Ika 14 ng Hulyo 2008

I was so lazy to get up. My whole being was being lured to stay curled up under the sheet on this rainy morning. I had to wake up at 3:00am to check if all windows are closed as our bedroom floors can easily be ruined by water. I dragged myself into doing my 10-minute workout for the not so serious fitness buff falling asleep in between each count. The routine consists of sit-ups, upper body lifts and a facial exercise I got from a Chinoy friend who told me that the 1 – minute routine is responsible for Chinese in mainland China not needing eyeglasses. Schools in China make students do the facial exercise daily. I instantly subscribed to the routine the moment I heard about the Chinese phenomenon. The sit ups and lift ups have been part of my routine for a long time. With the facial exercise, I have a complete body work-out or so it seems. I’ve seen myself in better shape though. A friend, a reader of my blog, has been convincing me to go to the gym but I always find an excuse. Truth is I’m so lazy to do work-outs. So my early morning work-outs plus my daily walk comprise my modest fitness regimen. I also play badminton but have not done so for a long time. As for the vaunted facial massage, err exercise, I do need reading glasses but I can still read what I am typing right now using font 11 without any glasses. Given the efficacy of my self-developed work-out, I can’t miss it for anything lest somebody’s looking.

My son needed no coaxing nor threat when I went to his bedroom to wake him up. He easily rolled out of bed and went downstairs for our breakfast. I also gave the puppies fresh milk as they started barking in their little voices the moment they saw me. I fixed my son’s plate and went on to have breakfast. Everyone was rushing. My eldest daughter is calling to her Dad to hurry up so he can drop her at the bus terminal to make it to her 7:00am class. Mondays mornings are my Achilles’ heels as everything is cumbersome. I couldn’t leave the house without a barrage of instructions to my helpers.

I left the house after much struggling with my lazy self. I took the shuttle service and sat between the driver and another passenger. Intending to read my lecture for tomorrow’s class, my better self gave way to laziness and I found myself dousing off with the cool air blowing on my face as I was going through the difference between a flexible and fixed exchange rates. I wanted the ride to last a little longer but here I was at my destination ready to face another day.

PS: Nung biernes habang nakasakay kami ng anak ko sa bus papauwi, napansin ko ang isang banyaga na nakatayo na tila wala sa sarili na nakikipagtalo sa isang pasahero. Nung tignan ko kung kanino nakatuon ang pansin niya ay me isang bata na mga 2 taong gulang na nagsasalita at medyo naglilikot na nakatayo sa hita ng kanyang tatay. Ito ang kaaway ng banyaga.

Sa pagusad ng byahe, nanahimik sandali ang banyaga hanggang sa makaupo ito. Unang una niyang ginawa ay ang buksan ang vent ng aircon na padabog. Isinara ito ng babae na nasa tapat ng aircon. Binuksan ulit ng banyaga at isinara ulit ng babae. Sumesenyas ang banyaga na mainit. Kaming mga nasa bus ay nalalamigan. Mga dalawang beses pa nangyari ang ganitong eksena. Huminto na ang babae sa pagsara ng vent ng aircon at wala naman ibang nakialam. Pasalamat ang banyagang ito at di ako ang katabi niya at makakarinig siya sa kin.

Nakakataka lang na likas sa tin mga Pilipino ang magtiis na lang sa ganitong mga pagkakataon kahit sa bansa natin. Pinoy tayo kaya giniginaw tayo sa konting ulan o lamig. Banyaga siya kaya kelangan makibagay siya. Ganon din naman tayo pag nasa ibang bansa, nagtitits at nagtitiyagang makibagay.

Naalala ko ang karanasan ko sa isang sikat na service center ng electronic appliances sa me Alabang. Pagkapasok ko pinakuha ako ng number at pinaupo para hintayin ang customer representative na magiging libre. Maya maya ay dumating ang isang banyaga at ng binibigyan ng number, sinabi na “I don’t have time to wait” at dire direcho sa counter. Sa puntong ito, naging mapagmasid na ako at tinitignan ko ang gagawin ng mga taga service center na yon. Nagulat ako ng asikasuhin ng kanilang customer service. Dahil di ko pinapalagpas ang ganitong pangyayari, tumayo ako at sinabing wala rin akong oras maghintay na pinarinig ko sa bantaga. Dahil ayaw ng mga ito ng gulo, napilitan silang harapin na rin ako na di tama para sa ibang naghihintay. Sinabihan ko ang babaeng nagasikaso sa kin na di tama yun ginawa nila. Kaya trinatrato tayong ganyan ay dahil di nila kayang ipatupag ang patakaran sa mga banyagang ganito na patuloy tayong inaabuso. Gaya sa bus, pinabayaan lang ang banyaga na makuha ang gusto niya ng wala tayong kalaban laban.