A Question of Presidentiables

Nick Joaquin wrote a book entitled “A Question of Heroes” and it was a beautiful read. He  “exposed” the failings and major shortcomings of our most venerated heroes (Rizal, Bonifacio, etc). Now it’s my turn. For whatever it  is worth, let me just give what I think are the principal reasons why you should not vote for each candidate. Of course, you’ll ultimately make a choice. If you’re going to exercise your right to vote, you would have to pick the person whom you  think has the most bearable faults. So, here we go:

1. Binay:

This guy has the executive, administrative and managerial abilities, plus the kind of personal relations-building skills we don’t usually see from the ordinary mediocre politician. All that, I concede. However, to say that he is controversial is a major understatement. It is like saying Michael Jordan knows a few tricks on the hardcourt. He is every bit as controversial as Grace Poe. This is what I think: if the allegations of corruption are coming from a single individual or faction, then we (the public) may just dismiss it as being biased. But what do we have here? All the accusations come from so many fronts. Are all of these folks merely harboring grudges against Binay? Are all of them politically motivated to destroy him? No, the answer is no. Maybe some of them, but surely not all. I believe the charges. Binay is not as clean as he would like the Filipino people to believe. Let me quote my idol (the late Joker Arroyo). Can you imagine if he wins the elections? “We cannot have this country run by a thief.” – Joker intoned, referring to Erap. Now it is my turn to give my line: We cannot have this country run by an alleged thief. Take note I am using the alleged word. (Hey, I do not want to be bothered by lawsuits, knowing this family.)

Another thing on Binay: the way his family members keep on mouthing off. I am not sure if it’s his wife or daughter, but she said that if Binay wins the elections, their accusers/detractors would better watch their backs. Not in those words, but that is the essence of the statement. Hey, Mr Binay, if you cannot do something about the preponderance of evidence showing (your) acts of corruption/malversation, then at the very least, you can do something about your immediate family, right? Tell them to be more circumspect in their verbalizations.

2. Roxas: 

On the upside, he has never been involved in any major scandal. He presents himself as “Mr. Clean” and I suppose, all things considered, he is that. If  we view the current crop of politicians/public officials (think of barangay and city hall levels, not the national levels) – the present lack of decency and decorum, and then use it as our barometer, then Roxas is indeed one of the few with a strong moral compass. However, to be a respectable presidentiable, integrity and honesty should be a given, not a requirement. (I am sure most people above 40 years of age will agree with this). So, besides these laudable traits, what else does this guy have going for him? Answer: nothing else. Is he imaginative? (Translation: is he capable of thinking outside the box?) Answer: no. Is he gutsy? The answer is no. (Even if he crossed words with Duterte, I’m not impressed. If he actually came up to Duterte and punched him in the face, then it would be another story. Call me violence-inclined, but I’ll probably vote for him. Haha. Wink, wink.) Does he have charisma? Well, this one is subjective. Being a guy (I mean, hetero as opposed to being gay), I really don’t correlate charisma with guys, but if I need to, I can. Think of these two political figures: Ninoy Aquino and Chiz Escudero. For me, these two possess (past tense in Ninoy’s case) charisma. It’s one of the reasons I consider Ninoy as the greatest president that we never had. What about Roxas? I don’t find a single ounce of charm or charisma in him? Sorry, but I really don’t.

Is he incredibly skillful in administration or delegation? Well, he is not exactly an idiot in these areas, but I do not see a master at work. So my answer here is neither yes nor no. Call it a draw, in terms of chess. Will he capture the imagination of Filipinos from ages 15 to 22? These people will be the ones who will carry on with all responsibilities and duties for the country long after we are all gone. (I am referring- when I say “we” – to all of us, above 40 years old.) The answer: I really do not think so. Our young will gravitate toward Miriam – social media inputs reflect  this at present. 

Lastly, will he be able to connect to the “poorest of the poor”? He has been portraying himself as somebody who came from humble beginnings. Maybe he actually did, or maybe it’s all hype. Honestly, I do not give a f$%^&ng damn. This guy is no Ramon Magsaysay. (Now, that was another person with tons of charisma.) In that senatorial race many years ago, he packaged himself as “Mr. Palengke” and yes, it did wonders for him. It could be argued that it worked not really because he was what he portrayed himself to be, but for the sheer novelty of “image”. Like in basketball, imagine your most hated PBA/NBA player…you will forget your animosity toward him if you see him do a move on the court that not even Jordan or Kobe can do, right? Your jaw will drop from the sheer novelty of it. Get my drift? If Roxas can be compared to a chess grandmaster, he would be Ulf Andersson. Ulf was one of  the globe’s top ten in the late 80s. His style on the board was incredible. He favored draws and prioritized defense over offense. Good news: he was one of the most difficult to beat during his peak. Bad news: I could say with confidence that he has so few fans outside his home country. Why? He was boring. (Don’t get me wrong, as an expert chessplayer myself, I idolize the way he defended during difficult games, just to be objective about it.) But he was really boring. Just like Roxas. Boring. I am getting bored now, so let us move on to the next candidate.

3. Duterte:

You know. I will not be able to vote this coming elections (don’t ask why please). However, if I were to vote, this guy would be my second choice. I like his style, generally speaking. I voted for Lim when he ran for president because I firmly believed that during those days, peace and order was the number one issue. Then  and still now. Lim and Duterte are cut from the same cloth, but it’s a big cloth. It is the kind of cloth that does not have a single texture. Lim comes  from the smooth part while Duterte was cut from the roughest segment. How so?

