Monday, April 6, 2009

what happens inside closed locker rooms

i was changing in our gym's locker room when i noticed these two kids. my gym offers karate lessons and the boys would sometimes hang out in the locker room during their breaks. as i was sitting on the bench, undoing my shorts, i noticed how these two young kids, both maybe less than 10 years old, were touching each other. the older of the two had the younger close against him, almost face to face, with his hand inside the younger's shirt. i heard one of them ask the other what he was doing, with the other only replying to him with a hush. he kept it in there for a long while, enough for me to look at them intently and wonder whether or not to think malice of what they were doing. they were young boys, too young to even consider the possible meanings of their actions, and yet it frightened me still though to even have these thoughts. were children becoming promiscuous so early already, exploring their bodies at such tender ages, or had i been corrupted so badly now that i cannot give certain gestures the benefit of the doubt? i continued to stare at them, waiting how things were going to unfold. was i witnessing how boys would eventually evolve into men like me? the older eventually took his hand out of the younger's shirt and placed his head against his chest. the younger asked again what he was doing, the older tightened his embrace. this time however, the older replied with a giggle... "you should hear how strong your heart is beating!" "ba-dum! ba-dum!" turns out, it was the younger's first day in karate class and he was sorely exhausted. the older was his brother i would presume since they kinda looked alike. both boys were dreading the resuming of class since they were set to go against this girl, who i would also presume, can kick boy ass.

i stepped out of the locker room feeling relieved, and to a certain degree, disgusted. relieved that my initial thoughts were very wrong. disgusted since it also confirmed that i had become so jaded that children no longer look innocent in my eyes.

o how much i have lost.

9 comments:

gentle said...

they have those classes for kids sa gym nyo.. cool!! :)

wanderingcommuter said...

hahaha... don't worry jamie, i thought of the same thing as well while i was reading the first part.

its time to get achieve back our innocence!

Anonymous said...

ay! basahin mo, 'at swim, two boys.' major crayola effect ako sa librong yan, kahit na nosebleed ang english translation!

. said...

Sad. I would have the same impression too. Much has been lost to us. We have put too much meanings on everything.

Eternal Wanderer... said...

Malice in in eye of the beholder.

But don't worry Jaime, your in good company - Wandering, Mugen, and me, plus others, too, I'm sure.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA

ilurkintheilluminatedshadows said...

If I had seen it first hand I wouldn't think that but reading it the you wrote it made me think about it that way. Boo me for reading? haha

Theo Martin said...

oh shucks. i could just imagine the innocence in their hearts that I could never ever have na...

Gram Math said...

i still look at children as innocent little creatures.

Victor Saudad said...

this is funny cute.