Is that you, Poyo (Dusun endearment term)? She yelled upon seeing me descending the bridge. Yes, I said, smiling. She smiled back. You're here, good, she said holding my hands, I was getting really bored just now. Her eyes sparks. I had never noticed the callous on her hands before, perhaps it got thicker? I don't know. Have you eaten? I asked. Yes, she said and then told me she had chicken. It was her dinner she said and she won't eat anything anymore until tomorrow morning. But it's only 5PM, I thought. My sister and three cousins joined us.
We sat outside, a roofed front yard with cement floor. The river was loud, but after a while my ears stopped listening to it. There was a small folding table in front of us, and a rusty, round tin box was at the center of it. I opened the box and found betel leaves, betel nuts, white powder, and a betel nut scissor. I've expected to see them. You know how to eat those? My sister asked when she saw me cutting a betel nut into thin flakes. Of course, I said, I learned it from her. Grandma smiled. I tore a small piece of betel leaf and put a pinch of the white powder at its center. Spicy, bitter and dryness burned my tongue and throat as I chewed everything. It tasted like that terrible Fireball Cinnamon whisky I had in college few years back. I hated that drink.
This doesn't taste any good, but people eat this, I don't know why....Maybe it's like smoking cigarette, I said to my sister and cousins when they grimaced in unison, watching me chewing the betel leaf and nut. My teeth and tongue turned orange. Grandma laughed when I rolled out my tongue. Of course I didn't like the taste, but it reminded me of her. I'm not saying that she's bitter, and I don't hate her like that cinnamon whisky. I love her. I just wanted to make sure I remember how the betel leaf and nut tasted like so that I would always remember her wherever I will be in the future.
I think my phone is broken, Grandma said. My sister checked Grandma's old Nokia phone--the small one with black and white screen. You need to top up your credit, my sister said, that's why you can't make any call. I want a touch-screen phone like yours, Grandma said to her. Do you know how to use this? My sister asked. Grandma paused, and then took my sister's phone and randomly touched and swiped the screen with her fingers. She tapped on the camera app and saw her face. I don't even know how to use my old phone, she said, I only know how to press the green and red buttons. Well, let's take a photo, I said, taking the phone from her hand. Grandma flashed her V sign to the camera. Peace! My sister sang. Now I have a photo to remind me of this evening. And I still think the betel nut and betel leaf tasted like cinnamon whisky.