The Pros and Those who Refuse

I have a thing about not getting what I want. When I was a kid, I threw tantrums. I was a part-time brat. These days I turn into a bitch. But I try to moderate my evil side and I have come to realize that, most of the time, bitching doesn’t help so I just spontaneously combust.

Then again I can always write instead of bursting into angry flames. So here I go.

Four days ago, I had one of Yzee’s birthday treats done by supposed “experts.” They ended up disappointing me with their very poor outputs which I received today. I cannot go into detail on the exact outputs because I wouldn’t want to spoil Yzee’s birthday surprise. But I shall share my thoughts in general.

I could have done better than the job delivered by the “experts.” And I don’t even have an experience with regard their craft. That’s what I told them while I did my best not to snarl at them. They tried to defend their poorly executed work by presenting this excuse, “Namatayan kasi kami. Wala pa nga kaming tulog.”

I get the feeling that they wanted me to feel guilty for expecting them to do their job amidst their loss. I’m not sure if I should. After all when I gave them the job, no one was dead yet. If they did their task as soon as we closed our deal, then there wouldn’t have been any problems. Or they could have tried reaching me so that I would be able to pass the job on someone else who’s in a better disposition to satisfy my need. But then again, I am not cold-hearted. I can understand how death can get in the way of work. Although I still believe that it cannot be used as an excuse for screwing up. Yet somehow I can forgive them.

The case could have ended there. But the “experts” had to say, “Bakit hindi ninyo sinabi na dadalhin pala sa Singapore? E di sana ginanito natin [suggesting a procedure that ensured better quality outputs, with or without anyone dead].”

Ayan na naman! They pressed my button. They seemed to imply that special procedures only apply for those things we export. No wonder we, residents of this country, always have to settle with second rate produce! Grrr!

This, I am aware, everyone must know by now but let me say it anyway: We should always pour in our best in the things we do. Regardless if it is for special clients, or for foreigners, or for expats, we sign our names and plaster our faces on every work we complete. That thought alone should drive us to leave positive imprints on our creations. And if circumstances get in the way of our doing our job, we cannot use it as an excuse for presenting poor outputs. We can apologize but it is still our responsibility to start from the beginning, if we have to, just to deliver what is expected of us. Real life is not a classroom where you can tell the teacher, “the dog ate it,” when your homework looks like hell. In this world, once you deliver half-baked work, prepare to be ashamed of yourself. But redeem your soul by doing better next time, and the time after that, and the next time after the next time after that, and so on.

These principles define the wide line between the pros and those who refuse to be as professional as they should.

My Diwa has Landed on Philippine Shores

Finally, hindi na surreal na balik Pinas na nga ako. For some reason, ngayon lang nakauwi ang diwa ko. Anubayun? Delayed flight siya?

Super feel ko na ngayon na nandito na nga ako sa kanlungan ng aking inang bayan. Super, as in lumilipad with cape and all.

Next order of business is to get a job because quite frankly, NGINIG ang financial status ko ngayon, thus explaining why I left via PAL and came home boarding a Cebu Pacific aircraft. Which isn’t bad at all. I appreciate the two different experiences. Perhaps I’ll write about that next time.

So Purita Mirasol ako to the max ngayon. Kaya kahit kating-kati na akong bumili ng Parker pen kahapon—did you know that they go for Php290 each these days?—tiis na lang ang lola ninyo. Refill lang yata ng PANDA ballpen ang carry kong bilhin ngayon.

Why the sudden interest on a Parker pen you ask? Namiss ko kasi ang Parker pen ko na bigla na lamang naglaho ilang taon na ang nakalilipas. Samantalang yung cheapangga kong 3-in-1 ball pen na witness ng last semester ko nung college e alive and kicking pa rin. Talagang the valued-ones have a way of conveniently getting lost, ano? Kainis. Regalo pa naman sa akin ng ate ko yon. Natuwa ako when I got it kahit na may notion ako na Parker pen ang nireregalo sa taong di mo talaga alam ang gusto or doon sa mga di mo ka-close.

E bakit ko nga ba naisip ang Parker pen ko? Kasi time for looking for a job na naman ngayon. Kasakasama ko yung na-lost kong Parker pen when I was job hunting after college. Also, let’s not forget to mention na may fixation ako sa ball pen. Na sa tuwing may bagong so-called chapter sa buhay ko, I celebrate it by getting a new pen. Feeling ko, panahon na para sa isang Parker pen. Kasi seryoso na ito. Who knows? Baka yon na ang gamitin kong pang sign ng marriage contract someday? Charot!

