The Games We Played

Growing up, one thing that makes us different from other families is that our parents were away in times of typhoons. No classes for kids and no work for parents mean bonding moments for the family. My mother happened to work on Red Cross, which primarily does relief operations.

On normal days, my elder sister, brother and I have separate worlds. It was only on these days that we get to play together. I can’t remember who (between ate or kuya?) really owns the Millionaire’s Game; this is what we play with since typhoon means no television. My sister usually takes the role of the banker, and the rest (with other playmates) become the players. The whole point of the game is to purchase property and get your opponents bankrupt by making them pay on instances that they land in the houses, hotels and others that you own. This was in grade school.

All of these memories came back when I read an article which declares Monopoly and Scrabble to be the most popular board games of all times.

Well, Monopoly happens to be the more prestigious version of Millionaire’s game. What our cousins have was the Monopoly. We later have Scrabble. My sister, being the smartest one, beating her would always be one great challenge. As I reminisce at this moment, I can even imagine the smell of the Piknik or Pringles container where we draw these tiles from.

We had several sets of scrabble. The one that lasted long was around in high school. This was when a bored seminarian from the parish nearby would seldom come to our house to play scrabble with us.

A little later than that, after we gave the forced and due retirement to our Millionaire’s Game set, we then upgraded to – what else? Monopoly. There was another typhoon and there was nothing we could do. We approached a nagpapahulog to finance the purchase of that board game set. We, siblings contributed on the amortization of the installment payments. We’re still all students at that time but I think my sister and brother were both in college then.

I can’t remember anymore which came first, but we did the same teamwork we do when we purchased our family computer. We were envy of our neighbors and other friends who have family computer since they have parents abroad. We collected our savings and joined forces to buy our own. Sadly, we never really get to enjoy that much because of numerous reasons. First, our elders have rules that we can only use the television starting around noon. Then, we were not allowed to use it that much because it may cause damage to the television. Lastly, we had that unit at the time when it starts to become obsolete. We cannot even buy a tape (or how do you call it? iyong bala ng computer.) because there is no more available ones.

Let’s just say we’re the last ones to get to know Mario and Luigi. This was at the same that our peers would brag about street fighters in their Playstation. Just like when we bought Betamax at the time when VHS hit it big.

Memories would come from now and then. We have sets of English encyclopedia and storybooks which I only understood later on. We would settle on improvised games using those books. Ours parents have play house especially constructed for us which the whole barangay called “the Bahay-bahayan”. (Sugal)

Twenty plus years after, I am the one who became the bank teller. In a day my nephew asked me to play Monopoly with him, it was a day after a typhoon and a year after a failed career as a banker. It was in a very different light. It was in a different Monopoly set. I had our original board set lent to a friend but was never returned. Now, I am playing with the son of my brother, in his board set bought by his father. I’ll always remember this game. We were so confused having the UK version set, and playing the US version rules. We just cannot reconcile the correct amount to dispense on each player. We ended up playing for hours without having anyone bankrupt.

My brother, who was the strategic one in buying houses and hotel, is now an engineer. He’s the most likely to become the “Millionaire” being a Project Planner not in building houses nor Hotels but infrastructures in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Algeria. It’s just sad that after winning and losing battles of his life, he has yet to draw the line between game and gamble. I just hope he picks up the pieces and recover. I’m sure he will not let the zombies eat his brains!!!!!!!!!!!

My sister plays a big role in vocabularies of hundreds of students being an English teacher. We’ll never fail to look up to her. What I would always look back on are the times when Gelo (my nephew) and I would have to visit her every Sunday. She had the difficulties carrying her first child since due to our family condition; she had to get married at an older age. At those times, we would spend that day playing thumble bugs (a computer game). Her daughter came out as smart as Text Twist player for knowing everything as she speaks.

We went through hard times -my kuya experienced the hardest, and realized that life is not an easy game.

Today, it would be such rare instance getting together when typhoon hits. My father is no longer away on these times to assist on relief operations. This time, we are. My brother works abroad. My sister moved out when she got married. I also did.

The last time I saw an ex-boss.

The last time I saw an ex-boss.

I’ve had several previous jobs. This likewise means several ex-bosses.

Just last Saturday, we’re in a mall and opted to have a lunch at an eat-all-you can restaurant. This was in Pampanga. It would not be a remote chance to bump into an ex-officemate since most of them were from there. What is unexpected is to see this lady, right straight the seat on the next table. She was my manager years ago in a government agency.

