To Kilay, Or Not To Kilay

IF truth be told, I did not wake up like this.

It’s a constant struggle to draw that perfect eyebrow. Good for you for being born with a bushy arc, while I have to wake up at dawn to look mortal enough to face the world.

I can live without lipstick and make-up, wearing a plain white shirt and jeans, but please, don’t let me go out without that perfect brow. I have grown to live with it, and it has become a way of life.

Unfortunately, this routine got disrupted. Traffic got horrendous since last year.

Factor in the return of face-to-face classes, transfer of a grade school campus to uptown, road and bridge repair, and volume of vehicles all contribute to one big problem for the traffic enforcers. RTA hotline became a speed dial, a morning buddy.

Now you might ask, “And where does kilay comes in?”

Here goes. I wake up as early as 4:30 am but got to have that cup of espresso and small chores to do before I can finally start getting ready for work. Added to that, I need to leave by 7:15 am or earlier. Otherwise, I’d be late, and I can’t afford that, nor will my employer tolerate tardiness.

Ergo, I had to brave it out and face the world without that perfect brow. Well, just until I reach the office. It was the ideal solution! Driving was a breeze. I get to arrive at the office with ample time to draw.

There was this day, though, when the stars did not align for me.

I drove around Divisoria but couldn’t find a parking space. After several rounds of circling, pretending like fuel was not an issue, I finally found one near Nation theater, but I had to walk close to two blocks to get to the office without any kilay! Que horror!

All I can do is sigh when I see friends and colleagues who can brave the drizzle and not fear that something might be gone. Maybe an exaggeration, but there’s a hint of truth in it.

Life can be unfair at times, but who’s complaining? I’m not (a bit, perhaps).