Hahaha! (Give me a minute to recover.)

There.

Mabalik ako. So andito na nga ako ulit sa Pinas. Actually naka-3 trips to Megamall na ako and 1 sa Glorietta. Enough na yon para makaikot ulit and realize how different we are from the country I previously visited.

I’d hate to say na ANG PANGIT NG PILIPINAS, the way most balik bayans blurt it out like a proud fart. Yes, madumi nang more than slight. And the air, yikes, you can actually see the air you inhale. Nakakapraning! At since walang patumanggan ang ulan ngayon, baha ang kalye. The word “puddle” is not apt to call the depressions sa major kalye na nagiging foot bath after several inches of rain. (Tatlong footwear ko ang nanganganib na masira ngayon.) Hindi ko ma-okray ang Pilipinas ng ganun ganoon na lang kasi HOME ko ‘to.

Nung nasa Singapore ako, muntik ko nang pitasin isa-isa ang buhok ko sa frustration every time na-i-co-compare ko ang Pinas sa Sg. Kasi naman, kung tutuusin, mas mayaman ang lupa natin kesa sa kanila. Mas malawak. Mas gifted with natural resources! Yung Singapore kailangan nilang mag-effort gumawa ng sarili nilang beach para lang mapaganda ang lugar nila. The rest, if not all of their tourist attractions, gawa lang ng mga hired hands nila. Nagkakandaloka sila sa pag-maintain ng mga pinaggagagawa nila, samantalang tayo, eto, binigyan na ng Diyos pero chuva lang! Abusuhin while kaya! Bahala na bukas.

What’s wrong with us?

Tapos isa pang factor yung pamilya. Doon nauubos na yung locals nila. Ayaw kasing mag-anak dahil mahirap nga naman ang buhay especially kung kailangan mong magtrabaho in order to live. E dito sa atin, hala, sige! Parang inuutot na lang ng ibang nanay ang sanggol. Deadma kung papaano na sila bubuhayin at palalakihin. Ang ending, yung mga batang gusgusin ang bumubuhay sa pamilya at sa laspag nilang magulang. Nakakainit ng ulo!

Kaya nung nandoon ako, napansin ko kung gaano ka-relaks yung mga nanay at tatay doon na may hawak na anak. Malamang kasi ready talaga sila sa pinasok nila kaya di stressful ang pag-maintain ng ensemble nila. Di gaya dito. Pamilya = problema. Parang ang nasa isip ng mga magulang, “saan ko kaya kukunin ang kakainin namin bukas.” Pero parang di sumasagi sa isip nila yung, “shet, tama na kaya itong 9 na anak ko? Makapag-family planning na kaya?”

Dapat yung mga kontra sa family planning pinag-iimersion sa mga slums kung saan 13 na anak plus nanay at tatay ang nakatira sa isang 2-square-meter barung barong. Dapat pinapakilala sa kanila yung mga batang kailangang mamalimos o magbenta ng kung anuman dahil sa kahirapan.

Sa Singapore, disiplinado sila dahil takot sila sa corporal punishment na handang ipataw ng gobyerno nila sa kanila. Isipin mo na lang papaluin ka ng cane sa pwet hanggang matuklap na ang skin mo. E yung thought pa lang nga na hahampasin ako ng sinturon ng tatay ko, e nagpapalpitate na ako! Dito kasi sa atin walang kinakatakutan ang mga tao kaya madalas bara-bara lang. Kasi naman, by virtue of following our leaders, e talagang kapalan na lang ng balat ito. Pare-pareho na lang tayong corrupt and stinky.

And here I was resenting comments which imply na gago tayong mga Pinoy. Example, nung nasa Singapore ako, may mamang puti na bumaba sa bus. Tamang tama naman na nalaglag ang cellphone niya. Kaya kami na nakakita, na puro Pinoy, we tried to get his attention. So ayun pinulot nung mama yung cellphone niya. Tapos may biglang nag-comment among us, “kung sa Pinas yan, di na niya makukuha ang cellphone niya.”

