Page 2 of Time Loops & Meet Cutes
She clucks her tongue. “Trust me. Better this way.”
Since she seems so insistent, I nod.
I walk around the rest of the night market, in a bit of a daze because I’m so ravenous. I’m also thirsty, so I buy some calamansi iced tea. I’ve drunk most of it by the time I return to the dumpling booth, which is still empty. The elderly woman is bent over, scooping some pan-fried dumplings into a paper food tray. Her hand shakes slightly. After giving me the food, she gestures to the soy sauce and vinegar jars. I help myself and grab some chopsticks.
“Thank you,” I say.
I swear I can feel her watching me as I seek out a place to eat. Since the nearby benches are full, I simply stand at the end of a row of booths.
At the first bite of dumpling, I groan. Oh my god, that was definitely worth the wait. Juicy pork and vegetables… and something else that I can’t pinpoint. It’s a little different from any dumpling I’ve had before—and I’ve had a lot of dumplings. If I weren’t so hungry, I’d try to figure it out.
I pick up the second dumpling with my chopsticks, and it’ssomehow even better than the first. Or maybe I’m just better able to appreciate it because I’m not quite as famished now.
By the time I get to the sixth dumpling, my pace has slowed, and I’m taking my time to appreciate how good these dumplings are. I’m also eyeing the food that the other market-goers are carrying. I see ice cream, donuts… and that same young couple again, sharing a cup with alternating white and green layers. Matcha tiramisu?
After finishing my dumplings, I discard the tray in the overflowing trash bin and continue walking around the market. I’m feeling too stingy for some picture-perfect cupcakes, but I happen upon a small stall selling flavored pandesal and decide one of those would be an appropriate, not-too-extravagant treat. I also happen upon, miracle of miracles, a half-empty bench. A man and a toddler are sitting on one end, but the other half is open.
After taking a seat, I bite into my ube halaya pandesal. It’s fluffy and buttery and even better than I expected. I close my eyes and savor it, then debate whether to get another one for breakfast tomorrow, eventually deciding that I should. I wince a little as I hand over some coins in exchange for a second pandesal, but it smells heavenly. I pack the bag into my purse, careful not to crush it.
Today is the longest day of the year, the summer solstice, and as dusk finally falls on the market, there’s an almost magical quality to it. The lights, the faint music, the crowds enjoying their food. The scent of grilled meat and fried food is nearly enough to make me hungry again, even if my stomach is pleasantly full. As I wind my way to the subway station, I pass the dumpling lady. She smiles at me and I smile back. Still no customers at the booth, which is curious, even if it’s cash only and the signage leaves a little to be desired.
By the time I get off the bus, it’s almost ten. I begin the short walk home, and when I see a car whose bumper is precariously held together by duct tape, I chuckle. I wonder how long that will last.
Back at my apartment, I pack the pandesal into a container, take off my work clothes, have a shower, and flop into bed. Another long day at the office, though at least I did something to celebrate the fact that it’s Friday, and tomorrow, I can sleep in. Then I’ll spend a couple of hours on that proposal, buy some groceries, call my parents…
My list of things to do running through my head, I fall asleep.
JuneCam
I’m in the kitchen, leaning against the counter and having a midnight snack—the ube cheesecake that I bought at the market—when Justin returns. We’ve been roommates for years now, and while having a roommate and living in an old high-rise is not where I thought I’d be in my thirties, I don’t mind. It’s nice to have someone else around.
“Hey. How was your date?” I ask before sliding another bite into my mouth. I’m eating out of the cardboard box because I’m classy like that.
“Good,” Justin says as he pours himself some water. “Really, really good.”
“Two ‘reallys,’ eh?”
Justin looks like he’s fighting a goofy smile. I don’t know why he’s bothering to fight it; I certainly wouldn’t if I were in his position, but he’s a little more cautious than me when it comes to these things.
“What about your evening?” he asks. “Your meeting went well?”
“Sure.” If Justin doesn’t want to talk about his first date, I’ll let him off the hook… for now. “They’ve got a couple of weekends in August that’ll work. I’ll add it to the schedule tomorrow.”
I went to the night market to talk to someone about bringing their food truck to the brewery later this summer. I also sampled some of their bao and got bulgogi poutine from another vendor before buying a slice of cheesecake to take home with me. The vibe of the market was really cool, especially as it got dark. I love how food and drink bring people together. That’s part of what drew me to the industry.
I also loved the red Pocky box costume that I saw someone wearing. When I arrived home, I tried to find a place to buy it online, but nothing immediately came up. Maybe I’ll have to make one myself. It would be awesome for Halloween. I’ve worn my inflatable unicorn costume for a few years now, and I need something new.
Justin and I talk for a few more minutes—he still doesn’t let any details slip about his mystery man—before he turns in for the night. I do too. I’m not tired, but I should sleep because tomorrow is a busy day. Every day is a little different at the brewery that I started with Justin and Darrell, and I like it that way. I used to have a job where all my days were so similar, and they seemed to bleed into one another. It’s not like that now. Of course there are some terrible days—Tuesday, for example, was one crisis after another—but we get through them.
As I roll onto my side and try to get some shut-eye, my mind flits back to the market. I wish I could have tried all the food there, but alas, my stomach is only so big, and I won’t have time to go back tomorrow. For example, there were some satay sticks with peanut sauce that looked delicious. I saw a young couple eating those, and they looked like they were really enjoying them—or maybe they were more enjoying each other. I felt a sliver of envy before I shrugged and moved on.
Ah, well. So it goes.
I wonder how long it’ll take me to make that Pocky costume.
2Noelle
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