The Portrait

Sleepless at 1 am

Diego stepped off the bus, a whirlwind of emotions swirling within him—joy mingled with a hint of embarrassment. The predominant feeling, however, was sheer happiness, driven by a recent encounter that played over in his mind. Sporting a contented smile, he strolled, his rumbling stomach reminding him of his voracious hunger. Without hesitation, he made a beeline for the nearest 7-11, determined to satiate his appetite with a comforting combination of siopao and canned pineapple juice.

As Diego indulged in his impromptu feast, the memory of a captivating girl from the bus lingered in his thoughts. Her image seemed etched in his mind, a pleasant companion for the journey ahead. Deciding to cover the remaining distance to his home, Diego hailed a tricycle, the ride necessary to traverse the considerable distance from the main highway. Upon reaching his doorstep, an exuberant Pompyang, his loyal pet dog, awaited him, expressing excitement in a way only dogs could—through an impromptu display of joyous relief.

Diego's return home was met with familial warmth, as his sister Mariel informed him of their mother's culinary efforts, preparing a meal of "guisadong munggo" ( sauteed mung bean).  However, Diego, having already indulged in a snack at Seven-Eleven due to the hunger-inducing traffic, politely declined the offer. Eager to unwind, he retreated to his room, shedding his travel-worn attire for something more comfortable.

As Diego settled into a moment of relaxation, his mobile phone buzzed with a text from Claire. The message hinted at a detail that escaped his notice during their bus conversation—the mention of a large brown envelope. Puzzled, Diego responded, suggesting that Mariel might have left it behind at the office. The ensuing silence on Mariel's end hinted at a potential ongoing search for the missing envelope.

Engrossed in social media, Diego's eyelids grew heavier, succumbing to the fatigue accumulated during the journey. Unintentionally forsaking dinner, he drifted into a peaceful slumber. Mariel, concerned for her brother, knocked on his door, only to discover that Diego had succumbed to the weariness of the day, leaving the question of his meal unanswered.

Diego awoke abruptly at 1 am, his senses on high alert. In a half-asleep stupor, he instinctively turned around in bed, fumbling for his cell phone, only to realize it had slipped through the cracks and found refuge under his bed. As he mumbled to himself,

"I fell asleep; I didn't realize it."

Diego embarked on a sleepy-eyed mission to retrieve his elusive device, eventually discovering it tucked away beneath the bed frame. Powering on the phone, he squinted at the screen to check the time.

"Oh, it's only 1 a.m.; I still need to sleep," he sighed.

However, hunger pangs interrupted his nocturnal peace, compelling him to descend the stairs in search of a midnight snack. In the dim glow of the refrigerator light, Diego contemplated his culinary options. With a morsel in hand, he sat down and absentmindedly scrolled through his phone. To his surprise, a barrage of nonsensical messages from Claire awaited him. Perplexed, he muttered to himself,

"I thought this girl was in Batangas with her boyfriend? Claire is weird, tsk."

Diego entertained the possibility of her being under the influence of alcohol as he continued to sift through the messages. Shrugging off the confusion, he eventually retreated to his room.

Diego found himself grappling with an unwelcome companion—sleeplessness. Despite his best efforts, drowsiness eluded him, leaving him to toss and turn in the confines of his bed. The elusive embrace of slumber seemed to slip through his grasp. Amid this nocturnal struggle, the image of a woman he had encountered on the bus resurfaced in his mind, casting a curious shadow over his restless thoughts.

As he lay there, wrestling with the blankets and the elusive tendrils of sleep, a persistent question echoed in Diego's mind. "Who is she?" he pondered, berating himself for a missed opportunity. Regret settled in as he chided, "I must be foolish—why didn't I inquire about her name?" The weight of his contemplation seemed to intensify the insomnia, casting a veil of frustration over the darkness.

In the quiet hours of the night, Diego's internal dialogue continued. The mystery of the woman's identity lingered, a puzzle piece just out of reach. Yet, as he delved deeper into these musings, a peculiar tranquility overcame him. It was as if his mind, exhausted by the mental gymnastics, surrendered to the fatigue, and sleep stealthily claimed its dominion.