Gusto kong sabihin kasabay ng matinding flip ng hair, “kung sa Pinas yan, makukuha pa rin niya yung cellphone niya dahil nandoon tayo! Hmp!” I mean given the same situation, ibahin lang ang setting, gawing Pinas, definitely tatawagin pa rin namin si GEORGE to pick up his cellphone. Di ba?

Another story, we were picking the best cooler sa isang sari-sari hardware sa Singapore. So silip silip sa bawat item na nakadisplay. Tama ba namang tumambang sa amin ang umaalingasaw na amoy nung isang cooler? Kasi may nabubulok na food sa loob. Some “genius” placed his left over/trash inside one of the coolers kaya ayun, rotting na siya. Nang ikinwento namin ito sa isang Pinoy ang sabi niya, “Pinoy siguro ang gumawa noon.”

Ikaw ba naman, Pinoy, gagawin mo yon? Hindi ko maiisip or masa-suggest na Pinoy ang gumawa noon at a whim dahil hindi ko maisip na gagawin ko yon. Pero hindi naman natin masisisi entirely ang mga Pilipinong di na ma-identify ang sarili nila bilang Pinoy, kahit pa under the classification ng matinong Pinoy.

Kahapon lang naglalakad ako, muntik ko nang habulin yung mag-jowa sa harapan ko. Kasi itong girl bigla ba naman itinapon sa semento yung balat ng Chippy niya! Tatawagin ko sana para ipapulot ko ang kalat niya. Takot lang ako sa gulo but I swear I am inches away from doing that someday. Di ko magets kung paano naaatim ng mga taong magtapon ng basura sa kalye. E ang laki kaya noon? Obvious na obvious siya. Kayang kaya noon mambara ng kanal.

A good thing about Singapore is secure yung bansa, hindi lang building, bansa. Pwede kang makipagchikahan sa cellphone habang naglalakad sa kalsada dahil wala namang magtatakang humablot nito. Pag ginawa mo yon dito sa Pinas, tatanga-tanga ka. You deserve to be mugged.

Inabot ako ng midnight sa kalye ng Singapore pero di ko naramdaman yung takot na may haharang sa akin. Mabuti na lang dahil pag nagkaganoon, ang isisigaw ko, “tulong!” E good luck kung may makaintindi sa akin. Dito sa Pinas, kahit in broad daylight pwede kang pagtulungan ng kung anumang latest gang, regardless kung last money mo na yung nasa bulsa mo. Parang laging nasa panganib ang buhay natin dito.

In fact ang araw araw natin e parang episode ng Surivivor. At dahil sa mga challenges na pinagdadaanan natin, sisiw na lang ang ilang bagay. Di kagaya sa Singapore. I can’t imagine how much panic there would be if mag-brown out or if they open their faucets, one day, and water doesn’t come out. Siguro magkakanda loka sila. Tayo, pinagtibay na ng contaminated tap water natin ang mga sikmura natin kaya hindi tayo maselan. Hard core tayo!

Pero ayun na nga ang hinanakit ko. Sana hindi natin i-take for granted yung blessings natin, sana hindi natin i-abuse. Sana rin may sense of foresight tayo. Kasi hindi lang naman yung today ang nagmamatter. Whether buhay pa tayo bukas or not, may taong matitira bukas at kailangan nila ng place to live in. At since hindi tayo pampered dito sa bayan natin, it’s time to be practical. Wag na mag-anak kung papabayaan mo lang naman ang mga anak mo. May sense naman di ba?

So balik Pinas na nga ako. And reality is kicking in. Still, ayaw kong mag-give up sa bayan ko. Kahit pa nadestino ako for good sa ibang bansa, mahuhurt pa rin ako sa bawat negative chika about my people and my country. Kasi malaking bahagi ng pagkatao ko ang bayan ko. So much so na ang hindi ko pagkakalat sa kalye e hindi dahil takot akong makulong or mamahagupit. Hindi ko maatim gawing basurahan ang bansa ko dahil mahal ko ito.

At kailangan ko na ring magtrabaho dahil I refuse to be an added burden sa lipunan. Kahit hindi nakakayaman ang suswelduhin ko dito, malaki pa rin ang magagawa ng tax ko sa bayan.

And I am saying all these with my diwa intact. Consider this the whole of me talking.

In the Event that I Get Run Over by a Bus

I just received my last set of photos from Singapore and I find one especially useful. In fact, with that latest picture, I am torn between another existing photo.