Well, firstly, Lim does not curse in public. Maybe in private yes, but not in public.  Duterte does. When Lim was in his peak as Manila mayor, he did great things for that city. Actually, the same for Duterte, he did incredible things for his place. The focal difference? Duterte has this tendency to brag about his accomplishments, whereas Lim remains humble and quiet.

Another thing, I have never known Lim to challenge anybody to a brawl or a slapping match. Duterte did. Being a “terminator” in the eyes of criminals is one thing, but having a street “goon” mentality is another. Duterte should know the difference. He is an adult, he’s not a ten-year-old brat.

Lastly, who indulges himself in trivialities? From what I remember, Lim has always focused on major issues. He never once bothered if a fellow politician or rival has actually graduated from this or that university from whatever country. Duterte did, right? Let me be straight, whether or not Roxas lied about his academic credentials is another story. I will not dwell on that right now. Do we really need a guy like this to be president?

4. Poe:

When she first got elected as a senator, I expected that she would be like Ramon Revilla, a waste of space for a national position that is so crucial. Then slowly but surely, she surprised everybody by making a name for herself. She exudes integrity, passion and yes, competence. What made me sit up and take notice was when she personally boarded an MRT coach (or maybe it was the LRT) to experience firsthand the scourge that the commuting public experiences everyday. It was not done to be a publicity gimmick, it was done with sincerity.

Having said that, what is wrong with her? I’ve read dozens of articles/columns from lawyers and experts, and indeed, the Constitution is clear on the issues. There is really no way Poe can prove her biological parents are actually Filipinos, for the simple reason that nobody really knows who they are. Add the fact that she did renounce her Filipino citizenship. I’ve always thought of people with dual citizenship as having the best of both worlds. Fact is, it could be argued that somebody with this  privilege is abusing both countries. Well, he/she is enjoying the privileges of both nations and YET, will not commit to total loyalty to either nation A or nation B. Hey, that is just me. I don’t know about you.

The focal issue is: Poe has become so controversial. What if she wins the elections and months later, the Supreme Court declares a final verdict the victory should be voided? Then we will be forced to accept the sitting VP to rise up. What if  the second placer in these elections insists that he/she should be proclaimed as the legitimate president, what then? Stranger things have happened. I can just imagine another Edsa revolution or worse, an actual civil war. Can we risk all these by voting for this candidate? (I’m not even talking about that mandated time frame of residency that is one of the contested issues.) I know that Poe has the best interests of the country when she joined this presidential derby. However, I think that a lot of people (that includes me) will respect her more if she withdraws from the race. The best (I think this is just fantasy) scenario could be: Poe withdraws, tells the nation that she would run six years from now because by then, all the obstacles she is facing right now will no longer be applicable. Then she can endorse Miriam, God, how I hope.

Just some humble words to this honorable lady: as a senator, you exceeded all expectations, but I sincerely think it is not yet your time to shine. One journalist referred to you as somebody with a strong sense of entitlement. I’m sad to say, I think he was not exactly wrong. Maybe six years from now, you will be the most deserving candidate, but not just now. Not yet.

5. The Others:

Before I go to Miriam Defensor Santiago, let me just run through the three other presidentiables who are in the race. God only knows why. They are: Cong. Seneres (OFW), Mel Mendoza (PMP) and Dante Valencia (Independent). What can I say? Nothing. Nada. I do not know a single important thing about any of the three. (Translation: I’ve never heard of any accomplishment that any of them has done, I mean…something life-impacting to Juan dela Cruz. There, enough said.  

6. Miriam

You guessed it right, I reserved the best for last. If only I could vote, she would be my choice, without reservations. (Notwithstanding all the things I’ll be saying right after this.) I’ll keep this one short. Miriam has everything: brains, impeccable academic credentials, connections, wealth (nobody is doubting she can finance her own campaign, unlike the nuisance candidates that were crossed off from the list), guts, EQ (which the incumbent is sorely lacking), experience, sense of humor yes, and the respect of the international community.

Why is she at the bottom of the surveys? (Surveys are not including the 3 candidates I mentioned in the “Others”.) I’m actually hard-pressed to find an answer to this. My humble opinion is this: many Filipinos already think she is past her prime. Not so much that some people find her arrogant, that merits another blog post. Not only is she too old (this is a dynamic century, we really need somebody a decade younger than her), she is sick to boot. Many voters will choose a candidate who is very old yet relatively healthy – OR- somebody who is not 100% healthy yet still young. The thing is: Miriam is both. She is quite old (“quite” being a kind term here) and at the same time, she’s afflicted with a very serious condition.

I don’t know about you, but the last thing on earth the nation wants is to see an incumbent (assuming she wins) president dying in the middle of the term. Right? You agree with me right? Reports came out that she is in remission from cancer, but do we really know that for a fact? (I mean, there are cancer forms that are already beatable in this modern age, but it is still one of the terminal conditions. I really do not know how serious her condition is, but Miriam cannot say that this is a personal issue. The overall health of the president is always the concern of the public. Remember Marcos and his lupus?

(If only she had won way back in ’92. Sigh. Sigh again.)

MY LAST WORD:

Let me just throw this, just to end on a positive note. This field of five (excluding those three you know whom I’m referring to) – is surely more interesting and more accomplished than the batch we had in the last presidential derby. That field was a pathetic bunch. Really...and it produced our current president whose EQ is down to his socks. FINAL SIGH. 

