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Tuesday, February 10, 2004
Flavier: The parable of the entertainment
By Sen. Juan Flavier
THE farmer felt a sense of pride as he gave the city man a tour of his farm.
First they walked through the well-tendered rice field. One could see the evidence of excellent care with the striking absence of weeds. The rice stalks extended in straight rows. Its leaves were bright green and blended with the bamboo groves bordering either side.
Next, the farmer showed his backyard garden lush with various vegetables growing in neat beds while upo (white squash), kalabasa (squash) and chayote vines climbed and crawled along bamboo trellises. Interspersed among the greens were the red chili peppers and yellow marigold flowers. The latter served as natural deterrent of mosquitoes.
Finally, he showed his livestock. The piggery was well maintained and the swine were scrubbed clean.
The visitor followed the farmer around with much interest but said very little. As they sat on some rickety benches in the front yard to rest and enjoy the young coconut juice, the visitor asked, "What do you do for entertainment around here?"
The farmer was somewhat surprised. He was expecting some comments or questions regarding his farm. Not something as far from his mind as entertainment. "Well, I really do not know what you mean."
"Do you have a disco house nearby?"
"No, I'm afraid we do not have that here."
"How about a movie house since there are no television sets?"
"No movies here. You see our access to electricity is very limited," the farmer said almost apologetically.
"How about a bar? You know - a place where you can buy a drink and be with friends or listen to music."
"We drink with friends occasionally but we don't have a real bar."
"Then what do you do for entertainment? I mean what do you do when you want to while away your spare time especially after tending your fields and livestock?" the city man pressed.
The farmer though for a while then brightened up. "Well, I go to the corner where halo-halo (a refreshing mixture of preserved sweets, milks and shaved ice) is sold."
"You mean you go and eat halo-halo for entertainment?"
"No, I watch the young lady selling halo-halo. That is the main entertainment here."
(February 10, 2004 issue)
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