My son TJ, though I normally don't allow him to have instant cup of noodles always reminds me of an important person in his growing years whenever he gets a chance to eat these instant noodles. "I miss Tito Warren, he always makes me noodles." TJ's young mind has associated these noodles with the care and attention he got from his uncle, who lived with us for about 3 years before he got married.
From the office, Warren would usually walk home from the corner. Drenched in sweat, precocious TJ would enter his designated room to play with him, and he'd usually make noodles before their "kulitan" sessions. These sessions would end with me entering to make sure nobody gets hurt.As I write this, my son is getting ready for school. Again, I am reminded of the times when I was sharing one bathroom with my cousin, and he's so fast in taking a bath first. Amidst the wet floors I tell myself, this is nothing compared to the joy we had while he was with us.
He was extremely religious and made it a point to bow down to the altar every time he passes it in the hallway. He always wants to go to Simbang Gabi but always winds up asleep when he's with us or not being able to wake up in time before. He put a lot of gel in his hair and we even end up sharing "beauty secrets" to clearer skin.
Ate Jinkee will always be a term reserved for my cousins, and he was the one who used it most often living here. When I was still single and in need of a date, he was there to be my tall handsome date (yeah good genes) And he'll always have stories to tell about his friends, his girl friend, his parents and his work. He loved to do overtime and was quite good at saving. He was one of my son's earliest male father figures, and although I don't usually say it out loud, I miss him a lot. I miss our cup of noodles together.
My previous association with noodles was way back in college, when I had it whenever I was on a diet or too tired to go out or perhaps trying to save money. For someone who didn't know how to cook, there was instant comfort in these noodles. Nowadays, these instant noodles serve as a reminder for me that indeed, some things in life do dissolve in an instant. That not all good comfort food are those that are homecooked, or served with a lot of ingredients.
Boiling water should be allowed to cool in a same way that one should take precaution in their actions lest they burn or suffer the consequences.
The bits of meat remind me that sometimes you do have to look for those small doses of good news in everything you have.
The ribs in the cup allow me not to touch anything that I am not ready for. The container protects me just as they protect the noodles from spilling all over.
The line inside the cup lets me know just how much water to put and in real life, reminds me of certain limitations.
The different flavors allow me a variety of choices that yes, even with a limited budget I can have bulalo or yakisoba or beef flavor in a bowl.
The different sizes? Well it goes to show that my appetite may be for merienda or for dinner but there is something for me just the same, I just have to adjust. Like in real life, you get what you need...
The brand that gave skyflakes remind me that some people just go well together. Even the unlikely ones.
These noodles serve as comfort food for the sick be it from headache or flu.The rich noodles that run I can bite even if I have a toothache remind me that life is painful but you have to move on.
These noodles remind me of the good times and of the instant memories one can have with just eating them.
(pic taken from the internet)
