddies. There's this big and bully guy who always teases me and tells me that if there'd be someone who'd mess with me, he'd show them who the boss is. I remember laughing at and with him, because he's the #1 bully. There's also a "meet cute" XY who joined the class late. We were seat mates and he's so sedated that I often catch him staring into nothingness. When I talk, he just listens and smiles. I told him if gets niya ba ako and he said yes. He would rarely share his thoughts, but mom told me that this XY waits for me to go home. LOL. E maaga naman ako laging umuuwi, noh?

Later, mom told me to switch seats and be beside bully XY, mom's BFF in my class. LOL. She actually talked to the "meet cute" XY and his parents. Later that day, mom sat in front of me and told me that she was so stressed because the parents of this kiddo liked me a lot. Hahahaha. TACCA. 'Di ako batang landi. Madaldal lang talaga ako. Tapos. Mom told me that she did not like how this XY looked at me lalo when he was waiting for me to go home everyday 'di umano. I told mom what was wrong and if I did something wrong. She told me that I have to stop daldal ng walang bukas. Hahahahaha. In fairness, this spaced out XY is easily the cutest in the class or baka sa paningin ko lang 'yun. Para siyang laking air con pero that's not what caught my goldfish attention span. He actually listened to me even when as in parang pagod na siya sa life e ang bata pa namin nun. His sedation is kind of calming, too. I would egg him to share his thoughts about random stuff, but, he kind of skirts around a lot. Baka may childhood trauma or innately shy and reserved. Damn. Ang bata ko pa lang talaga, I try peering into people because curiosity is my milk of choice (milk pa lang noon kasi talaga).

Mom shot the question I was not prepared for. Crush mo ba 'tong classmate mo na 'to? Sagot. Me: I don't know what you mean, mom. Of course mom probed and told me to friggin' stop talking to him. Hahahaha. Sabi ko naman, e hindi nga masyadong nagsasalita 'yun except for some times na tawang-tawa siya sa akin or 'pag sad ako 'di ako perfect sa test. LOL. Mom then went more matang-lawin and was so early that even before the bell rang, kung puwede lang umuwi na kami, uuwi na niya ako. She told me that I can no longer play kahit dati 5 minutes puwede akong mag-swing or slide or cross the hanging bridge noon. SIGH. Need daw ako ng kapatid ko at ang bata ko pa raw para magka-crush at ma-crushan. LUL. At tigil-tigil daw ng parents nitong si XY ang mga hirit nila sa aming bagay kami. HAHAHAHAHA. Honestly, that "meet cute" is nothing like may pagnanasa. Tuwa lang akong may bago akong kausap and that when I saw him getting in his element, parang may sense 'yung innate daldal ko. Saka when I told him several times to join the XY kiddo kagulo, sabi niya ayaw niya, pero nag-join din siya at times. Siguro, bored lang din siya or bagong salta, kaya still getting the hang of it.

There'd be times that I'd think na baka tulad siya nung flamboyant XY buddy ko and that he's not just in his right space and right light pa. HAHAHAHAHA. Ganun talaga ako mag-isip e. Open-minded ako. When he commented on my girly dresses, I asked him if gusto niya ba suot 'yun. Syempre, tameme. Nagtatanong lang naman ako e. Sabi niya, no daw. LOL. Pero, looking back, 'di ako sure. LOL. Hahaha. Kawawa talaga 'to sa akin. Medyo parang iba kasi vibe niya. Hindi siya slow learner pero parang may something atypical. I even joked him that when Bully #1 XY bulldozed him, ako bahala sa kanya. LOL. Tawa kami and the rest is history. Hohohoho. Ohhh. It just hit me. Whenever there'd be days that I'm so annoyed and down the drain because of anything crappy about me being an ugh ate to my brother, this "meet cute" XY would not leave my side. As in. Weirdo niya that way because when I'm not okay, 'di ako madaldal. Hahahahaha. He'd tell me random stuff kahit may stutter siya. He'd ask me why I'm not in my usual vibe. Syempre, sungit mode since birth ako so, kawawa siya. HAHAHAHAHA. He'd stay close but not too close and still check on me until mom fetched me.

Mom reported that this "meet cute" XY cried when he didn't pass the entrance exam sa school ko. I asked how she knew this very graphic piece on info. Nag-reach out daw parents. Kinabahan siguro siya or sadyang kapos lang ang oras at kaalaman. CHOZ. HAHAHAHA. Tawang-tagumpay nanay ko. Damn. Sabi ko, malapit lang naman din school niya and why ba mali ako sa math problem na dapat alam ko. LUH. I think that one of the last times we saw each other before Grade One, I joked him na, paano ba 'yan? 'Di na tayo seat mates? LOL. Parang iiyak siya nun e. I actually tried searching him on FB and IG years ago, but, 'di na rin ako nagulat that I can't find him. Google search, zero results, too. Looking back, iba rin takbo utak netong "meet cute" shit head na 'to. UGH. Ako rin naman, baliw since birth. So, ayun na nga... that's my first ever meet cute.

