35 Payna St.

val wasn't playin' about that sticky hustle shit.


it felt real good to see claudia and dezzy (both from PINAY sa Seattle) at the airport today. i was welcomed to the philippines with a type 1 storm, but that didn't stop us from gallavanting a little.

claudia's mom's house is remarkably close to 35 payna st....the house of my childhood. we got lost a little while we were walking around looking for it, but after a quick tricycle ride, we were there. the street is remarkably the same, yet very different. the houses look so much smaller to me now....but then again, i was much smaller back then :). 35 payna still has a green gate, and gold numbers. the wall is still the same mint green that we painted it, but the tall coconut tree that used to guard our house is no longer there. the corner store is no longer owned by amor, but by someone named emiliano. the street was pretty empty. the "squatters" near my house that my parents sheltered me away from didn't seem as scary as it used to. i'm as tall as the gates that i used to climb.

it's been 15 years since i said goodbye to that house, and it was almost surreal to be standing in front of it today. i shared stories with claudia and dez. we looked at a map and i pointed out my school, my church, my neighborhood. i was pointing out my life.

it feels good to be home.