Street Crime

It was a busy Saturday afternoon. I was on my way to deliver some shirts to one of our clients in Antipolo. Traffic was quite heavy approaching the junction in Cainta. So what's new?

One vehicle away from me was a long dump truck carrying a load of metal scraps covered by a tarpaulin. Parts of some metal scraps were protruding from the cover.

Waiting for the stoplight to turn green, I was observing the things around me. People started scampering for cover just as the drizzle started to fall. Damn. Just when you had a carwash.

A teenage boy, probably no more than 18 years of age, approached the truck in front of me. He climbed the back end of the truck and lifted the tarpaulin to reveal the metal scraps being covered. He started to rummage through the various pieces of metal in obvious search of something or some things in particular.

A second boy approached the back end of the truck. But he didn't climb it. And it was then that I realized what was going on. The boy ransacking the items aboard the truck dropped pieces of metal scraps to the boy waiting below. I guessed they were choosing which metal scraps would be of big value when they sell it to a nearby junk shop.

The door from the passenger seat of the truck opened as the driver's assistant probably realized what was going on at the back. He shouted at the boy who was still rummaging through the metals. The boy saw the assistant but he was undaunted. He continued handing down pieces of metal items to his accomplice below.

The truck assistant decided to approach the boys behind the truck, carrying a piece of metal pipe as his weapon. It was only then that Boy #1 decided to go down from the truck. But instead of running away from a very pissed off worker just trying to do his job, Boy #1 taunted the assistant to come and get him.

Boy #1 moved away from the truck towards the side of the street, still taunting. And with the truck assistant's attention focused on Boy #1 who was mocking him, it became Boy #2's turn to climb aboard the truck and continue rummaging through the items. He was able to steal a few more pieces before the truck assistant realized the ploy being played on him.

And it was then when both boys, deciding that they've already had enough items, walked away from the truck. They walked nonchalantly as if nothing happened. Boy #1 looked over his shoulder to see the truck assistant inspecting the damage done, realizing the futility of giving the two boys a chase. The assistant shouted invectives one more time at the two boys walking away. Boy #1 just gave him the finger.

Stoplight changed to green. Truck assistant went back to the passenger seat in front of the truck as vehicles started to move.

I was still shocked with the blatant criminal act I witnessed. Everything happened just a few meters away from me. All in one turn of the stoplight. And it was in full view of everyone stuck in that traffic jam.

Beep! Beep!

The car behind me honked for me to move on.

Still bothered with what I saw, I had to go with the flow.

Fashion 101

HUSBAND: Why don't you wear those trendy pants girls wear nowadays?

WIFE: What pants?

HUSBAND: Those pants which are knee-length. A bit shorter than capri pants. I see many girls wearing them.

WIFE: Oh yeah, those. Uso nga 'yon.

HUSBAND: If they're uso, then why haven't you bought a pair during your shopping rounds? I thought you're a fashionista.

WIFE: My dear husband, you're confusing a fashionista for a fashion victim.

(Husband prepares to listen to a lesson in Fashion 101.)

WIFE: What you were describing is a fashion victim - someone who goes with all the latest trends, not knowing if they fit her. While a fashionista is someone who chooses which trends to ride on, knowing that the fashion enhances her over-all look. Or better yet, a fashionista is someone who dictates the trend.

HUSBAND: Okay. So why do you think those pants don't fit your fashion sense?

WIFE: They make my legs look shorter than they already are.

HUSBAND (snickers): Hahaha!

WIFE: Don't you laugh. You've got short legs, too.

End of discussion.

Harry's Heart

Did you know that the Philippines' very own Heart Evangelista was considered for the role of Cho Chang in the latest Harry Potter movie being shown in cinemas?

Now, what would have happened had Heart snatched the role coveted by more than 3,000 girls who auditioned?

Here's the scene that could have been watched by Pinoy moviegoers.

Harry musters enough courage to ask his crush, Cho, to be his date to the Yule Ball which is only a few days away. And an opportunity arises as they get the chance to be all alone.