I actually had an above average interaction with all boys and the two other boyish girls in my class. As in. Para kaming nasa PBB House, Batang 90's Edition.

I have another girly XY buddy who'd be so flamboyant and we'd huddle when it's time to do monkey bars. We're both pudgy so, we just try to hang onto the first bar and let go na agad. Hahahaha. I loved how he'd dress up better than the sweaty XY kiddos. His eyes are so girly and I wonder how he'd be like if he was a girl, to be honest. LOL. There'd be times we'd whisper about how he can be Pink Mask Man and I'd be Red or Blue. LOLLOLLL. Syempre, this didn't fly.

Our class name is JOEY as in kangaroo na baby. So Prep Joey nickname namin. So progressive, right? I said that I love my first hero, my Teacher Rosa. And later, I discovered that she had been schooled in no less than Leon Guinto. I loved her angas, her gentleness, her strictness, her jokes, her wit and her tender care. As in! Iba ang diction niya and damn, sana all na lang talaga. Ang galing sa Filipino at English, mhiemah. Hahahaha.

And so, these people are my first PURPLE PEOPLE. While I was coping with all my might as a dutiful big sister to my brother recovering from meningitis, these people made me feel I was in a safe space. And that, while I am obviously unapologetic and talkative, they saw me and were patient with me. They valued our connection as we learned writing, reading, counting and of course, social interactions.

I was on top of the class except for fucking math which was dominated by Bully #1 and flamboyant BFF. Though I had to have Bb and Dd on my left and right lower thumb area to read faster, I could already read four-letter words and those with silent letters pa. HAHAHAHA. My penmanship stood out since Day One. However, as I was seeing really good grades, I was so happy that these purple people made me see that mistakes are not demerits even when mom scolded and lambasted me to the core when I get home. I remember so many times when my purple people ask me what my grade was. I show them my score and slump. They tell me that they'd more likely to be grounded because their scores are fair and barely hanging on. I remember how I also tried to slow down during group readings especially when I see "meet cute" XY stuttering. Funny how this core memory resurfaced at this hour, noh? Bully #1 actually comforted me when I got a bad shit math score and told me that okay lang naman daw para maging Top 1 siya for sure. LOL. TACCA. Though bad trip ako sa kanya during those nasty dog show times, looking back, it's probably his signature way of comforting me.

Puro yata atypical mga Prep Joey, noh? Hahahahaha. So, what exactly are PURPLE PEOPLE? These are people who are a mix of the red and the blue. Wala naman kasing 100% red lang and 100% blue lang, tbh. Walang ganun. Let's not go there because it's delulu levels 100%. These are people who have shit shows and shit faces but face the world with their vulnerabilities. I guess, 'pag bata ka lalo first dibs mo sa classroom set up, mas bukas ka e. Mas may willingness ka to learn and unlearn. Mas 'di ka takot. Mas honest ka rin. So, what are the quals of PURPLE PEOPLE, then?

1 Safe space advocates; hindi 'yung about gender or social class or school or whatever shit na 'di naman dapat issue (LOL) 2 Unapologetic and know when to actually say sorry when shit hits the pan 3 Don't breathe and vibe with chizmiz, instead, story-showers or story-builders 4 Seek truth and value opinion 5 Have wide biases 6 Fun loving and hustling 7 Serious when it comes to core values 8 Knows how to play and work and value what lies between the two 9 Sees grades as social constructs but does what they can anyway 10 Celebrates wins, losses and "walang panalo, walang talo" days 11 Nangangamusta sincerely at nakikipamuhay at nakikisuyo 12 While ask the source straight up and look people in the eye while at it 13 Ask questions especially the tough ones and help figure out the answer

So what, now? May the coming days and nights be filled with PURPLE PEOPLE especially when hyperinflation, walking pneumonia, adulting, aging parentals, frail millennial era, aging pets and more are getting more and more serious. May this purple people find me as I find them, too. Most importantly, may the universe give purple people a chance to showcase what they truly are even when it's easier to not give a shit, because hassle naman talaga to be vulnerable e.

Bouncing for a South encounter in a few hours. UGH. And since I maxxed out naproxen + spicy shit food today, ayan. Ang lala ng tummy tuliro natin. HAY. :p Baka hindi ako makainom ng malala mamaya nito, however, abangan.