I had to pause and think whether to approach her or not. I noticed that she no longer remembers me. There were instances that she happens to look towards our table. No traces of recognition from her. I’ll call her Boss no. 1.

This reminds me of the last time I saw another former boss. Boss no. 2 was my boss in a Local Government Unit. There was no doubt that anywhere I would see her, she’ll definitely know me. She’s a relative. Tracing by affinity, she’s practically my lola, being a Tita of my mother. I just don’t know what number of degree.

The last time I saw her was a year ago which is somehow of this same season. “Nag-asawa ka na raw?” she asked, despite that she already knew that I got married. Then, she invited me –and my family to their house for the town fiesta. I remember that as a child, we would go to their house yearly for the same occasion –and Christmas para mamasko.

There was a bit of awkwardness. I don’t know if she’s still upset that I left, despite her refusal.

We were not able to go to the fiesta, and never gone to see her lately.

Boss no. 3 was from the Government agency where I worked for 5 years. I only worked with him for around 2-3 months before he was transferred to another branch.

Years after and I no longer worked for that agency, I attended their summer outing. It came as a surprise that he does not only recognize me, he even remembers my name. He said, “Ah syempre kilala ko pa yan, si Richard”. He’s back to the branch as the Manager. This was the time that all of my former officemates were (re)introducing me to him. They were all keen on convincing him to re-hire me at the office. This was before I tell them that I already have a job, in contrast to their belief that I’m pathetic to be lost-ang-career.

But that was not the last time I saw him. We recently went to a field work in Dinalupihan and had a lunch at the fast food restaurant beside my former office. I was hoping to see some former pals who would take lunch in the same place. There was none.

I just saw one person –a far, by the time we are leaving and already inside our service vehicle. That’s Boss no. 3.

I’ve had several previous jobs. This likewise means several ex-bosses. This would go on to Boss no. 4, 5, 6 and so forth. There is an ex-boss who I never bumped into again, but I hear good words from him that I'm a fine writer. There is an ex-boss who I never attempted to approach even I saw him on several occasions because firstly, he would definitely not remember me. Another problem is if he does. He'll just remember me as his employee he caught sleeping at the office.

At this point, I feel tired of analyzing what happened in my life, having numerous jobs. Wherever I’ll go as a co-employee, I’ll be part of someone’s career (life), as a subordinate or as a fellow. Although it may concern me whether they remember me or not, I know that I can only do so much. If I’m the bida of my own story, I may only be a supporting role, extra or bit player to other people’s story.

I’ve had several previous jobs. I could no longer change that. What I have may be a series of right or wrong choices. Positive or negative as it may seem, I stood and pick up the pieces. Hindi naman masama kinalalagyan ko ngayon, - a regular employee in a government agency.

As for my present job, my boss is a future-ex boss. It’s not that I will (again!) resign from my job. She’s the one leaving. She’s off to be with her foreigner-husband in the U.S. (I can’t remember the exact State). There’s no way that I can be at par with my co-employees who are with her around the decades. I just came to know her briefly for (exactly on this day) a year, I just hope I made an impact on her, at least not to forget me.

The last time I’ll see her, estimably would be on the day of her despedida few weeks from now.

As for Boss no. 1, I walk towards her and introduced myself. She still does not remember me despite telling my name, the place where we worked and the year I was hired to the office. She told me, she does when I enumerated Sharon Felix, Jasper Cadiz and Laarni Canare as the other employees who are of the same batch in my entry to the agency. I don’t believe her. She’s just discreet

He Never Went Back to Japan

The closest thing I can associate myself with Japan is a relative – Kuya Jimmy who had gone there years ago.

He was the jack of all trades and everyone thinks, it is definite that he’ll make millions once he gets to work in Japan. This was in the 90’s, when Japan is the “it” place to go to and get rich (my apologies to Dubai, Qatar and Africa). Just when things are supposed to be greener on the other side, his story was in contrast. He fell from several floors in the construction site where he works.

Also, for many years there were talks that our house served as garrison of the Japanese, so it is inevitable to think about possibilities having treasures buried underground. But no one had an elaborate story about it. The war happened around in the 1940s. My parents being born in the later 1930s could have slight memories of it as a child – but refused to tell.

