First, a glimpse in Baguio City Police Office (BCPO). On occasion of Valentine’s Day, SPO3 Roger Pangda of BCPO Station 4 serenaded former kagawad Marcelo Bacud (undergoing dialysis) and his wife at Pinesville, Fort del Pilar.
While PSI Julius Luis, head of Station 4, and in presence of his subordinates and visitors, surprised his wife that Valentine’s Day with a flower, hug and a kiss.
Last Feb. 19, PO1 Joan Bae A. Cudao turned over a wallet containing identification and cash to Mr. Carey A. Obregon Jr, the owner.
BCPO’s heart shows it’s never too late to capture another’s heart.
Last week, numerous requests poured to Ah Kong, requesting he scribble an essay on Valentine’s Day.
Ah wrote back, vehemently protested, told the letter-writers Valentine’s Day was gone past. Besides, he’s totally ignorant about Valentine’s Day. He never heard of such a day in his whole life.
Maybe Single Awareness Day. Yes, Ah definitely heard of this day celebrated by single people. But Valentine’s Day? Nah, nah! Never heard of it in his life.
Those who requested scribbled back, too, threatened to find him and sew his fat, protruding and horrible lips that resemble two flat feet, for his loud protestation, and further warned him of dire consequences. . .
Afraid he’d lose his fat, protruding, horrible lips that resemble two flat feet which beautiful ladies swoon and dream of kissing, here’s a piece of scribble touching not exactly about Valentine’s Day, (when flower, card, message or something is sent to somebody by another somebody with a romantic connotation), but nonetheless skims along such a point.
Looking at a member of the fairer sex who’s beautiful or purty, and at a male who’s handsome, can be baffling.
Erudite readers who follow Herald Express’ Daily Laborer Column will definitely have different reactions to the above statement.
For ladies, they’ll surely raise their eyebrows and assume Ah’s coconut has really gone bonkers and needs psychiatric aid, while men will plot ways to lasso and corral him from causing more unwitting statements from his blabbering mouth that may poison minds of the young.
Because, readers will ask, “For gosh sake, naman, Ah, how in the world can you declare that being beautiful or handsome can be baffling, when all, spare none, except you, wants to be beautiful or handsome?”
Come, dear friends, hold your rage from the rantings of a madman while Ah tries his best to explain.
Let’s start on topic of being handsome. Being handso. . .Ahem! Wait a minute, this column being gender sensitive, fairer sex comes first.
Ah attended a forum in Manila last February 14 on the issue of environment protection with the theme, “A Valentine’s Day for Environment.”
After the forum, participants had an afternoon social hour. In socializing, they got into animated discussion about a woman’s beauty and a man’ handsomeness.
Ah, by the sideline, listened silently when Samantha Astudillio, a participant, (Ah estimates her age between 35-40) from Pangasinan, came over at Ah’s table and sat for conversation.
“Do you hear them,” Samantha said, pointing her chin towards her co-participants, and continued, “Arguing about a woman’s beauty… Of all topics.”
Ah smiled, looked at Samantha in her unique loveliness and said, “Aahh, but, Ma’am, you are beautiful, arguing cannot dispute your beauty!” Others may describe her as plain-looking, which Ah disputes.
“Thank you very much,” Samantha answered.
Samantha was beautiful in her own ways it forced Ah to recall an incident when he rode a bus to attend that seminar.
Somewhere in Tarlac, the bus was hailed by two women, strangers to each other. They boarded.
Apparently, there was only one seat available in the bus. The two got to bitter bickering as to who will take the only vacant seat.
The bus conductor tried his best to intervene but the two couldn’t be pacified. Raising his hand in surrender, the conductor looked at the bus driver for help.
Tired of hearing the two women sniping at each other, the driver said to his conductor, ““Bay-bay-am ta diyay pangit ti agtugaw!”
Hearing the driver, both women refused to take the only seat and instead stood till they reached their destination. Nobody among the two wanted to be called “pangit.”
Now that’s Solomon’s wisdom on the driver’s part.
Only goes to demonstrate the letter W, like women, is a most dangerous alphabet.
W generates tension and gives worries, starts with words like who, why, what, when, which whom, where, war, wine whisky, wealth, weird, wrong and finally, wife.
Putting aside said incident, Ah returned his attention to Samantha and asked, “Did somebody send or offer you a flower during Valentine’s day? A rose. Perhaps, or sunflower which is my favorite flower?” But Samantha moved her head negatively.
Samantha kept quiet. The she looked at Ah long and mysteriously said, “Ah, Sir, beauty, how soon it fades; beauty, how fleeting.”
Hearing Samantha, many thoughts raced on Ah’s mind.
Nobody can deny there’s a breathtaking enchantment to the feeling of beholding any member of the fairer sex who’s beautiful and lovely in her own original way as the Creator willed her that way.
Gaze on any woman as if we are upon a superb landscape, almost with a feeling of wonder and awe, so fair a beauty can withstand the rude blasts of adversity, as well as contribute so great a charm to the appeasing outlook of nature’s balance.
Individual beauty, thou art truly blessed! It blesses the gazer and the possessor; often at once the effect and cause of goodness.
A sweet disposition that’s cheerful and serene, a lovely soul, an affectionate nature to hope and confide, will speak in the eyes, the lips, the brow and becomes the cause of beauty.
Now, turn, we to the man, or shall we say muy macho, as many Filipino men want to be associated with.
Late that evening, after Samantha left, a hulking guy named Conrad Resurrecto, from NCR, came over where Ah sat, for talks.
Conrad told Ah he possesses the “killer look” that will melt ladies hearts.
Oho! Ah squinted at Conrad and asked, “You married?” Conrad shook his head negatively. Then he began to weep and asked, “Bakit kaya walang nag-kaka gusto sa akin?”
Ah pressed, “But you say you have killer look to melt ladies hearts? “Conrad couldn’t answer.
Ah peered at Conrad and he remembered about a killer who trespassed into a couple’s house.
Killer: “Bago ko patayin kayong dalawa, kinikilala ko muna ang mga biktima ko. Ikaw, Mrs., anong pangalan mo?”
Mrs.: “Inday.”
Killer: “Napakagandang pangalan, kapangalan mo nanay ko. Dahil diyan, di kita papatayin.”
Killer: “At ikaw naman, Mr., anong pangalan mo?”
Mr. “Ah, Pedro, pero friends call me Inday!”
Ah forced his attention back to Conrad why “wala gusto sa kanya e pogi naman siya.”
Without a she-friend, it’s not for Conrad to be happy, eh? Or, let any self-scraping bachelor drive on alone in his solitary sulk? Lord help the poor bachelor and send him good speed.
Now, Lordy, give Conrad, este, the bachelor – never mind the killer looks – a sociable, dear good angel by his side, the thrilling touch of who’s sweetly folding arm may flush his spirits into rapture and inspire a devotion suited to any moment.
Merciful Lord, how disconsolate is a bachelor’s condition; how barren of joy. Comfortless and solitary at home, he strolls. Meeting no tenderness and affection to sweeten company, he soon tires and goes back home.
Poor handsome, his steps are slow. For, alas, home has no attraction. Nothing there but silent walls.
Alone, a bachelor swallows his meals, crawls to bed, baffled that tomorrow, the same dull routine for him begins again.
And the bachelor thinks, “Better for the not handsome, of having a life-time she-companion or wife, never mind if such life-time companion keeps on shouting and saying, “Always fight for the person you love.”
In Tagalog, the words of the shouting wife simply translate to: “Lagi-lagi mong awayin ang taong minamahal mo!”