What the hell am I talking about? Well, I thought I have already chosen the picture which the people I will leave behind will blow up in the event that I get run over by a bus; eaten by cancer; or mugged, raped and killed. (The possibilities are limitless, really.)

As it turns out, I now have an option two. But just the same, since I have no lawyer who’d take note of my last will and testament (?), I’ll put my preference on record via my blog.

If I go, I want these pictures beside my corpse.





They will surely capture the moment.

And please, keep my grade school grad pic where no one will find them. No one wants to see a cadaver to blush!

Going Bananas in My Pajamas

It’s two o’ clock in the afternoon and I am inside my pajamas. No, I am not fresh out of bed. In fact I’ve been up for five hours and I just took a bath. I found no reason to be in a set of street clothes when I will be in my room all day.

But don’t think I’m slacking. To tell the truth, I am busy. I’ve been racking my brains off and squeezing out whatever creative juice left in my system to produce my biggest print venture of all times. Translation: I am trying my darn best to creatively cover a 2 ft x 4 ft birthday tarp for my niece.

Exciting? Yes, it is. But at times like these, confidence helps. It’s pretty hard placing a design element in a certain space when you know you are no real artist to decide that such design element belongs to that space. Get it?

So I am working with my instincts as my tool. And since my taste level is put to the test, I cannot help but feel insecure.

But I am more excited than insecure so what the heck? Carry on with the project, right?

See I am going bananas in my pajamas! And if you think Sharapova is a loud player, you should see me in front of a PC. How I make animated sounds at the wrong press of keys. How I cheer, “you can do it” to our old PC while it slowly processes my work. How my mom thinks I am talking to her whereas I’m not.

Then again, I can’t wait to see the actual tarp with my design on it. (But I cannot very well post my design here until my niece’s big day. I would hate to preempt the occasion.)

You see, bananas work for me. And for all its worth, I’m glad to have something to be preoccupied with.

Gaano Ka-Pinoy ang Pamilya Ninyo?

Dalawa and tita kong ang pangalan ay "Baby." Tito ko naman sina Boy at Junior. Kapatid ko si Bunsoy (pero hindi siya ang bunso namin). Ate ko si Win-win at kapatid ko si Mic-mic.

Pinoy na Pinoy ang pamilya ko sa pangalan pa lang. Kung baga, galing ako sa old school picture of a Filipino family.

Tradisyonal nga kung maituturing. Minsan nakakasakal din. Hindi dahil mahigpit ang mga rules. Marahil dahil madalas baliko ang mga panuntunan.

Ito na lang ang halimbawa. Advocate ng pambababae ang lolo ko. Swerte daw, sabi niya. Kesa naman ibenta niya pati kaluluwa niya para lang makapagsugal. O kaya naman e manggulo dahil lango siya sa alak. O makasakit ng iba dahil high sa droga. Tingin niya lesser of all evils ang babae kaya naman yun lang ang bisyong minaintain niya. Sumalangit nawa si Tatay. Pero sana hindi niya sinabi sa akin yon. Nakalimutan yata niya na babae ako at pwede akong mabiktima ng lalaking may credo na tulad nang sa kanya.

Hanggang ngayon katawa-tawa, kung hindi man kaawaawa, sa ilan kong kamag-anak ang mga matatandang dalaga sa aming pamilya. Mas mapanlibak ang kanilang ngiti sa mga walang jowa kesa sa mga teenage moms na siyam na ang anak and counting. Ewan ko ba kung ano ang problema sa pagiging old maid. Kesa naman yung nag-anak ng sangkatutak. Marami pa ang damay sa misery, not that miserable ang maging old maid. (Well, I hope it's not.)

Nakakalungkot kasi meron pa rin sa mga kapamilya ko ang naniniwala na maiiaahon ng babaeng anak sa kahirapan ang pamilya kapag nag-asawa siya ng mayaman. Keber kung matanda. Mas OK nga daw kasi madaling madedo. Dahil sa mga ganoong comments, narerealize ko na romantic pa pala ako. Kasi naniniwala ako sa lab. Na if and only if true love exists, there is hope for marriage. At least for me. Sabi ko nga, romantic.

