Bubblegum Love.

In the building where i work, there is this small shop that has witnessed my presence literally, every single workday of mine. It is my only favourite place in all the floors this building has. I come here to turn my sour days into sugar. I come here to empty my pocket, to fill my empty brackets.

“Uncle, chewing gum yang boleh tiup belon besar-besar tu ade tak?” I asked for a bubble gum this morning.

“Yang itu takde la, yang ini sahaja ade,” He showed me a 5 cent chewing gum.

“Auntie, Uncle cakap chewing gum yang boleh tiup belon besar-besar tu takde,” I’m always good at making sad faces and forming alliance.

“Ade dekat situ la. Uncle tunjuk dia chewing gum tu,” There, i bought love. Not with my cents and dollars though.

My dollars and cents have never bought me things that i needed. They, as always, have only bought me things that i wanted. But never everything.

This morning, i wanted bubble gum. I didn’t get it.

Yesterday morning, i wanted to get up early to work. I didn’t get it either.

Every morning since the past 2 years, i always wanted a wicked girlfriend who would slap to waking up, or to tickle me to peeing my pants. I have never gotten that. Perhaps not yet.

So this morning, this small shop offered me what i needed;

A bubble-gummed love, in the form of a 5 cent chewing gum that could never blow a real bubble.

Accidental happiness, i guess. When the bubbles don’t shape but the smile does.