March 11, 2011, at about 2 in the afternoon, we were able to catch the breaking news about the tsunami in Japan. This is at the same time we are so engrossed preparing for a company outing – (of all places!) at the beach.

I find it bizarre that it was just a week ago that I’m on the search mode of the internet. I’m all geared up to gather information about the Philippine-Japan Scholarship grants to Filipino government employees. It was not the first time I do so. Ten years ago, that was my goal. It’s just that one requirement is that regular employment from the government is a must. I was a casual employee then, later job order and contractual, summing them all up for the period of nine years.

Long before I was a student, I’d occasionally read about it in the newspaper and in the long run lost interest in it due to lack of (the above) qualification. Years later, I would then (not only) meet (but rub elbows with) a person who had that (and other equally prestigious) scholarship. He’s my boss, our regional director –no less.

Evaluating the qualifications, I am such a league away from being that person capable of passing all the screenings. All these things and with what happened to Japan, I don’t know what to think right now. I just want think about things that have something to do about Japan.

While everyone wants to say piece of noteworthy comments about this, how nature takes its toll; that Japanese learns their lesson; and so, I am on a personal dilemma. It was such humane act that my concern is towards which of the two parties to attend to – the company outing (where I work full-time) or the Grand Foundation Ball of the College (where I work as part-time instructor) which are scheduled on the same night.

I came late to the Grand Foundation Ball of the College, I don’t know if there was a portion or a minute devoted to pray for the victims. Were they even aware of what happened, since I assume that the whole afternoon was spent for choosing the outfit to wear, beauty rest and make-up? For me, I am just glad to serve my purpose that day, to become advance party (to assist) in the company outing and see my students (not in school uniform but) in regal attire at the Ball.

My officemates are trying to rationalize why do I have to complicate things? Why try to be in both occasions (spending money and efforts to travel almost an hour) when I can simply spend the rest of the night at the beach to relax?

I have reasons.

One. Again, I want to see my students in formal attire.

Two. I even bought an outfit, had one of my pants repaired, had a hair cut the night before, and wear for the first time my new pair shoes for it. Hindi ako handa!

Lastly. Part of it is that it scares me (galore!) that we’re on a beach – and a tsunami happens somewhere else. Remember, earth is made up of three quarters water. Redundantly, hindi ako handa.

Back to closest association with Japan, we’re still trying to compute for Akihiro Sato’s age and laugh about the idea of him, being Aki, the baby introduced as the son of Kuya Jimmy. I even had a student who has a Japanese name (if not he’s real Japanese) who reminds me of him. We lost touch of him ever since her mother brought himwhen she left.

I would, in the days after, try to avoid watching the news. The television is tuned in to CNN at the office, an officemate is religiously hooked Al Jareeza (thanks for the photo below) in the internet and my wife is telling stories she watched from 24 Oras.

The disaster is too hard to deal with. The news is too hard to ignore.

Earthquake. Tsunami. Nuclear plant leak (then, blast).

No matter how Japan says handa sila, they can not be that invincible for this magnitude.

In the Philippines, our household in particular, life goes on. At least if it’s not the end of the world.

I still have to mind my personal concerns. Our house which is said to be used by Japanese soldiers is under renovation. The foreman, no less is Kuya Jimmy. Anyways, he survived the fall but never went back to Japan.

Regular o with Cheese? Regular po!

Napakabilis ng panahon... hanep sa intro, para lang narration sa pelikula o drama sa TV.
Nung isang taon, sa ganitong panahon sobrang paranoid na ako sa pag-hanap ng trabaho. Ang work ko kasi instructor sa private school. No work no pay. Kelangan ko maghanap ng work before magbakasyon dahil practically, unemployed na ako by April.

There was an instance na interview ko ng Lunes, written exam ng Martes, panel interview ng Miyerkules at demo teaching ng Huwebes, - sa Bataan, Pampanga, Tarlac at Makati sa iba't ibang companies.

Ngayon, sinisilip ko ang budget ko kung pwede mag-treat para sa first anniversary ko sa office on March 24, 2011. After 9 years ng kungsaan saan ako napadpad na trabaho, Regular na ako - sa gobyerno.

Kapag tinatanong ako ngayon kung regular na ako, "opo, regular" na ang sagot ko. Dati, sa Jollibee ko lang naisasagot yun.


