For the first time in months I set foot in a mall. I spent an hour just walking around, getting a feel for the place, staking out places of interest, killing time.
Uncharacteristically, I went there alone. It was the first time I rode in an SM North jeep, and surely enough I handed over 10 pesos when I should have given 8.
There is a hobby store in Trinoma with a window display showcasing a scale model of the US Navy carrier USS Enterprise. The detail was exquisite; even the deck crewmen and officers were visible. If I ever have time -and money- for a serious hobby it would be collecting and assembling model ships, tanks, and warplanes.
A Powerbooks store is finally within striking range. If only I had the time -and yes, the money- to sink into books I would not be as prolific a blogger as I am now. I would spend my nights curled up on a couch with a book in my hands instead of sitting in front of a computer monitor.
After a few years I once again got to play Red Alert 2. With Timezone filled to the brim with people of all ages and sizes, we had a few games at Netopia. Victory was so sweet. Jed, rematch?
Erika's dad treated us to sandwiches and iced tea. I'm not really a sandwich person, and I'm afraid I made a fool out of myself when I tried -unsuccessfully- to cut my sardine sandwich.
I don't even eat sardines.
But there's a first time for everything, and I have one more dish to choose from next time. I feel sorry for the poor sardine though; his life was cut short when he was caught and then stuffed into a can, never to swim again in the deep blue sea.
He had one advantage though; he sure as hell was not in an elbow fight to get into that can.
The MRT has often been likened to a sardine can, with people stuffing themselves into a confined space in a desperate bid to beat the dreaded rush hour EDSA traffic. I am no stranger to the MRT, but today I had the singular experience of being carried into the MRT by a wave of crazed flesh vying for a comfortable place in the train.
I didn't even have to walk; everybody was pushing and shoving as if the world was ending and that was the last ride to a better place. Hands and elbows and knees and toes were everywhere as people came in from all sides trying to fit into the small aperture offered by the train's sliding doors.
It was all I could do to stop from screaming at the barbarians at the gates. A bomb threat right there and then would have landed me in jail for violating the HSA, but it would be well worth the satisfaction of seeing the frenzied crowd run and duck for cover.
It's another annoying example of Filipinos' tendency -obsession- to be the first in everything. It would be nice if that drove our people to excel in everything, but the unfortunate end result is a people that would choose to flirt with danger rather than wait a few minutes in line, or queue up in an orderly fashion, or wait their turn to cross, or stay in one road lane, or -you get the picture.
The sheer lack of discipline so prevalent in our society is extremely frustrating. We were talking about Singapore in class this morning, and I can't help but wonder how much better this country could have been if a person the likes of Lee Kuan Yew held office at Malacanang.
Getting out of the train was just the opposite of getting in. I had to push my way out of the sea of bodies that just wouldn't budge even to my repeated cries of 'excuse me'. At the door was another wave of people jostling and pushing and shoving to get in, effectively hampering my exit.
Needless to say, I was already in a very evil mood by the time I got down to the FX station. The woman who cut into my line sure as hell didn't help matters!
This day has strengthened my resolve to reach for my ultimate dream. I will have order. Freedom, democracy, and human rights be damned, but I will drill order and discipline into the generations that will follow me.
Somebody PLEASE give me a Venti White Chocolate Mocha.
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