A Ghost From the Past (tentative title)

I'm going to do something for the very first time. (I love doing spur-of-the moment things, that's me.) For the first time since I started this blog, I will not be writing an essay or an opinion piece. I'll be putting one of my original short stories here (technically an episode, according to my high school literature teacher). It was written many months ago but not for the purpose of putting it here on my blog. (I'll be including it in my growing anthology of short stories. If ever you see this story somewhere else, please advise me at once so that I can hunt down the son (or daughter) of a b*^$ch and make him/her see the errors of his ways. I may give you a reward too. Or maybe not. (ah-hurm.)

Well, it's a short one. This piece has been written- more than to simply entertain- but to evoke a reader's memories (if applicable) or make him be reminded of some crucial questions regarding those people we have "buried in the past". Take note, I wrote "tentative" in the title because when the anthology gets published (hopefully within this century), I'll probably be changing it to a new one. Enough of this talk. If you don't like it but it made you ask some philosophical questions to yourself, that is fine by me. Here goes...

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A GHOST FROM THE PAST

He never imagined he would see her again. But here she was - in the flesh. The woman he vowed he would cherish and love for the rest of his life. Until the unimaginable happened. The biggest blunder he ever did in his whole life. Never in his wildest dreams did he imagine that he would see her again - in this party of all places.

The woman had a reputation for being composed and collected at all times. She was actually called Miss Ice Bitch (by detractors) or Miss Stone Queen (by friends) behind her back. This time however, she was speechless. Here was the man she thought she would adore and love for all eternity. One of the biggest mistakes she had ever done. If not actually the gravest miscalculation. Prior to this party, if Nostradamus himself rose from the grave and told her that she would be seeing him in this affair, she would have laughed at his face. Indeed, the impossible has happened.

They stared at each other, neither capable of speech. After a long time, it was the woman who managed to speak first. "Long time. A very long time, Jakob."

"Yes. Ages in fact.", the man's voice seemed to come from a mile away. He forced himself to smile, but no matter how hard he tried, it would not come.

While staring at each other, both of them zoned out. The two of them were not looking at the other, but rather- staring through the other person. Both were engulfed in his/her own thoughts.

Mariel's thoughts were spinning. I never imagined this would come about. Mariel kept on ruminating. I live in America, he lives in Israel, and here we are. Meeting by chance in Russia. Of all places. Incredible. Unbelievable. Jesus on a stick! What is there to say? What is left to say after everything that happened between us?

I imagined that this could happen. In isolated moments of my downtime, I've imagined that this would happen. But I never seriously thought it will actually come to pass. What does this mean? What is this supposed to mean? Why now? Jakob asked himself.

They kept on staring at each other. No animosity however. For the man, a gaze of shock and disbelief. For the woman, just a stare of surprise but more than that- a gaze of hidden calculation. Her mental gears were spinning like crazy. She was thinking how she could extricate herself from this situation without losing face. She did not care if the man in front of her got embarrassed. For all intents and purposes, he was now a stranger. But still, an inner voice was whispering to her 'Don't hurt him. Why should you hurt him? You used to love this guy right?"

The man's thoughts kept on running like a meteor shower on a very dark night sky. 'God, she still looks positively radiant. The years have been so kind to her. This is exactly how she looked when we parted ways eleven years ago.'

The woman focused on Jakob's face. The years have not been kind to him. He looked a decade older than his real age. And of course, she knew exactly how old he was.

Neither spoke. As if they were both gifted with the power of telepathy.

I was partly to blame too for what happened. Jakob spoke to her without the words. But you never gave me the chance to explain myself. The most obvious scenario was what you believed in. It never occurred to you to check out the more obscure possibilities. If you had just allowed me to speak on that fateful evening, we could have stayed together. We should have stayed together. Objectively, yours was the bigger sin. Not only did you refuse to hear me out, you actually believed Cariza, the one person in the whole wide world you vowed you would never listen to. What made you do it? What possessed you to lose faith in me just like that? Have all these occurred to you anytime since we broke up Mariel? Have you come to your senses after all this time? What has happened to you all these years?

At the same time, her thoughts were cascading like a waterfall. You should never have done it. Regardless of the explanation, whatever the hell it was, when you succumbed to the temptation to begin with- you ended the most special that we shared. And what we had was something special. Something truly special. Something sacred. Which you shattered in the most shocking way. Why did you do it? Every once in a blue moon, I still ask that question. I did not think you could answer that question if I forced it from you on that fateful night. Will you be able to answer this if I asked you point-blank right now? I don't honestly think you can.

Almost at the same instant, the realization dawned on both of them. That they were acting like statues. Or more to the point, they were acting as though the other person was an alien. Jakob cleared his throat. But it was Mariel who spoke first.

"Well, I think I don't need to say anything." If I start talking, and if I force myself to hear all the unsaid things from you, we'll be here all night. Actually, we'll be here forever. "Do you?"

"No, I believe that the two of us meeting here...is enough." Mariel nodded at that. And it was not a mechanical nod. She understood the cruciality of the statement.

Every fiber of Jakob's soul was pushing him to leave but he forced himself to be a gentleman. He was still one, after all. He let himself stand still so that Mariel could leave first. Mariel looked at his eyes and tried to read what he was thinking. She managed to accomplish what Jakob found impossible to do. She smiled. Not a very heartfelt smile, but the kind offered to a best friend's brat kid who was getting on one's nerves. Sincere in the sense that it was not a mere facade, but still lacking in genuine warmth. Still, it was better than nothing. Their eye contact remained for a full ten seconds. It was the man who broke it first. He looked at a spot just behind Mariel's head and uttered, "Well, I'll see you around Mariel." He felt that if he made eye contact any further, he would collapse like a ton of bricks. Or more accurately, like a ton of gold bars.