"The Yule Ball is coming up and I was thinking if you would like to come with me on this special occasion," Harry mumbles shyly.

"Ha? Sorry ha. I didn't quite catch what you said. Ulet?" Cho says.

"I said," Harry repeats his invitation, "I was wondering if you would like to be my date to the Yule Ball."

Naman?! You're super-late na kaya," Cho replies.

Harry has a confused look on his face.

"Omigosh Harry! I'm really sorry talaga. Why did you ask me only now? My gulay! Someone has already asked me to be his date, no!" Cho explains.

"Oh, is that so?" Harry says, obviously disappointed.

"Yeah, eh. I'm really super-dooper sorry. I would have gone with you had you asked me first. So, so , sorry talaga. Promise," Cho apologizes before she walks away from a heartbroken Harry.

But, in fairness ha, Heart is a lot prettier than Katie Leung kaya.

Matchpoint

The tennis match is finally over. The awarding ceremonies have just been concluded. And the picture-taking series with fans and relatives has just been completed.

Riza sits on her chair as sports reporters from various media organizations interview her - the latest sensation in the Philippine tennis scene.

"How was playing here in the Philippines different from the other competitions you join back in the States?" a reporter asks her.

"For one, I'm really glad for all the support I've been getting from all of our friends and relatives here in the Philippines. Back in the States, when I compete, it sometimes becomes so lonely since it is very seldom that a big crowd would be there in the stands to cheer me on. So, it was a really nice experience to have all the moral support I've been getting from all of you guys," Riza replies.

Riza Angela Zalameda shall be one of the Philippines' representatives in Women's Tennis in the upcoming SEA Games.

And Riza, you ain't seen nothin' yet. In a few days, when you step again on that center court carrying the colors of the Red, White and Blue, it wouldn't be just us, your relatives, who would be cheering you on. I'm sure that a lively crowd of your Filipino countrymen would be watching and supporting you all the way.

Congratulations, Riza, for winning the 2nd leg of the Holcim ITF Philippine Women's Circuit.

The House

It was already past midnight. We just came from the wake of a friend’s Mom in Araneta Avenue. And since our route going home would pass by Quezon Av, the ladies insisted that we drop by the Pinoy Big Brother house and take a look. Just for curiosity’s sake. Yeah, right!

My car’s hazard lights are turned on as I stop a few meters away from the house. Our wives have already gone down to take a look at that now famous house near the ABS-CBN compound. I think I even saw a camera crew in front of the house. Maybe they’re taping for an episode to be aired tomorrow.

“Pre, I think they’re shooting something. The red light of the camera is turned on,” my friend Chito tells me.

“Taena pre, I just hope my car’s plate number cannot be read at this distance in case the camera focuses our way,” I told him.

I take a look through my side view mirror. There seems to be some commotion now. The ladies began approaching the guy in front of the camera. Could it be one of the housemates?

My wife hurriedly comes back to our car. As she searches her bag for her cellphone, she tells us that it is JB, an evicted housemate, who is taping in front of the camera. She needs to take a picture - hard evidence to be shown to officemates the following working day.

As my friends and I wait inside the car, we see traffic slowing down as cars passing by The Loop take a look at the shooting going on. A few moments later, the ladies already came back; cellphones filled with shots of one of the newest celebrities in the Philippines.

“So how was it?” I ask them.

“JB is cuter in person than on TV,” my wife replies.

“Too bad it wasn’t Sam, huh?” I tease my wife.

“Oo nga eh. If it were Sam shooting there, you guys might have gone home without me.” My wife’s statement elicits laughter from the group.

“Oh yeah? You guys are lucky. If that were Mariel doing her update, you guys might have to take a cab going home. Coz I would have definitely stayed on.”

More laughter inside the car.

Musta Na?

“Musta na?” I asked my friend.

“My God! It has been a long time,” she said.

Looking back, it has been more than six years since we last saw each other. Yup, it has been that long ago indeed. But I could see that she hasn’t changed much physically – very much like the same way I saw her the last time.

Musta na?

I should have said “condolences”. It would have been the more appropriate statement considering that it was the wake of her Mama. But “musta na” were the words that naturally escaped my lips.

