Angel's among us~

   

 
"I've seen and met angels, wearing the disguise of ordinary people, living ordinary lives"



     Its been quite a while since high schoolmates and classmates get together for the long missed beer and pool parties. If not for a very generous friend who obviously landed in a great paying company we would have chosen the less grandeur, less appalling venue in order to make our ends met. Most probably, we will go hiking, set camp and frolic in the lush green, soothing ambiance of nature. Actually, it was one of our 'where to go' options before Edward, our  sparring mate answered to batch roll calls about the upcoming reunion. Whew! He was like a cascade , not just a whip of fresh air, saving the organizers face from hot water. I have known earlier that the most anticipated gathering had some sort of a long standing budget accumulated through solicitations from donors, mostly politicians. This made me wonder. I can't understand why they need to solicit money from people when obviously we are willing to spend some percent of our hard earned peso for the gathering. After all this has been planned for a long time. Sigh. Money as always is a hot issue. Arguments preceded after with questions of who's who, pointing fingers and even long buried grudges have been immortalized. The real issue now is, 'are we going to enjoy this or not? This is supposed to be a reunion of tears of happiness, a celebration not a reunion of hatred, of fire against fire. So when i'm about to back out and say farewell, Edward came in, maybe heaven sent, immaculate in white denim overall, smiling like an angel and in a single 'hush' totally extinguish their burning fury. There were murmurs of relief, some clapping and laughing, alas no sordid outburst. All differences have been sorted out as slowly but surely as it gets. What perfect timing! Edward wasn't supposed to take pauses from work because there is no replacement for him but he find a way, it turned out, to be with us. 
     So to cut it short, he went on to booked us in a grand resort with panoramic view, glorious food and drinks. Everyone was having a really grand time enjoying the whole scene;  strolling, swimming and partying hard like tomorrow never comes (literally drinking and dancing the night away). And Edward, well I can't say he's sober enough to to be able to wake up at dawn and pee at the pool. Good thing is, at least they have two friends who are non-beer drinkers (me and May-ann). Oh dear, two against eighteen?? How can we be able to manage them? To think that May-ann is asthmatic and as frail as a mimosa.
But still I'm just as thankful that I'm not alone and she has her puff, by the way. First things first, the ladies. Making sure their valuables are intact, we carry the light-weights (May-ann at lower extremities, me on upper part) and pile them side by side in our room. And while both of us are skinny, we literally pull in the heavy-weights, laboriously dragging them in the grasses, dead tired and snoring still while some even vomited. And yes someone did even woke up, startled and mumbled "Youhh can..nhibalss!" 
     Then we went around messy tables by the gardens, men's toilets and pool to look for Edward. We're just about to give up when we found him, already quite sober at the hall, talking to some young and sexy receptionist. I can't help but wonder, at this time of dawn? I bet the real receptionist must have been sleeping. Sigh. May-ann frowned in disapproval and suggested that we stay a while hidden from their sight to observe a bit longer. Like me, she's got bad vibes so we hid in a tall hibiscus plant, eavesdropping. My eyelids are becoming heavy as early morning breeze touch my skin and the newly trimmed grasses looks inviting. So while I was about to gave in to drowsiness, May- ann vigorously shook my shoulders, ashen-faced and obviously horrified. In a span of few minutes, I thought she was going to faint. I stood trying to hold her, prompting to breath while she kept on pointing at Edward's direction. Before we know it, we both screamed at the sight of our friend helplessly swarmed and beaten by three masked men, now taking all valuables he had. I just stood mesmerized while May-ann overcoming her fear and breathlessness run toward the security posts and called for help. Everything was played so well like in a movie scene where armed guards seized the robbers and Edward was saved in time. Thanks to a dear friend May-ann who showed courage and heroism in such tight situation. Later in the morning the group were told that those men have guns with them and God knows what happens when guards arrived late on the scene. 
     Many years after, I'm still thankful to God for friends like her and Edward who made the trip possible. Indeed, angel's lived among us*

"Courage is not the absence of fear but the acquired 
         ability to move beyond fear"                                          


Lesson: Do not judge.Those who look frail always have the strongest of spirit!

What is normal? Anyone???