I sure hope not. But all she managed to say was, "Sure." As the door was somewhere behind Jakob, she just passed him without looking him in the eye. In the entire length of time that Mariel crossed the room, Jakob held his breath. He did not really know the reason for doing so, he just felt that it was the proper thing to do. He felt as if his lungs would burst. When he finally exhaled, Mariel was almost out of the room.

At the door, Mariel stopped but did not look back at her former partner. You did not value the love that I gave you. If you only cherished it, we would have ended up marrying each other. Such a waste. Bye Jakob, for whatever it is worth, I hope you find somebody that would make you forget all about us. For the first time in probably a decade, tears threatened to spill. She clamped down on it with all her might and willpower, grabbed the doorknob and exited. I don't want to see you again. Please stay out of my life.

When Mariel paused at the door, Jakob looked at the person he had valued above everybody else. More than his parents or any of his family members. In another life that was.

You should not have done it Mariel. It was a colossal moment of weakness. I'll be praying for your happiness still. Whether you will get married or not. But please don't let me see you again. I don't think I can bear another chance meeting like this. Please go. Please be gone forever. Be gone from my life. He watched her go out the door. Closed his eyes, hoping that in opening his eyes, he would find himself in bed and discover that this was all a bad, stupid dream. Something he would just laugh about. But when he returned to the real world, he knew it had really come to pass. He slowly walked to the nearest couch, and slumped down. He realized that he was emotionally depleted. Imagine that. A ghost from the past.

Mariel almost did not make it to the car. She was shaking all over. She slipped out of the house without even speaking to the host. She decided to just call him later and invent a personal emergency. Once inside her Audi, she slumped her head against the steering wheel. Oh my God. I shouldn't have attended this party. What possessed me to come here? My God Jakob...you're a ghost from my past. Stay there. In the past. Stay buried. 

Fastfood (Dis)service

In this country (yes, Philippines), the intensity of competing for the market by Jollibee and McDonald’s is very much like the “war” between Coke and Pepsi during the mid-80s. (Coke and Pepsi are still at it, yes, but since the 2 entities have been around for so long, people just drink their preference and leave it at  that. Nobody thinks of their competition anymore. That is my humble take on the softdrinks thing. Going back to the fastfood “war”, what can I say? Being  a Filipino, my heart of course is with Jollibee, this being a Filipino entity. HOWEVER, if I would really be objective about it- all things being equal, it’s McDo that I would go to. Why? All things being equal (read: quality of all foods being more or less at par with each other)…the deciding factor would be how the customer is treated. More to the point, how I am treated during the “dining experience”. You don’t know it, but I’m actually a professional fastfood diner. (Translation: at least for the past seven years, I have always eaten at a fastfood restaurant. At the very least four times a week. Name a fastfood in the country and I have been in it. Trust me.) At one time or another, I have done a customer complaint in all the fastfood restaurants- yes, McDo included. I can no longer give you the exact number of times, but the frequency in which I did a formal complaint at Jollibee stores far outnumber that of the times I did with the Mcdo restaurants. By a mile. I think that for 2012, I must have done no less than five occasions while I could not remember a single instance that I did for any Mcdo branch. Enough of that. Let me tell you of another case where I got frustrated over the service of a Jollibee store. (Hmm…I’d rather not tell you the exact branch, not even the city it belongs to. I'm not afraid of anything, but not being identified may serve as a motivation for the people concerned to clean up their act.) 

A couple of days ago, I dined in at this particular Jollibee store. Just the ordinary burger patty meal with Coke Zero. Of course, I had coffee (this is a constant in all my meals). The manager herself was the one manning the counter.  Presumably, because the lines were incredibly long for that time of the night (around 11:30) and the counter girl was a newbie. When I was paying, the manager (lady, late 20s) said the coffee would take 15 minutes and it would just be delivered to me. In a joking manner, I asked her “Promise?”- and she said yes. That was that. I went up to the second floor and took my meal. I finished it in less than ten minutes. I then killed time by thinking of the possible storylines for my next novel. I’m a writer after all. The promise given by the manager was like something hit by Captain Kirk's phaser. It disintegrated into ashes. The 15 minutes turned into 20, then to 30 and finally to 45 minutes. In that span of time, I have talked to two different crew members and asked them to follow-up the fu$%&ng coffee. Neither of them returned for any word about the mysterious coffee.  After 45 minutes I had enough. I went down and approached the same manager (name of Vanj, probably Vangie). I asked her what seemed to be the problem. The manager then apologized saying their coffee machine was having some problems. She said she tasked one of her staff to advise me of the situation and nodded toward a male crew member standing beside me. I told her that he never approached me to apprise me of the situation. (He however, was one of the two I asked to follow up on the order.) The guy then butted in and said that he “updated” me upstairs.  I then started seeing red and my voice rose to its I’m-really-getting-pissed-off-with-you mode. I told him he never said anything about the reason for the long delay but in the middle of speaking, I simply stopped and turned my attention back to the manager. I dropped the service crew guy from my radar because he was simply not worth it. He was simply making efforts to deflect any blame toward him. The manager would trash him later on (I presumed). She then asked me if she should just put it in a take-home cup and then reiterated that the machine was already working and the coffee would be ready in two minutes’ time. I was fed up…thinking this kind of thing never happened in any Mcdo branch I’ve patronized- at least not for the last five years. I told her I’d take it within the premises and left her to attend to the coffee order she would not forget for the next whole week. Before I left her, I definitely gave her a piece of my mind. I really did not care if she hated me for it. I find it a nice thing to make friends, yes...but it was definitely NOT a Dale Carnegie moment. Not for me. And surely not for her. It was probably an LOTR (Lord of the Rings) moment for her. She probably wanted to cut me with Gimly's axe, blind me with Legolas' arrow and impale me through the heart using Aragorn's incredible sword. All of them at the same time if she could.

