How Snooki Met Manhattan
The first thing I did when I got to NYC, after the grueling twenty hours of travel time, was to eat a burger.
I wasn't one to lose over a jet lag. Jet lag's a joke. I loved flying, and most human creatures were just weak. Eh. I'm not sorry for speaking the truth.
Habang kumakain ng ice cream, hinihila ko ang maleta kong nag-i-stroll sa Times Square. Clearly, 'di ako nakapag-isip nang maayos sa buhay kasi kung bakit ba naman lakwatsa agad ang inatupag ko imbes na mag-settle muna sa apartment.
Oh, that's right. I didn't know where my apartment was, specifically. I had it on my phone, of course, but my battery's dead. Hehe! My bad.
"Watch it, watch it!" I chanted to myself. Shocks! Snooki, you're a mess. Iyang maleta mo ingatan mo!
Sobrang daming tao pero aware naman ako na ganito talaga rito. 'Di na bago sa 'kin ang lugar, I've been here a couple of times already. But today's new because I was all alone. Like a lost little kid—except not really lost.
"Snooki, you're gonna find yourself here," sabi ko sa sarili ko. I had a dreamy and theatrical smile as the city and its people consumed me.
Aaand... naglakad na ulit ako.
The music of Times Square consisted of honking taxis, pedestrian quarreling over petty stuff, and the contribution of the amazing street musicians.
If I looked above, I'd see screens everywhere. Punong-puno ng adverts ang screens. Mula sa mga pelikula, brands ng damit, palabas ng mga pagkain, nandoon iyan lahat sa mga screen.
Naghulog ako ng dollar bill sa nakabukas na case ng music instrument. Iyong musician na katapat noon ay ngumiti sa akin. I grinned and gave her a thumbs up.
"Way to go!" sabi ko pa. "You're stunning, you're amazing! Don't let your good music die down!"
Lumaki ang ngiti niya habang kumakanta. Oh, she really was wonderful.
Aaand... off I went again.
Iniisip ko kung paano ako makakapunta sa apartment na nirentahan ko online noong nasa Pinas pa ako. Though my Tita Vivien mostly arranged it for me, my auntie that's a real estate broker. There's no easy way in NYC that's handed off to anyone in a snap, but I was one lucky loaf of bread because I had contacts of the best people.
Itinapon ko ang tissue na ipinanghawak ko sa ice cream ko kanina na ngayo'y ubos ko na. Suddenly without it, I felt like I was back to reality.
I checked my charging phone in my bag. Oks! It's on na, I could contact whoever hero could save my day, which was Vie right now, another girl cousin.
"Hello, favorite cousin for today!" bati ko pagkasagot niya.
"What? Why are you annoying all of us?" she deadpanned.
"Why the sour mood, eh may love life ka na nga?" I rolled my eyes. Umupo ako sa bakanteng street bench. "Anyway! I have a question to ask."
"Hmm..." she groaned. Wow, what a mood!
"Oops, sorry, busy ba kayo ni Jerrick mag-ano?" I bit my lips to suppress a snicker.
CITEȘTI
Something That Glitters
UmorSet in a flower shop in Manhattan, New York City, Snooki takes aim in finally seeking for thrills in a new place that she couldn't find in Manila. Something she thought would quicken her heartbeat, apart from her caffeine intake. One blooming day, s...
