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The pleasure of sour truth
“Meow”
I am in between of solitude and trying to get some sleep. Suddenly I hear a creepy long meow. For awhile it stops. But it follows by another, a long agonizing meow.
My pet cat is crying downstairs — I don’t know, maybe he’s just trying to get my attention. But I didn’t hesitate to stand up from my bed and check him. I walk to the hallway and go down stairs. I switch on the lights and move my head from left to right tilt it sideways while wondering, where he is? After I open the lights it gets creepy because the sound stops and the whole ground floor become very quiet — it is a deafening silence you can almost hear a pin drop. I have been looking for him almost half an hour now. I have scanned under the chair, the basket where he always likes to lay down and in our kitchen where he always plays. I got tired of bending, kneeling and looking to narrow places of our home. But there is no sign of him. Then suddenly I found myself crave for spring rolls we cooked awhile ago. I thought of opening the fridge and see if there still some, and luckily there are some few left. I like my food cold or warm but not too cold, just in the middle of cold and warm is okay too. These spring rolls are fine for me and I am too lazy to reheat these.Then I pull out the chair and sat on it then placed my plate with the spring rolls on the table. As I sit in front of the table and while the excitement of hunger was ranging in me, I notice a ketchup bottle. I never expect this night would be a night of reliving the pass. In the first place, I went downstairs because I heard him meowing.
The Heinz Ketchup — thick, red and it reminds me of something. I open the bottle then pour it into the saucer while staring at its red, thick texture, suddenly it takes me to a trip down memory lane. I remember every dip of fries from McDonald’s in this ketchup and the laughs I shared with a guy I had been with. It was the time when the Heinz Ketchup is still affiliated with McDonald’s. I remember him talking random things in front of me. All the craziness and the late nights we stayed in the usual McDonald’s we used to hang out. I also remember, the food hack he taught me, the number of ketchup sachet equates to the sourness of it. He always picked the sourest one, which is the number 8, he liked to laugh at me as I made sour faces every time I dip my fries on that ketchup and savor it. I remember everything, from the moment we talked and we laughed while sharing this ketchup. The moments we fought, we smile, we cried and I can never forget — the moment we bid farewells to one another. This was our favorite. And now, while dipping these spring rolls in this ketchup and relish its strong flavors that seem to remind the sourness and sweetness of the past. I have realized this condiment represent us. Just like its ingredients : the water that represents our tears; the color of the tomatoes represent what we felt, the sugar, vinegar and salt : the sweet, salty and sour moments we shared; and the spices represent the fire of desire when we were together.
Every time this ketchup goes into my mouth and enjoy its sour flavor. I feel the pleasure in it. I feel that I have accepted the sour truth. The pleasure of accepting the sour truth and process it into my mind and to my soul. Then suddenly the montage stop, there is no spring rolls left on my plate and I almost empty the ketchup in the bottle. I don’t want to continue anymore, I am tired and full. And I already forgot to look for my cat. Then I go up stairs and try to get some sleep. Then I see my cat lying on bed that seems to having a good night sleep.