That’s it. It may seem like a trivial thing to you, but really, it’s not. Glitches happen. Even to machines. It’s a fact of life. The thing that really aggravated me was being made to wait without them (both manager and the crew idiot) giving me the courtesy of being apprised of the situation. Most especially on the part of the manager, right? It showed a clear case of her professionalism. Or in this case, lack thereof. Well in fairness, she was the one who brought the coffee to my table…but that was the least she could do really. When she was putting the coffee on my table, she mumbled another apology but I did not speak a word. I was too pissed off to waste words.

Another thing, it could be argued that I should be more “forgiving” because the store was overflowing with customers at that time. Maybe so. But then again, maybe not. This is their business. This is their industry. The delay per se was not the one that made me see red. The manager should have approached me earlier on (after about 20 minutes of waiting) and given me the heads-up about a longer wait. Then, I would not have been aggravated. I would simply have picked up my cellphone and called a friend to kill time. That or observe amusing occurrences around me that would be worth including in a future short story (ie. like a romantic pair quarreling with voices raised to the heavens). But I would not have been frustrated. And this blog piece would not be here today.

More than a few times, I have told my friends that “fastfood service” is no longer applicable because of the “fast” part. There were so many times (Jollibee, KFC, Chowking, etc.) that I felt like waiting for the Lord’s Second Coming when I was in the queue to the counter. But that is another blog article for another day. In this case, “fastfood service” is getting to be questionable because of the word “service”.

My dear managers/ officers-in-charge/ franchise owners / mother company management people: look at your act. “Service” does not only mean that your customers’ hunger is satiated when they leave your fastfood store. It also means this: that they would never find a single cause to think of complaining- whether related to food quality, to the attitude of the service or counter crew, to the cleanliness of your restrooms, all the way to the sufficiency of your airconditioning temperature. Or in my case – your ability to truly care for your customers. “Caring” means giving the customer a heads-up about any situation that would force him/her to wait for a long period of time. Hey guys (I’m talking to you fastfood stores higher-ups), I am not a CEO of any firm whose every waking hour has to be accounted for by a highly-paid executive assistant. I have my bumming-around hours, but that is my choice. I do not appreciate being made to wait for an order without any explanation given by either management or crew. I am sure I’m not the only one with this kind of sentiments. Make a survey if you want.

I’m done here…almost. So, will I still dine in at a fastfood? Will I still patronize Jollibee stores? For the first question, of course I will. I am a bachelor (read: no wife to cook for me) who does not know how to cook any decent meal. Where does that leave me? To the second question, yes, I still will. There are still hundreds of other Jollibee branches everywhere. Will I still go to that particular store? Hmm…the jury is still out for that one.

Well, got to go. I’m going on coffee break. This one I’ll be doing myself. No stupid coffee machine that will break down. No neglectful manager to contend with. Just me and my own steaming hot coffee. Bliss.

 

Charleze

The truth is, I have a cynical view of the new...this new...generation. (By my definition, the high school up to the college people.) They are uncouth and they lack the breeding that my generation has (my generation defined as everybody 40 and up). I'm not saying that the majority of the young people of today are rude and ill-mannered, not that. What I'm saying is, if the boorish and rude comprise 20 or 25% of my generation, this new crop has an even higher number. Probably 40% at worst, 30% at best. Why is this my conviction? That folks, merits another article in itself.

Anyway, just the other day, I was in a McDonald's store. Drinking coffee. Alone. Then a middle-aged woman and a little cute girl (I assumed was her daughter) came in and went to the table beside mine. The lady admonished her not to stand up so that the seat would not be taken by others, and for her not to go with anybody else. Then the lady went to the counter to order (counter was out of the line of sight from our position.)

So there. The girl was so cute that I spent five full minutes thinking whether I should talk to her or not. Believe me, I am the kind of person who does not make small talk to people- be it old, my age, or cute little kids. Particularly ugly kids, those who look like they'll bite you at the slightest provocation. Finally, I asked her with a smile, "What is your name?"

She answered in that tiny voice, "Charleze". I first heard it as "Charlene" but later on when the lady called her, I realized my mistake, but that's for later. We were still alone. The mother (which turned out to be an aunt) took all of 20 minutes ordering fries, burgers and shakes.

"How old are you?", I asked again. She said four. That should have been the end of it, for silence ensued for about 3 to 4 minutes. From out of the blue, she smiled and asked me, "What is your name?". It was not the words, but how she said it. Other 4 (or 5 or 6) year-olds have asked me that in varying circumstances, and the queries always came across as rude. Not this girl.

The manner in which she asked was respectful, sweet and so heavenly. I gave her my name (putting the "Kuya" in front). Then she asked if I lived far from that mall (I said yes). She asked if my house is tall or short. (I answered tall, for the dorm is a two-storey unit.) She even asked if I have kids. (Of course I said no. I sometimes say yes to strangers just to shut them up, but never to kids.)