In-as much as gusto kong gumawa ng bagong post for this, lahat ng gusto kong sabihin ang naroon na sa entry ko sa contest last October 4, 2010. Wala ko balita sa result. Basta ang huli kong alam, 70 inspiring stories ang contest - which means 70 ang winners, pero 40 lang daw entries.

Anyways, eto po ang manuscript nun.

******

Unang Sabak sa Census of Population

Sa ngayon, wala munang diet at puwedeng laging hulas at makutim ang hitsura ko.

Ito man ang mga naglalaro sa isip ko, sabik na akong magtanong ng “Ilan po kayong nakatira sa bahay?”. Sa supervision ko ng 2010 Census of Housing and Population, masayang maalala na nakalimang beses ako nagsoftdrinks at apat na beses naghalu-halo sa field. Na-spot check ko rin ang bahay ng albularyo kung saan ako nagpatawas, para malabanan na ang kamalasan ko sa buhay.

Alin nga ba sa mga mumunti kong karanasan ang karapat dapat kong ibahagi? Natatanging pagkakataon na pagkulumpunan ako ng mga enumerators para tanungin sa mapa ng mga assigned areas nila. Nang malaunan, ang mga sumbong nila sa mga ayaw magpaunlak ng panayam.

Mayroon din namang galit na mga teacher nang hindi umabot sa full honorarium. Sa saturation ng negative na bilang ng households at population, sinamahan ako ng konsehal para hanapin si kapitan sa sugalan. Maari ring ang matagal naming paghIhintay nang dumalo kami ng sesyon sa Sangguniang Bayan para ayusin ang boundary dispute ng dalawang barangay.

Bilang baguhan, ang mahalaga ay may natutunan sa maging sa malillit na karanasan. Matapos kong lambangin ang mga sagot sa tanong nila sa boundaries, inamin ko na ring hindi ko rin naiintindihan ang mapa. Sa mga ayaw magpa-interview pwede na ba silang ikumpara sa nagsisintemyentong mga sample households ng Labor Force Survey. “Bakit ba kami ang napipili diyan? Ilang taon na, hindi pa rin kami napapalitan”, naisip ko na lang, hindi ba talaga nakakatuwang mabunot sa raffle na walang premyo?

Kahit hindi magandang karanasang talakan ng guro, hindi maaring mawala ang respeto sa kanila pati na ring kay Kapitan. Ayon kasi kay konsehal, naglilibang lang daw. Sa bawat gusot, gaya ng boundary dispute, laging may lusot. At maging sa haba ng paghihintay darating din ang takdang oras.

Parang kailan lang, hindi ko maipangako sa job interview magiging matapang ako sa mga lugar kunsaan may posibilidad akong ma-hostage. Muntik ko na rin ikatwiran ang astrology sa tanung na bakit hindi pa rin ako napalagay sa aking mga nakaraang trabaho. Naniniwala man akong sa buhay ay may tsamba at pwedeng bumulong sa alapaap; sa Census kailangan laging totoo, tama at kumpleto. Matapos kong pagsumikapan o masuwertehan, dalawang buwan na ang lumipas at nasabak na ako sa una kong Census of Population.

Napakalayong maikumpara ako sa alak gaya ng mgabeteranong field officers. Hindi rin naman ako dapat matulad sa softdrinks na “kapag nalamig lang nasarap”; ang dapat sakto - umaaraw man o umuulan. Pero sa tingin ko enjoy maging parte census, para lang halu-halo, “habang nalalim, nasarap”.

Sa ngayon,

hindi pa ako nakagat ng aso. Napagsungitan na rin ako, pero hindi grabe. Higit sa lahat hi

ndi pa ako na-hostage. Lagi man akong matatanong kung puwede magrequest ng birth certificate o kaya’y nabibiro kung pwede magpabura ng record ng kasal sa mga pilyo kong kakilala, alam kong “Kabilang ako!” sa may karangalang maging bahagi ng 70 taon ng National Statistics Office.

Field work ang nakuha kong trabaho. Anu ngayon kung nakakagutom mag-enumerate, sobrang init na dahil sa climate change at lagi akong may natural tan? Ang mahalaga, sa wakas naregular na ako gobyerno - tuksuhin man akong midnight appointee ngayong May 2010 elections.

Nang minsan sumuntok ako sa buwan, nagsi-puwesto ang mga bituin at tumama ako sa raffle na habang buhay ang premyo.

*****

Maikli lang po, contest kasi. May limit ang number of words.