Wednesday, July 23, 2008 Social suicide By Rene Lizada Papa's table
THAT is the term my children use for things that one should never do, or get caught doing. They range from the ridiculous to the downright inane. Some examples are wearing "baduy" clothes or uttering expressions that sound "jologs."
I sometimes laugh at the shallowness of those things but I guess that is part of the learning process of life. There are things that may have sounded "baduy" when we were young and now as we look at them we just say that things are just the way they are, with no labeling or judging. And yet there is something that I think will forever be "baduy" for my three children. And that is lugging along "pasalubong."
You can ask my kids to bring home tons of luggage but you can never ask them to bring home "pasalubong." You know things that are sold in Manila but not in Davao. And the favorite "pasalubong" right now in my family is Krispy Kreme.
Last Monday I went to Manila to give a seminar to a Japanese engineering firm. When Eps found out that I was going, he just said, "dala ka Krispy Kreme ha." Of course I said yes because it does not bother me a bit bringing doughnuts or whatever.
When I got to Manila one of the things Gabo asked me was, "dala ka Krsipy Kreme pauwi?" Of course I said yes. Gabo just nodded his head. The last time Gabo and I took the plane home, he got to the airport first before I did. And he was carrying two boxes of Krispy Kreme, which he handed to me the moment he saw me. I was carrying the boxes in the plane.
And so it was the same case last Thursday when I came home. But this time it was a little difficult. Since I just stayed for two days I only brought a small bag for clothes and of course my laptop. Going to Manila was easy because I only had those to carry along. But it was an entirely different thing coming home. I had the bag, the laptop, and two boxes of Krispy Kreme. And a cake. Yes, of all things a big round hazelnut cake given to me by a very good friend. The cake was for Chona, she said.
The doughnuts were for Eps. So how can I refuse di ba? How, how? That would have been all right except for one thing. The cake was big and it would not fit the bag that had the doughnuts. Back at the hotel I asked for a bigger bag. They gave me a laundry bag but I still could not put those three boxes inside one bag.
Being the idiot that I am in packing I ended up tearing the bag. So I asked for help. While I was waiting for the driver to pick me up I asked a staff member to help me. He was able to do so but not in the way I wanted. I could not hold the bag the normal way. The boxes had to be laid out so I had to hold the cake from under. Get the picture?
When I got to the airport the aerobics began. I stepped out of the car, slung the bag on my left shoulder, the laptop on my right, got the cake and doughnuts (for the sake of abbreviation it shall be called cado from now on ok?) and slid my hands under to hold the cado.
Then I started walking and then I realized that I had to show my ticket and id. I stopped, put the cado down, un-slung both bag and laptop. I got the ticket, which was of the electronic variety, pulled out my license. I placed the ticket on top of the cado and slung once more the laptop and the bag. (From now on also we shall call both as the labag.) I started walking towards the entrance. The guard asked for my ticket and I told him it was at the top of the cado. He inspected both id and ticket and waved me through.
That was easy. But the next step was a little difficult, the x-ray machines. When I got inside, I placed the cado in a tray, un-slung the labag, took out my cellphones and placed them in the labag, took off my shoes and undid my belt.
While this was going on I had my ticket and my id between my teeth. After that I placed them in the x-ray machine and hoped for the best. I stepped into the metal detector machine hoping that the cake and the doughnuts were still in one piece. After passing through the machine I had to rush because I had to get the cado and the labag.
So when the x-ray machine spat them out, I took the cado and the labag on one side. I took my belt. I was a little apprehensive because my pants were a little loose and the last thing that I wanted was for my pants to fall off exposing my cado! I picked up the cado and labag. The ticket and the id were still in my mouth. I was starting to sweat and my breath shallow with all these.
I looked for the counter and I was hoping it would be not so far because this was making me tired. Luckily the counter was close. I checked in, I had a reserved seat already. The guy asked me if I had luggage, I wanted to throw the cado at him. I was a little harassed with all these.
After paying the terminal fee I knew that I was going to do this all over again because of the second set of x-ray machines. So with weary resignation I went through the same process.
Finally I was at the pre-departure area. I was tired and sweating. I was also breathing heavily. The taste of paper, which was my ticket, was heavy on my tongue. Gate Two was on the left side. So I trudged along, cabo, labag and me. I picked my phones from the bag and texted my wife. I sat down and took a long rest.
I had an hour before the flight. I wanted to eat but the idea of standing and bringing cado and labag with me discouraged me from doing anything. So I sat there, I did not want to read, I just wanted to sleep. Then I had to go to the comfort room. I tried to delay it but after a few minutes it really wanted to go. So no choice. So cado and labag here we go. And that happened three times.
Our flight was called and so I stood with cado and labag. When we got inside the plane I did not want to part with cado and labag anymore. After what we went through I felt we had become friends. But of course I had to put them in the overhead. Labag was on top while cado was on my feet. We took off.
Now that I am home the cake and the doughnuts are in the refrigerator. My bag in some corner. And I am using the laptop for this article. Till next time then cado and labag!