This story happened more than two decades ago but the thought still made me nauseous. It was one of those rough times when we struggle to live independently in a city thousands of miles away from home. We are pursuing a dream. To finish college, to find a job (and a decent man? That was how things are, until now?) We are lucky to be admitted in a dormitory with a reasonably low monthly rental. There are five of us occupying a 10x10 square foot room with five single beds, one study table, a 10 watts electric bulb, a single fan but no built in comfort room. The bathroom which we shared with five more occupants (including two males and our landlord's son) was located twenty steps outside our room. My roommates who are so scared of the dark decided to put a bedpan underneath in preparation for the late night's call of nature. Except me and one friend. Each night before bedtime she would go out to take long baths while I stay up late reading or writing or sort out things in my locker. Sometimes I take short walks for fresh air or until my eyelids go heavy just sitting in a garden bench. One morning, while eating breakfast, this landlord's son secretly approached me and asked if he could have a few minutes of my time. I was puzzled, gave him a moment of grimace but smiled when I saw his begging eyes. He led me to the back of the house near the overgrown shrubs of his mother's and we sit on a bench. I kept thinking of what he's up to while I constantly looked at my wrist watch. Oh jeez! Sweats broke out his forehead and I'm like "Oh if this is about me, shout it out because I'm getting late to class!" Still very hesitant, he finally spoke when he sensed I'm getting impatient.
     " I'm sorry but this is something I'm too shy to asks about."
     " Hey, tell me about it and please hurry", Oh dear, I'm intrigued, I'm puzzled but excited? No. I don't have time for this.
    " I need your help. You're the only one who always slept late, so I guess you knew about something lately. Please tell me the truth."
    "Ohh! I was shocked. I hate reading between the lines. What exactly do you mean by that?" 
    " I cannot find my underwears in the bathroom for three nights already."
    "Omg! So are you accusing me I steal all those?
    "Just wanna asks you first. Sorry"
Poor guy! It was so outrageous but hilarious at the same time it made my stomach cramped from laughing. 
    "Ok, Just telling you I'm not a pervert. In fact I could slap your face right now for insinuating such stupidity." 
    I went directly home after class that day. It was high noon and almost everyone are at school. Feeling a bit drowsy with nothing new to read about, I decided to clean the room and look for those ' stolen men's undies' underneath the beds but to no avail. Exhausted, I lie flat on my back unintentionally shifting my gaze at a small window facing my bed. Then as I was about to close my eyes, I saw it! I gaped for a few seconds, immobilized and speechless. WTH! The ' stolen things' are neatly hanged in individual hangers screaming at my face like early morning sunlight. And I thought he was wrong all along. Oh dear! What a shame!!
     When my roommate friend came home that evening, I confronted her right away . But guess what I get? She smiled like it was nothing and told me to not worry. Sigh.
     The next day when our landlord's son ask about it I never hide one tiny detail so I wouldn't have to carry such burden in my head. He only said thank you. 
      Days went by with not a single gossip heard around the dormitory. Things are at a usual pace just like before. We all busied ourselves studying for the exams. Then one night while I was reading, I noticed my friend sniffed frequently unto something while lying in her bed facing the wall. I ask what was wrong and said nothing. Later when she was asleep, I went to her bed to see what was she holding.Pulling it slowly away from her grasp, I was shocked and nearly fainted. It was a men's underwear! Oh my God!
I kept calling God till I drop to my own bed almost out of breath!
     Later on, I learnt that they exchange undies to kept and sniffed??? OMG! It was so disgusting! They are so totally sick! Most ironic is they got married while I was admitted to a hospital for hyperventilation. Sigh..!


Lesson learned: Know who your friends are ( learn also to accept)^_^
    

Night Life^_^

     It was past midnight. Like many nights before, insomnia took power over frail, sickly me while everyone else in the house dreamed the night away. Along with my dogs named Light and Dark, I always stand guard: night shift! I walked aimlessly like a prowling ghost in an open window savoring the faint sweet smell of mango blooms while the sultry air toyed with my long, dark hair. Ah! Wishing to become immortal this should be the perfect night for an adventure! I was raised surrounded with a throng of extended families but I love the word 'alone' and I was beguiled with the mystery of the dark. Tempted to go out and wearing only a thin nightdress, Dark suddenly let out a ferocious howl which made me jump two steps down our rickety stair in the balcony. Then Light, with an ear up, run towards the bushes outside the gate while barking. Nailed to the ground unable to move and feeling my heartbeat, I smiled. I was not terrified. We are living in a farflung village near the sea. I frowned thoughtfully. Pirates? Hooligans? A remote possibility. Beachcombers? Gypsies? Maybe. Maybe not. So I went out silently tiptoeing barefoot behind the thick line of Chinese bamboos carefully dragging with me the long dress. The dogs are still noisy exchanging barks while I adjusted my vision in the dark space. I pick up stones and throw in the bushes. And look what we've found! Two naked couple who frantically forgot where to look for their clothes and run hand in hand when they sense me. Omg! What could be worst? I thought they were simply creepy crawlies. Good thing is, my dogs obey when I told them to shut up and go back inside the house! Sigh..What a night! 

Lesson learned that day: Don't forget to bring flashlight in the dark. And yell!!!

Sweet or Sour?

It was a Tuesday, market day. My girlfriend and I went to the market to buy fresh produce delivered at dawn from various neighboring farms. A lot are in season including fruits, sweet, yummy fruits like 'marang', 'rambutan' and mangosteen. As we passed by arrays of fruit stalls, one vendor caught our attention and everybody else's. Aside from being so loud and with a very convincing and tempting sales talk, he has goods not found in others, 'Lanzones'! Round fruits that comes in bunches similar to longan but a bit bigger. We already bought a few kilo's of other fruits but my friend said we still have a few pesos left and she guessed that it doesn't cost much. I frowned trying to understand what she's up to because she had this silly smile on her face. She's right, the fruit isn't as expensive as I thought. But before we made the purchase, she asked the vendor to have a taste for her. The vendor quite surprised obey my friend. He peeled one fruit and ate it. He made quite a face trying to hide the sourness of the fruit making him look so awfully stupid.
My friend advised him not to lie again (of course out of other people's hearing range) because the truth will always come out. Nonetheless we bought the fruit, a kilo for a price of half:-)
The fruit is not sweet when not in season and the sweet one's are priced quite higher. Omg! My heart goes for the poor vendor whom she outwitted.

Simple lesson learned: Do not lie!