My plan to hit the sack early last night got derailed when I noticed my old Ace hard-shell suitcase, which I'd left unopened for years because I had forgotten the combination key (code). I suddenly felt the urge to unlock it.
However, the lock was stubborn. I tried every combination I could think of to no avail. While both the secondary locks and side latches were open, the dial locks remained shut.
YT tutorials didn't help either, as I couldn't find any reset pinhole. A brute-force method attempt could work, but it would take longer, so I stopped and started to open it by force. Even so, it wasn't easy. I used heavy-duty knives, but it wouldn't budge.
What could be inside? It piqued my curiosity, so I kept on even when it took most of my evening. I nearly gave up, but when I pulled one of the knives out, the stubborn lock finally gave way.
And aha!
Uniforms on my first job, a big folder, a vintage tin box, some diaries, and yeah, the suitcase's user manual😅
I slumped on the floor and took out the contents. There were old diaries, envelopes, letters, greeting cards, innermost secrets, and lists of creditors (whom I loaned money to). I don't even recall if they paid it back (no notes in it either)😅
Flipping through pages and reading some, I was surprised there were many things I had forgotten. "Did I really do that?" I started conversing with myself in disbelief.
"So I had been helping them all those years?" "Wh-a-a-a-t? I had been cheated on?" "Oh... So I was terribly hurt back then..." It felt like I was reading someone's diary, although the names mentioned were familiar.
Most of the small and airmail envelopes were letters from a long-time pen friend. We were schoolmates in grade school, but he moved to the Visayas, and we wrote to each other for many years until I left the country in early 2000. What a friendship that was!
And I didn't know this rare collectible was hiding a precious memory that had somehow slipped away.
Meanwhile, my little boy has made the suitcase his new turf.😅 It gave me an idea—maybe turn it into his cozy bed! Although I doubt he'd use it for long. He'd rather be beside me at night.
Anyway, I hopped into bed at 11 pm after my little trip back through the years via the diaries and some letters. It occurred to me that I had lost many memories, including how my siblings and I exchanged letters, saying I love you to each other when we were all younger. Those made my heart swell with joy and warmth.❤️ I'll keep those keepsakes, as some really good (past) versions of myself are packed in them.
As for the other things, I might burn them.
All photos are my own unless specified. 04102026/09:36ph