Musta na?

The last time we saw each other was also an occasion for goodbye. It was the day I was leaving for the US for an uncertain length of time. And this time, unfortunately, also was an occasion for goodbye – saying goodbye to her mother who lost her battle with cancer.

Musta na?

She may not have changed physically (and so did I, according to her), but I’m pretty sure many things and aspects in both our lives have changed over the last few years.

Musta na?

An update of things that have happened for each of us seemed to be the logical course of conversation. But how do you start telling an old friend what happened to you for the past six years?

Musta na?

How do you tell things to a friend whom you’ve lost touch with due to reasons too complicated to dissect? Where does one start?

Musta na?

For those Americans who say “how are you?” just as a form of a greeting without the intention of knowing how you really are, this is the tagalog translation. But for us, we really meant more than that superficial greeting.

Musta na?

Obviously, this is a tough moment for her. Being the only daughter, and suffering the loss of her Papa just a few years back, I can’t even begin to imagine the pain this tragedy brought to her. But I knew it wouldn’t be the type of answer I would hear from her.

Musta na?

Words that I uttered when what I really meant was it’s good to have finally seen you again, even under the ill-timed circumstances.

Musta na?

We could only begin answering the question. Bits of information were thrown in here and there to fill in the updates. But we both knew the void created has been too large. We barely scratched the surface of an activity called catching up with an old friend. But hopefully, there can be the proper time for everything.

And as our friends and I left the wake with words of condolences to her, the open-ended question remained.

Musta na?

Miss Universe

“Guess whom I saw earlier while roaming around the mall waiting for you,” I say to my wife in between sips of iced tea.

“One of the Viva Hotbabes?” wife guesses. She knows that female stars belonging to such sexy groups could definitely bring excitement to a celebrity sighting for her husband.

“Not really. But quite close in terms of popularity to the male species. Even surpassing the Hotbabes in terms of babe factor, I would say. She’s not a sexy actress though.”

Wife gave it some thought while dipping some fries on catsup. But eventually gave up easily. “So who was it?”

“Charlene Gonzales,” I proudly inform her as if I actually met and talked with Charlene.

“Oh yeah?”

“Yup. Saw her upstairs on my way to meeting you here. She was browsing thru some furniture shops in that section.”

“What was she wearing?” asks my wife of one of her idols in terms of beauty and class.

“Just a simple striped tee, faded jeans and rubber shoes. Very casual,” I inform her.

“She looks like a doll, huh?” wife says with the “huh” habit that refuses to die down even if we’ve already gone home from LA for about four years now.

“Uh-huh,” I reply trying to tease my wife with my own “uh-huh” habit. “Absolutely one of the prettiest faces I’ve seen. I almost knelt down in front of her and offered prayers to a goddess.”

“But you did wipe that drool off your mouth, right?”

“Yup. Good thing I didn’t forget my hankie.” I say while wiping my mouth with a table napkin after munching the last bite of my burger.

I’m not exactly a big fan of local movies. My wife had to resort to bribery and blackmail tactics just for me to accompany her to watch the latest Aga movies. But all of those are in vain.

But Charlene Gonzales is Charlene Gonzales. And seeing her in person, even if just in her casual wear, definitely made my day yesterday.

Thanks 2 My Txtm8

Received this text message from an unrecognized number a few minutes ago:

Congratulations! You just won 500 peso load. To claim your price, just text back this number and triple sent to 808. Sender: SMART 236

Ordinarily, I would have let this one pass and just ignore it. But being at the end of a long weekend vacation, and nothing much to do earlier this day than rest after the gruelling provincial travel we had yesterday, I gave in to an urge to give the sender of the text message a piece of my mind.

Dude! Get your freakin grammar correct before you try sending out a hoax like this. And try to remember that not everyone is as half-witted as you are. You harebrained moron!

I didn't get a reply from my new textmate. And I've already deleted his message together with his number.

Aww, too bad coz I never got the chance to thank him or her for saving me time on deciding about the subject of my blog entry for tonight.