Swerte na lang ako dahil yung mga magulang ko, they took a step at making our family more modern than others. Pinromote nila ang democracy. Kung baga, may boses ang bawat miyembro at free kang i-share ito. Pero since ito lang ang first step sa pagiging liberal, hindi pa napeperpekto ang sistema namin. May glitches pa rin. Iba rin kasi yung ipo-process mo na yung mga freely na sinabi sa iyo. Mahirap din minsan makinig sa mga sinasabi sa iyo, lalo na kung totoo. Di madali. But I'm optimistic that we'll get there.

Ang general rule lang naman sa amin e magpakatino ka. Gawin mo ang gusto mo pero be responsible. Ganoon. Kaya medyo nakakatakot pumalpak. At least for me. Hinanakit ko yung mga walang pakundangang magkamali. Ako kasi praning kaya overly cautious. Yung mga bira ng bira without learning from previous mistakes, ang sarap pitpitin ng stick ang kamay.

Mahigpit ang pagkakatali namin sa aming pamilya. Good thing kasi masaya at yung mga pinagdaanan namin e nagkakaroon ng saysay. Matapos ang lahat hindi madaling magkawatak watak. Bad thing kasi, when abused, parang curse ang matali forever. Lalo kung hindi equal ang drive ninyo to make things better when life seems bleak.

Pinanganak ako sa piling ng Pinoy na pamilya. Oks naman siya. Flawed but I'd take what was given to me. Challenge na lang ang pag improve ng kung ano ang meron. Plus, learning experience ang sins ng forefathers and foremothers. At least by seeing what went wrong with them, I know I'd do better with my life.

Pinoy na Pinoy ang pamilya ko. Puno kasi ng drama, action at comedy. Familia Zaragoza ang effect. Minsan may conspiracy pa. At op course, meron ding kantahan. Kaloka!

Kayo, gaano ka-Pinoy ang pamilya ninyo?

Battik's Workshop made it to the 2008 Philippine Blog Awards - PersonalBlog Category

My gash! I can't believe my workshop made it. There are around 90 blogs vying for the PERSONAL BLOG CATEGORY, meaning I have 1 out of around 90 chance of winning. No biggie! I am just glad to see my blog in the list of official nominees for tomorrow's event.

Wait, tomorrow's event?!? I wanna go! (Fairy godmother, please wave your wand, dress me up and make me a carriage.) Could this be the reason why I had to be here? I wonder.

To my fellow nominees, good luck to all of us. :-)

***from PBA site:

Here is the list of eligible blogs for the Personal Blog Category:

100% Batangueno
A.BBA: Adbentyurs ng Bikolanong Baklang Aktibista
andrecalixtoonline “No Rocket Science”
Ang Pansitan ni Ate Sienna
Atheista
Bakla Ako, May Reklamo? (I’m Gay, Got a Problem With That?)
Battik’s Workshop
Behind Wonderland
Between Bites
Bikoy.net
Blog Ex Machina
Blogalag
Blogwerx
Blue Pencil Chronicles
Bus Ride Adventures
Confessions of a Pinoy Blogger
Coping Mechanisms: Lifestyles of the Bitch and Aimless
DITZ-REVOLUTION.NET by Helga Weber | Filipina blogger and web designer
Doctor Magnus
Dogs Are Us!
Dream Big [Icepink10]
Everybody else is doing it, so why can’t I?
Exploits of a City Dweller
Filipino Web and Graphics Designer
Following the Yellow Brick Road
fritzified.com
fruityoaty
FunnySexy
Ginger Brew
Guhit Galaw
Gunita sa Lupalop ng Pagtunganga
i am bulitas, therefore i blog
I am Super!
Indistinguishable Gibberish
Intiendes
Is my life~! 期待�八�的天空
It’s all about the Homesick Pinay
It’s True! It’s True!
Just Another Game
Just Typing Out Loud
Kape’t Yosi
kianah.com
Kwentong Barbero .Com: See the World Thru My Eyes
La Bigueña
Learn Lessons with SELaplana
Life with Ria
Life’s Existence
Mandaya Moore-Orlis (Ang Bayot sa Bukid - May Hyphen na Ngayon
Manilenya
Maruism
McBilly dot com
melissa marasigan official blog site
MEMOIRS OF KLITORIKA
mico santos’s Joie De Vivre
Misterhubs
My Boring Life… Now A Blog!
My Charmed Life
newivory
not your word press blog
Okasaneko Chronicles
pamatay homesick
Past Lives
Pinoy Potter’s Chronicles
PINOYWORLD
Prodinterios
Putak
Random Detoxification
Rants and Raves
Rising Internet Star
Rowjielogy
s i m o n o n g
scare reyes’ yufielbi 10
Sinjin’s House
Sino si osyr?
Sui Generis
Super Dok
Suzaku Lace
Sweet Serenity
Tanggera: Alcohol, Art, Love and Everything Else Intoxicating
Tennis and Conversation
The Ambivalence Of It All
The Chicken Mafia
The D Spot
the diary of a supergirl wannabe!
The Diary of Joni & Anya: The Melbourne Affair
The Journal of the Jester-in-Exile
the marocharim experiment
The Whereabouts
The Written World
TheHeLLYouCare
Tingog.com
VAKS and the CITY
Webslave’s portal
Webster Twelb Writes
your royal rockness
zdiaz.com - Money management, make cash online, SEO, business, law, faith, & our day to day adventures