She even asked a couple more questions that could only come from four-year olds directed to strangers. I am confident that two decades from now, this sweet angel would be a good lawyer or one hell of a homicide detective. Maybe even a writer such as myself. I asked her if she has siblings, the answer was yes, one sister. Abroad at the moment. I asked, "Do you talk to her everyday on the Net?". She smiled again and nodded.

Finally, the elder came back with the food. I told her how inquisitive and nice her daughter was. She corrected me, saying that the girl was her niece.

It was such a mundane event. In a scale of 1 to 10 (1 being the most trivial and 10 as an earth-shattering event), it should have been a 4 or 5. Five at best. However, the cynic in me...well...I had to review the cynical side of myself. There is HOPE for this generation after all. This little girl could not be alone. If she was there, conversing with me as though we were already friends, then others would be there as well. In her own little way, at the age of four, she was already educated, prim and proper. Capable of civilized small talk too, more than I can say for some adults I know.

I made small talk with the aunt for a few minutes, then wiped my lips, and stood. I said goodbye to the elder and faced the little angel. "Bye Charleze" I said with as much warmth as I could muster. She smiled again and waved a little cherubic hand.

As I was on the bus on the way back to the dorm, I remembered the biblical part where Christ was being approached by little kids and the apostles tried to prevent them. Well, that and my little conversation with the kid has no real similarity, but Christ's point there to his disciples was (among other lessons) that kids are a treasure. They are proof that no matter how bad or skewed our world becomes, hope lingers on. For as long as kids are there, we can stop being too hard on ourselves with the sins we are doing- "we" as in we, adults. That MEANINGFUL conversation was not exactly a wake-up call to me, more like a reminder from a Higher Being. A reminder that even the worst of society (criminals, terrorists, name it), started out as pure, sinless and innocent beings. All of us adults just got corrupted as we grew up- of course, in differing degrees and differing manners. If you dwell on that thought long enough, you'll recognize a lot of substantial and significant philosophy (and theology) in it. You may even find Zen in it.


I am still of the opinion that my generation possesses more decorum than the youth of today, but it has become- less magnified. I am looking forward to chatting with another little kid anytime in the future, be it boy or girl. That next one may in fact be a brat, someone who would stick his/her tongue out and then turn his back on me. Treating me as if I were a giant cockroach disturbing his solitude. (Believe me, that had happened, many years ago.)

But then again, it may be another Charleze- one that would make me smile. One that would affirm in me the basic goodness of humans. Thank you Charleze, it was a chat that was both ordinary and extraordinary. Vaya con Dios, young lady.

A Birth and a Death

First, the birth: it is the birth of a "new order", as news-websites put it. This is in relation to the victory of Obama in this US Presidential elections. While I was not able to vote (OBVIOUSLY because I am not American, nor do I live in that country), I amused myself with the thought: 'It would have been fun to agonize over the decision of whom to vote for- if I were an American'.

It was clearly a choice between two great men. In my own country (for the past couple of elections at least), the candidates numbered by the half-dozen, yet when you come right down to it, everything was choosing for the least evil, instead of the "better of the best".

In my conversations with my current-events-minded friends, almost everybody agreed that an Obama victory would put an end to the "racism", "blacks versus whites" issue that have been around for the longest, longest time. Yes, the racism issue for the past decades is not as pronounced as it was a century ago, but like cancer cells, they remain there. Even if not malignant. This Barack victory not only eradicates the cancer cells, it pronounces the patient on the way to Full Remission.

Still and all, even if I were American, there was a fifty percent chance (in my heart of hearts, 51%) that I would have voted for McCain. For a singular glaring reason. For those who do not know it, this guy used to be a POW- and he was given the chance by his captors to be let go- ahead of all his co-prisoners. HE DECLINED. While most guys in his position would grab at the offer before you could finish saying "Presidential elections"- this guy took his time and declined it. You have to be very impressed with moral virtues such as this. He declined it not to be different, he declined it not to be a hero later on. It is actually safe to assume that when he declined the "generous offer" of his captors, he already assumed he would die in that place. This is what I call "moral strength of the highest order". Would Obama have done exactly the same thing? Maybe yes, maybe no. We could speculate until the Next Presidential US Elections comes in, until all of us are blue in the faces, everything would be pure speculation. However, McCain proved it by doing it. "Been there, done that"- he could claim when facing our Supreme Creator when his time comes to be judged.

Such a shame he lost, but another part of me is very glad that Barack won, for other reasons I will no longer elaborate here. The part that I have something concrete to say about is this: I am happy for the Afro-Americans -both citizens and those simply forced to stay) of the US. For the very first time in the country's history, they would be able to enjoy one thing that all of their ancestors combined never had the luxury of having. For the first time, Afro-Americans would feel, really FEEL in all the shades of meaning, that America's head of state cares for them. Really cares, in all meanings of the word, after all- Obama is one of them. The amusing thing- and the laudable aspect of it all is - this win over McCain proves that the non-blacks of America also are confident that Obama would care for them too, individually and collectively. At first impressions, Barack will take care of blacks and whites (and the other races) equally well, but first impressions are not actuality. Only time will tell, but as far as gut feelings are concerned, I think this New President is going to be one hell of a president, and I mean it in the positive sense.

