It was a little past 6 o'clock in the evening when my sister returned home. She was stroking and patting her hair down to put it back in its proper place and whirled around to face me as I entered the bedroom.
"So?" Was all I could ask as I seated myself on the bed.
"A total waste of my time. What they wanted was totally different." She said.
"Huh? What do you mean different? I sent the proper paper work and the required list of names... What do you mean different?"
"They only wanted you." And with that she flipped a piece of folded paper towards me and I tried to catch it but it fumbled from my fingers and onto the mattress. I quickly opened it and saw the list I had made the night before that had the names of the dancers I recommended for this dance project for a television commercial that I had been called for a couple of days ago.
Around it were squiggly notes and a hand-drawn costume of a cheerleader's outfit that had my name written on its side.
I looked up at my sister with a large question mark on my face.
"You guys didn't understand each other. You should contact that person who called you for this project. Looks like you're gonna be on TV."
"But..." was all I could mumble. My head was still filled with that phone conversation about the project.
I looked back at the paper and read the notes. It specifically indicated that I be this Cheerleader of Oz. Oz, not the slang for the Land down Under. Oz, the magical place that Dorothy accidentally landed on when she was whipped up by a tornado. Oz. One of my favorite books as a child.
"They're making this TV show on the Land of Oz and you are in it!" Squealed sister.
"I don't get it. How... why...?"
"I guess you fit the part." Sister said as she took the paper from me and tucked it in one of my small hand bags that was hanging on my bathroom door knob.
"But there wasn't any audition or anything. How..."
But sister had already left the room. I was left there staring at that piece of paper with lots of questions whirled around my already confused mind. I lied down on the bed with my arms above my head, closed my eyes and wondered. Then I smiled. Is this for real? I hope so. I'm gonna be an actress? I was getting excited.
When I opened my eyes it was already dark. Did I fall asleep?
My eyes were heavy. I needed effort to keep them open. I pushed myself up and sat upright. I tried to look down at my shirt but I couldn't. It was like there was this invisible thing that prevented me from doing so. I suddenly realized I was still lying on the bed. My arms still above my head that reminded me of the strong man flexing and posing with matching fists closed.
I rolled to one side and tried to lift myself up. I thought I had done so but I was back lying down. I was dreaming of getting up! Twice. Then I remembered the piece of paper. I looked towards the door and there was my handbag still hanging on the knob with a piece of paper sticking out from the inside. I smiled and got up.
But I was still lying on the bed. Why I couldn't muster enough real strength to get up was beyond me. It felt as if I was strapped down with tranquilizer for my whole body would feel numb after every awakening. This is crazy. I had to get up.
Then my eyes opened once again and the room was dark. I had been dreaming all along. All those attempts to get up was all a dream. I chuckled inside and blinked hard twice. Am I finally awake? Can I finally get up?
And I did. I walked groggily to the bathroom and went to the sink to splash my face with water. I remembered that my sister wasn't home. She was still at her dorm since Sunday. I wiped my face on a towel and never recalled a phone conversation about dancers. I walked out of the bathroom and didn't find any handbag hanging on the knob. There was no piece of paper. There was no role as the cheerleader from Oz. There was just the dream of it all.
This all happened today. My nap from 6PM to 10PM has made my whole body clock go strange.
mahal! you need major beach therapy. come with me, my child. 