A TALE OF TWO CLASSMATES
I have two classmates from my high school days that have had two significant things happen to them this past week. I know one of them sometimes visits this blog and can be a tad bit sensitive (I am understating this and you will see why later) and has a penchant for speaking his mind (which I will do so later) so my friend (you know who you are), please take this with a grain of salt.
Last Sunday, as I woke up to the news of Macayan's death, I got a message after that my kumpare Jim had welcomed a new bundle of joy into the world, his daughter Tala. My original intent was to swing by the hospital before I went to the wake of Macayan with the rest of the boys. Unfortunately, we postponed the visit to the wake to this past Tuesday, and for austerity's sake (my wallet is thinning), I had to postpone my visit to Jim.
I then found out that visiting hours at this place (in order to view the baby) were from 6 to 7 in the evening. On Monday, I was heading home late from my second interview with that ad agency. It was about 9 pm and I hadn't had dinner yet and it had been a long day at the office. My phone comes to life and it was Jim on the other line. He sounded a little peeved (I've known him for more than 12 years now, so I can sense these things) and he was wondering when I was coming over.
"I've had a long day man. Haven't had dinner yet. Just came from an interview," said I, hoping for some understanding.
"Yeah, but we're only here till tomorrow!" he said curtly.
"Di ba, visiting hours are only till 7? How will I see the baby?"
"Well...come and keep US company!" he told me, referring to him and his wife.
I apologized and said that I'd try. If not the next day, then maybe the weekend. Of course, the next day, the rest of the boys organized a class visit to Macayan's wake. I also found out that Jigs was going to propose to his fiancee and he wanted us in on the surprise.
What's that? Yeah, I said it right. Jigs was going to propose to his fiancee. You see, he first askde her to marry him over Friendster, then a second time over text. Finally, with her back in town (she's stationed in Shanghai), he was going to do the entire get-on-one-knee-will-you-marry-me shtick right at the place where they first met (Seattle's Best Eastwood). We, of course, played our parts to the best of our abilities.
TC: "Saan tayo kakain?"
Me: "Eastwood?"
R-Jay: "Bakit doon?"
Me: "Ahh...ehhh...kasi...di pa tayo kumakain d'un e!"
Later in the car, I whopped R-Jay upside his head for putting me on the spot with his inane question. Surprisingly, Janice, Jigs' fiancee hadn't caught on at all, despite our lousy forced dialogue, and was happily surprised when Jigs did the ring thing. We all had dinner together (Janice's treat - she was really happy) and Jigs was utterly appreciative of our presence and effort at this glorious event.
Of course, Jim called me Wednesday evening and found out Tuesday's happenings. The peeved voice rang through my phone receiver again and I called him out on it. As I had suspected, he was upset that we had gone to a dead priest's wake and our classmate's betrothment instead of hanging out with him and his wife. My first impulse was to tell him off, that the world didn't revolve around him, that we didn't owe him anything, that we'd love to go and see the baby - we could hang out with you and your wife anytime - but with the visiting hours the way they were, it was an impossibility. Of course, I didn't and delved into the situation more. I then found out that he hadn't even held or seen his new child the whole two days they were there.
Of course, I will try and make the effort to see the couple and their newborn baby girl. I just wish that like Jigs, Jim would just lose himself in the joy of the moment rather than dwell on the negatives.
INXS: Birthday greetings to my bro Karl! He turns 23 this Sunday! Libre naman bro!
Last Sunday, as I woke up to the news of Macayan's death, I got a message after that my kumpare Jim had welcomed a new bundle of joy into the world, his daughter Tala. My original intent was to swing by the hospital before I went to the wake of Macayan with the rest of the boys. Unfortunately, we postponed the visit to the wake to this past Tuesday, and for austerity's sake (my wallet is thinning), I had to postpone my visit to Jim.
I then found out that visiting hours at this place (in order to view the baby) were from 6 to 7 in the evening. On Monday, I was heading home late from my second interview with that ad agency. It was about 9 pm and I hadn't had dinner yet and it had been a long day at the office. My phone comes to life and it was Jim on the other line. He sounded a little peeved (I've known him for more than 12 years now, so I can sense these things) and he was wondering when I was coming over.
"I've had a long day man. Haven't had dinner yet. Just came from an interview," said I, hoping for some understanding.
"Yeah, but we're only here till tomorrow!" he said curtly.
"Di ba, visiting hours are only till 7? How will I see the baby?"
"Well...come and keep US company!" he told me, referring to him and his wife.
I apologized and said that I'd try. If not the next day, then maybe the weekend. Of course, the next day, the rest of the boys organized a class visit to Macayan's wake. I also found out that Jigs was going to propose to his fiancee and he wanted us in on the surprise.
What's that? Yeah, I said it right. Jigs was going to propose to his fiancee. You see, he first askde her to marry him over Friendster, then a second time over text. Finally, with her back in town (she's stationed in Shanghai), he was going to do the entire get-on-one-knee-will-you-marry-me shtick right at the place where they first met (Seattle's Best Eastwood). We, of course, played our parts to the best of our abilities.
TC: "Saan tayo kakain?"
Me: "Eastwood?"
R-Jay: "Bakit doon?"
Me: "Ahh...ehhh...kasi...di pa tayo kumakain d'un e!"
Later in the car, I whopped R-Jay upside his head for putting me on the spot with his inane question. Surprisingly, Janice, Jigs' fiancee hadn't caught on at all, despite our lousy forced dialogue, and was happily surprised when Jigs did the ring thing. We all had dinner together (Janice's treat - she was really happy) and Jigs was utterly appreciative of our presence and effort at this glorious event.
Of course, Jim called me Wednesday evening and found out Tuesday's happenings. The peeved voice rang through my phone receiver again and I called him out on it. As I had suspected, he was upset that we had gone to a dead priest's wake and our classmate's betrothment instead of hanging out with him and his wife. My first impulse was to tell him off, that the world didn't revolve around him, that we didn't owe him anything, that we'd love to go and see the baby - we could hang out with you and your wife anytime - but with the visiting hours the way they were, it was an impossibility. Of course, I didn't and delved into the situation more. I then found out that he hadn't even held or seen his new child the whole two days they were there.
Of course, I will try and make the effort to see the couple and their newborn baby girl. I just wish that like Jigs, Jim would just lose himself in the joy of the moment rather than dwell on the negatives.
INXS: Birthday greetings to my bro Karl! He turns 23 this Sunday! Libre naman bro!
Shit, I missed that.
Anyway, you guys do know that it's superstitious bad to visit a new born baby after visiting a funeral wake, right?
Posted by
banzai cat |
11:23 AM
Yeah, that's why I wss planning to drop by before Macayan last Sunday. How do you think Jim will react after this entry?
Posted by
Jay |
2:09 PM
Abangan ang susunod na kabanata!
Yahhhh! What the hell is that profile ID?!?
Posted by
banzai cat |
5:45 PM
my first thought was... "nagbabasa ng blog si jigs?" hehehe, si Jim pala. :)
Posted by
kong-chu |
8:32 PM