Well, that is that. Here is wishing both of them something. Barack, that he exhibits humility on this conclusive victory. For McCain, that he realizes that this defeat, albeit significant in his life, DOES NOT lessen the fact that he is one great man, one intelligent man, and that his supporters would wish him well until the end of his life. I am a writer, Mr McCain (on the very off-chance you get to read this), and it hit me that maybe one of these days, I will use your "I decline the offer of getting freed" experience as a good storyline for a story, a novel even. Believe me dear readers, this is the kind of act that would never die, it would be told over and over again, generation after generation. It is just a step away from the act of offering one's life so that others may live, or be saved.

Still and all, I would not dare argue that Barack's victory was not earned, unlike the elections of my country (I hate to admit it but there it goes)- America's elections are inspiringly honest and transparent. Hello Mr Obama, this birth of a new America (and world maybe) order is in your hands. (Most of it would be in your hands anyway, for as long as you would be there at the White House).

==================

So much for the birth of a new American "order", now we go to the death. My favorite fiction writers are Stephen King ('king of horror') and Dean Koontz ("master of gene-engineering speculative fiction")- however, Crichton is near the top of the list as well. He just passed away, and went on to grace the Great Halls of Writing in the Afterlife. I don't know him personally, I never even went within 10 kilometers of his person anytime when he was alive. However, I have read many of his stories/novels. Just to mention some of them: Airframe, State of Fear, The Lost World, Disclosure of course, and Timeline. The last one is what I consider as his ultimate best, disregarding the few works of his that I have not read to date (if ever one exists). Fact is, I've read Timeline at least twice, and I would not mind reading it for the third time. It was about a clique of professionals who had to travel back in time to 14th Century France to rescue a comrade. It was a most engrossing read. Such a pity that there would never be another novel like this, at least one coming from the pen of Michael Crichton. It pains me truly, thinking about it. Well, there are two inescapables: taxes and death. May he rest in peace, and may the tribe he left here on earth increase. The Crichton-genre writers (I am referring to the professional writers) may not be able to duplicate his mastery of words, or come up with the same breathtaking imagination, but they could at least try. You may be 13 or 14 or 15 years old right now, but every time you watch any of the Jurassic Park series, remember this guy. We all owe this fiction series to him, and now that he has just joined the "spirits" of all the T-Rex's, let us make him smile as he looks down upon us.

We can do this by making sure that his novels (whether translated to films or not) would be read by our children, and our children's children. Goodbye Mr Crichton. It's been fun. Rest well sir.

So Self-Contained

Wow...I never thought I would put in an article on AI here at my space, but here goes. (For those who have been sleeping under a rock for the past two decades, this is the ever-popular AMERICAN IDOL).

Truth be told, since I am a guy (as you must know by now if you have read all my previous articles), I should be rooting for a lady right? I for one, am rooting for Carly Smithson, wow...this lady has the vocals, plus she has the EYES. Both unusual and mesmerizing, more the latter than the former. However, she definitely has a bubbly side, and self-contained she is not. Ergo, this is not about her really, but on Amanda Overmyer.

Let me say this, I am not one who particularly likes rock (or hard rock), and women performers (women rockers I mean) are not among my favorites. Well, for this particular field of AI lady warriors, I will not say Amanda is a favorite of mine, and I really am willing to bet she will be cut off before the Top 3 come in. However, even more than Ms Mesmerizing Eyes and all the rest, Overmyer for me is probably the most interesting. I mean, look at her.

I watched the videos on all Top 24 being given the good news (that they made it to the 24), and it is very expected and so trite already that the female contestant would do any of the following: weep with joy, or just pump up their fists with joy, or shout with joy, or rush to the judges to give them all a hug, or worse...do all the mentioned. Funny and INTERESTING, Amanda did not do any of the following, she merely smiled (a very shy smile) and said "Thank you, I appreciate it". Looking at her, it was almost...almost...like she knew there was no chance of her being rejected. It's either a great dose of self-confidence or a great dose of being self-contained...I think it's a combination of the two. Looking at the contained reaction in those moments, boy, it was both very rare (TO SEE) and so refreshing- at least for me.

Then fast-forward, in the first session of eliminations, where four got axed, there was this moment. It was just the two of them standing, Amanda and the Afro-American lady (so politically correct of me), Seacrest said that one of them would go home. When it was announced that the Afro-American contestant got the axe, look at Amanda's reaction. Same reaction she displayed when she got the news that she made it to the Magic 24. SHE DID NOT EVEN HUG THE loser, and while some people might see it as too cold, I find it both rare (to see) and refreshing. I mean, if it were Alaina and Carly standing up there, I am willing to bet that regardless of who got booted out, the winner would hug the loser in a compassionate embrace, and we might find it touching or overly-done, or both. The fact that she did not even look at the Afro-American lady (somebody give me the name please) does not mean she is a cold person, she is just reserved, she would probably have exhibited the same reaction even if another contestant were there instead of the Afro-American lady. After all, accept it as fact folks, NOT ALL human beings in the world like to give hugs, or accept hugs for that matter. If the Afro-American lady is one of the latter, Overmyer did her a favor by not touching her. I mean, if they held hands seconds prior to Seacrest's 'you are out' announcement, that does not count, if you get my drift.

Right after she sang "Baby, Please Don't Go" wearing that multi-colored jeans, she showed all the world that she is capable of laughing too. (My friend said, "Wow, she is NOT an alien after all!" when Amanda laughingly admitted what she considered as an embarrassing moment in the AI adventure- that 5-second shot where all top 24 individually danced a jig in front of the cam). The amusing thing is, it could be said that the only times she "lets her hair down" and sheds off her self-containedness for more than 30 seconds is when she's performing onstage...but that, would still be a matter of opinion.

