Over The Fence

The title might give you an impression that this post is about transition, moving onward to another phase in life and exploring possibilities. But it isn’t. It’s simply about jumping over the fence.

The last time I did it was in Digos City, December 2006. I was with my friends Tracy, Wilson and Thomas; all four of us were drunk. We were standing outside Thomas’ house, where we were staying for months, staring at the padlocked gate to which none of us had the key. It was 4 am. We can’t just wake up the caretaker. We were saying silly things and laughing; the neighbors’ dogs were barking nonstop. But we were tired and sleepy and drunk. So we decided to climb the iron gate. It was a sight to behold: four drunk friends pushing and pulling each other over the fence.

After more than three years, I finally had the chance to do it again. To my family, I’ve been known to come home in the wee hours of the morning. But even so, I was sneaky - I always brought keys to all doors and gates with me. But tonight, I made a miss. After work, I headed home only to find that my family went out for dinner. I looked for my keys in my bag only to realize that I left them in my room. It was 7.30 PM and I was too tired to go somewhere else. Hence, I made a decision: over the fence it is. It was a sight to behold: I was in my patent leather Mary Janes, my acid-washed jeans and formal blouse and I hoisted myself up and over the gate and jumped inside the lawn. The funny thing was, while I was at the top and lifting my leg over to the other side, I heard our neighbor yell, “Aaaay matagak!”

I couldn’t explain the adrenaline rush I got on both occasions. I felt excited to stretch my limbs over the iron fence and yet embarassed about the possibility that someone might see me. But then, the moment my feet landed on the ground where I should be, it gave me a feeling that I hit home.

So yes, maybe we encounter locked gates in our lives. At times, there are moments when we can’t wait any longer so we decide to climb. It is a risk to be seen by other people; they might think what you’re doing is crazy, they might think you’d fall and get hurt. But what the heck, whether your friends are there or not, hoist yourself up and get over it. You’ll be closer to where you ought to be.
Alright, this post is not really about jumping over the fence.