Braving Pinas Again

I spent most of the day out. Looking around, Pinas doesn't look any different. Much.

Except that the minimum jeepney fare is Php8.50 and an FX ride from Pasig to Megamall or vice versa is Php 23.00. MRT rates, I believe, did not change. Text messages are still worth Php 1.oo for every message sent locally.

I was heading to Pasong Tamo extension. You cannot find it in the map these days because Pasong Tamo is presently called, "Chino Roces." I learned that the hard way years ago. I was standing somewhere along Chino Roces holding an old map which says I was in Pasong Tamo. The street sign beside me was screaming, "Chino Roces." Confusing. I thought I was lost when I really wasn't.

This time, I had a hunch where I was supposed to be. Where Pasong Tamo Extension is. But I had to ask manong guard, whose uniform I missed (Wala noon sa SG!) , where Pasong Tamo extension was.

He was so sure of the directions he gave me. As it turned out, he pointed me to the opposite way. Serves me right for not trusting my gut feel! With my shoes from hell, I retraced the path I took plus covered extra blocks to reach my destination. Although I am in no position to complain, can I just say I hate people who give the wrong directions. I'd accept, "I don't know" any time. Just don't lead me the wrong way.

I hit the 10 AM mark. Had a chitchat with a doctor. It was no consult. Some sort of official. Somehow I mentioned, I am maintaining a blog. He asked for the URL, typed it on his PC, and browsed on my site while I stared at him helplessly.

He clicked a rather personal entry. One of those rant pieces where I was speaking partly in gay language. "That article is really informal. I am embarrassed now." I said. The doctor said he'd check it out again when I'm gone. Then he closed his web browser window. Nyaha! The earth did not swallow me alive. Too bad.

First order of business after the previous episode is to get a cheese burger from Jollibee. Cheese burger meal was a bit anti-climactic. I missed the inviting aroma of a Jollibee TLC cheese burger, but not the taste. The anticipation was hardly rewarded.

But I did get and give hugs to my berks who went out of their way to welcome me back. Even before I bought my return ticket and boarded my plane, I was already asking for a group hug. Believe it or not, I need that from time to time. Actually, I thrive on hugs. I am a closet hugger. I may seem to repel human contact most of the time, but hugs work for me.

Later, Goy joined us. She, just like me, has just come back from her island. As we immersed ourselves in stories about our past adventures, a portion of the Glorietta Activity center morphed into LB's Hum steps. It was comforting. To be sitting on the steps and be devoid of poise. To be in the company of people who get my quirks, who bask in my high's and low's with a hearty ha-ha.

Got my first Starbucks grande choco chip frappe after more than 3 months. I am not necessarily a Starbucks fan. I just wanted to celebrate the power of my Peso. I couldn't very well afford a decent frappe in SG. In Pinas, I can, even without a job.

The day had to end. I jammed myself inside the MRT along with half of Metro Manila's female population. Good thing Pinoys don't stink as badly as others. Or am I just so used to the Pinoy stench?

The sun had already set when I got to the jeepney terminal. It was raining. The queue was a curse. The starters were barking at each other, as if a rumble will ensue any moment. The bleesed jeepney came. People fend for themselves, to take shelter in the dry jeeney seats. The man in charge collected our fare and made some funny remarks.

A few minutes later, I alighted my ride. Then I looked to my left before crossing the street. Walked a few meters before a kid-neighbor noticed me and asked where I had been. All the while, I thought I was invisible in this neighborhood.

Knocked at our door. "Wala kaming yelo," my brother said before letting me in.

I am definitely home.