I don't know about you, but this lady (Amanda, not the Afro-American) is very intriguing, she is a mystery, and she is an enigma. She might just fit in at Potter's magical world, if they could stand a rock female with the kind of hair Cyndi Lauper held in her prime years.

(One thing I like in Amanda though, she likes to read- she revealed it in that tape shown during the show- and being a bookworm myself, I think she and I would have things in common, IF EVER the two of us get to meet personally- fat chance of that).

I want to see how she would react if any of the two happens: that she gets the coveted AI title or she gets booted out, I am willing to bet that she will not cry, not EVEN A SINGLE tear. Maybe, one or two of her fellow contestants will shed a tear for her, but no...not Amanda, she will probably just smile (a shy one), thank the audience/judges, then sing the last song not because she wants to- but out of respect for AI traditions.

Well, what more can I say...go girl, goodluck. As of this writing, she has recently rendered 'I Hate Myself for Loving You' (top 8, make it 16 for both genders). Not bad that, but since that kind of music is not on the top of my list of favorites, I cannot say that it resonated with me. Here is my take, she might place in the Top 3 or 4, but she would not win the Ultimate AI crown, because America as a whole would not want a rocker as the Champion. (No offense to rock fans and to rock performers). This is just an opinion, but an educated opinion at that.

Win or lose though, she gets my vote for the "Most Interesting Persona" for this particular batch...and I am referring to the field of 24, not just the ladies' side. Still, if she manages to get the Ultimate Bacon, I would just be surprised, not shocked. After all, she is a true dark horse in this competition, and in case you are unfamiliar with the etymology of the phrase "dark horse", it came from -of course- racing. It means the trainor has managed to conceal the true strength of
the horse, and the horse surprises the public by winning over the favorites.

Well, a self-contained individual is quiet by nature, in the quietness (hmm, is this in the dictionary?) lies the mystery. In the quietness lies the possible surprise. (Who knows...she may suddenly spring "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" one of these days...I will surely watch that).

Now, it is my turn to be self-contained, I will contain myself because I feel the strong urge to keep on writing about AI. I'll stop (for now), before I start expressing my bewilderment over the fact that Simon Cowell really liked the rendition of "Hallelujah" by a male contestant, while showing nonchalance over Eze's wonderful performance (that's 'All the Women I Need'). If I don't stop right now, blogger.com might suddenly email me with a message saying, "Hey dude, NO TOMES allowed in here".

I Don't Want to Say 'Good Riddance' But...

...it is really what I want to say...what I want to yell out, but I'd rather not.

Let me start by saying this, I am actually against abortion, save for those isolated cases where the raped individual got pregnant due to the atrocious act- making me pro-life. HOWEVER, I am for the death penalty, whether it is by the chair, lethal injection, HANGING, firing squad or by stoning...all of them boil down to the same thing. Most particularly if the offender has committed the most horrendous of sins against mankind and society, which this (former) head of state did. Fact is, if he were a cat, it would only be just and proper to execute all his nine lives. (I don't mean to sound cruel, but it is an honest opinion. This stand on capital punishments (in turn) makes me, well...anti-life. (That is why one friend remarked: "You must be schizophrenic, you are made up of 2 personas"...he said that half in jest though).

Talking of Saddam Hussein, I am on the camp of the multitudes who rejoiced with the verdict of hanging. No, let me be more specific, I really did not rejoice...I was just glad that finally..FINALLY...the nightmares of the relatives/families of all the people who got killed would finally abate. The execution of Hussein would not bring these murdered persons back to this plane of existence, but it is a major balm to the emotional wounds being carried by the said relatives/families.

Out of the ten commandments, what is the most well-known? I think it is: Thou Shalt Not Kill. Technically, Hussein might not have killed a single person with his own hands. However, common intelligence would lead us to conclude that ordering one's henchmen to do the act for him is basically the same thing. (If God could talk to us right now, I am sure He will say the same thing). HOW MANY PEOPLE DIED- RATHER GOT MURDERED - DURING HIS VERY LONG REIGN? I will not put a number here, not even an estimate...it would seem pointless...suffice it to say...they went by the multitudes.

With all due respect to his countrymen who idolized him...this guy is the Hitler of this generation...of my generation. That being said, let us still offer a prayer (whether a tiny prayer or a novena) for his soul. That the Lord in his infinite Mercy could still allow Saddam's soul to be accommodated in blissful state. Fellow human beings have judged him...that's why the last thing on earth that Saddam saw was a rope. But that was mortal judgment. Divine judgment is for God and God alone. You may be saying "good riddance"...but let us still be pitying enough to offer a prayer for this individual. Whether you would consider praying for his soul as equivalent to forgiveness (on crimes against humanity) or not...I think is moot. He is dead after all...he did not die a natural death...he already paid his crimes with his life. (Although I will refuse to say that one life could offset the hundreds and hundreds of lives...all of which were taken against their will.)

Saddam is gone...we could now close this chapter. It does not mean that in the closing of the chapter, we will bury the book. It behooves all of us to make sure that this execution will never be forgotten by our children and our children's children and our children's children's children. Only then will we be able to imbibe in them the fact that at this day and age...we still have justice running in this world.
Mr. Hussein...I am glad that you are gone...but I'll offer some prayers for you still. The final say rests with our Creator...and ULTIMATELY...you would have to answer him when he asks: "What can you show me that embodies your love for humankind?"