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Sunday, May 23, 2004
Luab: When true colors show
By Evelyn R. Luab
Light sunday
When we were studying at U.P. Diliman, we had Saturday UPSCA socials where boys and girls were allowed to “exercise” their hands and feet. With Father John P. Delany roaming the social hall and requesting everyone to be on his feet, we had a lot of fun either square dancing, doing the boogie or the twist. We started at 7 p.m. and ended at 10 p.m. with other faculty members, like Dean Patrocino Valenzuela and Prof. Zafra and his wife, as our chaperones. They always maintained that the best time to get to know our young men was either during dance parties or at play. I quote: “That’s the time when their guard is down. You won’t get them to lower their guard when they are on their best behavior visiting in your living room. Watch them too at play.” In basketball, does he deliberately use his elbows to get a foul call? Does he berate the referee?
When playing baseball does he bump the second baseman deliberately just to be safe, even if he knows he weighs 20 pounds heavier?
During dance parties, does he deliberately hold you so close that not even air can pass through? When he approaches the buffet table, does he load his plate with too much food as if there were no tomorrow?
In every group there is usually a spoilsport. He is one who puts a damper on the enthusiasm in a group. There were times in the past when the joy of singing, even off key, was dampened because someone in the group switched off the Karaoke. He complained that the noise was too loud.
At one time, everyone wanted to go walking by the beach during an excursion but a girl refused to go walking. So everyone had to forego the exhilaration of wetting their feet and enjoying the freshness of the sea spray because we couldn’t leave her alone in a hut in a secluded portion of the beach.
Among grown-ups, even in a friendly game of mahjong where the stakes are as low as P1, P2 or P3, we have the perennial grumblers who keep on complaining that they are so malas. Some players will deliberately not return the same chip they got when their turn was stopped due to a “pong” from the opposite side. Others will not allow the laxity of allowing a mistake to pass even if its just a friendly game. They will insist that the person should put his chips face down and pay the penalty by not being included in that particular round. Heavens! Our true colors come out really during playtime.
Even in tennis, we watch seeded players berate the referee for a baseline “out” or “in” or when a well-known player smashes his racket in anger. We get terribly disappointed at the person we once admired.
The last elections showed how people react in ways we cannot stomach. Personally I was so disgusted at the balimbings. I was sickened at the manipulators who used FPJ. The paid ads mudslinging the candidates on the opposite side showed how dirty one was willing to play just to win at all costs.
Today when all but the counting is over, and the counting shows a trend of victory for some, we already hear the losers cry for blood.
In the final analyses it is Juan de la Cruz who will suffer. Look at the increase in prices after that deluge of money scattered during the campaign period.
Voters were bought at P100 to P700 per person depending on the area.
Today as I look at my grandchildren toddling around, I ask myself this question: Will their character traits be such that they will stand tall among their equals even at play or work?
Will my daughters be able to instill in their children a sense of fair play and pride in strength of character?
Why, oh why do we pretend to be good and noble yet when the unguarded moment comes, many of us slip and show our true colors?
(May 23, 2004 issue)
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