The neighbors say he suffers from
dementia. On the balcony, he stares at
the cloudless sky. How he declares
the stars have turned into tubers
of motley shapes and colors! He asks if
he could fish some and trade them for
a gantang of rice. Perhaps the
copious harvest at his clearing one
May afternoon has lingered in his
memory. When he goes silent, I send
him to his bedroom and tell him
that tomorrow evening, the sky will
be teeming with stars. He smiles.
Jeric Tindoy Olay
Jeric Tindoy Olay is a teacher, poet, and opinion writer born in Macrohon Southern Leyte. He currently teaches at Ichon National High School. His essays and poems have appeared and are forthcoming in TLDTD, Philippines Graphic Reader, Mekong Review, Paris Lit Up,Quadrant Magazine, Queen’s Quarterly, Ragaire Magazine, Philippine Daily Inquirer, The Philippine Star, and Rappler.
