The Game

“Live a little…”

That coming from C, struck me like a poisoned dagger to the heart. Am I not? I think I am, or I’m trying to. His idea of fun is way different from my mine, but I’m trying my best to keep up and adapt. C and his friends would usually party the night out starting late night to the wee hours of the morning. I’ve begged off numerous times, and I think his friends already think I’m a kill joy.

My chwirrer dad mentioned about going to Banchetto or Mercanti. C wanted us to go, so I DM’ed dad waited for his reply. Unfortunately the reply came too late, and so C was invited, instead, to a drinking spree and he’s tagging me along.

“Where are we going?” I asked.

The scene is like that of Central in Makati. HONGODOMENG TAO… seriously. And it’s just the entrace. When we got inside, it was a full house.

“Good morning,” said C. (It’s kind of our code; which means that he saw someone hot. It’s interchangeable with “Hi Koya…”)

“San?” I looked around, and viola! Lots of eye candies.

“Cute yun, babe oh…” I said, pointing to a certain guy.

“Oo nga…” said C, “Eh, yun babe? He looks hot diba?”

We were like that till we’re able to secure our seats. Cocktails and food were ordered, and in the middle of the drinking, they wanted to play a game. It’s kind of an initiation rite. You’re not officially in with the group unless you’ve joined “the game.”

It’s kind of a category game. The “it” would have to choose a category, and the others would have to enumerate stuff related to the category. If you fail to answer in 10 seconds or cited an answer that’s already given, you get to be punished.

Last time they had their drinking spree, the punishment was you’d be doodled on the face using a permanent marker. This time, the punishment was less harmful. You’d be wiped on the face with petroleum jelly.

What makes the game more exciting was almost all of us are buzzed.

5 shots of the green goo, and I turned red all over and rashes started appearing. C took away the sixth shot away from me saying, “Tama na babe, saluhin ko nalang yung shots mo.”

“No, babe. Masarap eh.”

“No, tama na. Ampula mo na.”

They searched their bags for antihistamine, but to no avail. In fact, I was a bit hesitant to go with them ‘because I forgot my medicine kit.

Anyway, the games went on, and guess who lost?? Me.

I had the most smudges of petroleum jelly on my face.

The upside of losing, though, is those who also had smudges on their faces cannot clean up, unless I’m done washing my face. So I took my time, while the others would have to bear with the icky feeling a bit more.

When the last round of shots is done, we billed out and called it day.

It was five in the morning.

***

If this is his idea of fun, then so be it. Sasabayan ko siya sa trip niya. Actually, I had a lot of fun hanging out with C and his friends. He’s happy to know I enjoyed, and had fun.

Shades of Red

Red are the eyes

That have been moved to tears

Crimson is the love

Which transcends all fears

Admitted a mistake

Ignored, pardoned a Folly

With Scarlet words you used

That are coated with honey

Vermillion is the glow

Of a love that burns

Which is always rekindled

At the place, where we return

A sofa of memories,

In a place where we always dine

With a pigment of love,

A shade they call Carmine

~my entry to Magpie Tales

photo: Christine Donnier-Valentin c/o Tess Kincaid

reference: Template Shades of Red

Pointless? Not Anymore!!

“Musta ka na?”

It was a text from Jay, one of my little brothers in blogspace. He usually starts a text convo with that sentence. And so the convo started.

He asked if I know where RCBC Plaza is, and if I know how to get there. It was easy breezy. I worked at Makati for a good four, almost five, years and my office, then, was located at Rufino Tower along Ayala Ave. So I gave him specific instructions on how to get there.

“Aun.madali lng pla. Cge tnx a lot. Gud luck sa pgpunta q dun. hahaha.”

For some reason, I sensed a little apprehension on the youngster’s reply. So, me, being the nosy the one, asked,

“anong meron sa rcbc? why are you going there, if I may ask?”

It was the Awards Night of the 2011 Philippine Blog Awards.

“Uo. Merun.punta ka! :-)”

I was a bit hesitant, thinking it’s an Awards Night. I’m pretty sure it is a “by invitation” kind of event. But the lil bro was persistent,

“i-a-rsvp kta.”

Honestly, I got a little excited. Being rather relatively new to blogspace, attending such an event would be an amazing experience.

            “kelan ba yan? and what time?”

“Tom. 6pm.”

Then, my excitement died. Like fire, extinguished. I have plans with C and we were supposed to go with Nox and Ronron (I guess I’m not gonna elaborate on this one, since Jay is the star in this post). So I have to turn down his invite. Honestly, I had a hard time turning down Jay’s invite, but I had to due to prior arrangements.

Then, of course, there goes the almost expected question of his,

“May sbux b dun sa rcbc?”

He loves coffee. He loves hanging out at Starbucks. 

So I told him of almost every Starbucks store I know of near the place.

“Bhay n q. :-)”

It was an assurance that whatever it is that happened to him on that day, he got home… Safe and sound.

***

The day after, C was feeling a little better already. I was a bit anxious, but I trust that Jay would make it to the venue based on the directions/ instructions I gave him.

It was past 6 PM, and I haven’t heard from him. In my head, I was like “Baka nag–start na yung event. I guess he made it there.”

After dropping off C near his place, I received a text from Jay. And that text made my day.

He won National Level: Best Literature/Literary Blog at the 2011 Philippine Blog Awards.

I couldn’t have been any prouder!

But, then, my heart sank a little bit. Regrets, I guess. I told him I could’ve been the stage kuya cheering him on and screaming and applauding him like crazy when his blog flashed on the screen. I could’ve dragged C to the Awards Night, when he felt better already.

Then I thought, “Kaya siguro persistent sya in inviting me… Had I known he was nominated, had I known he had a shot in winning this, sana pumunta ako.”

***

After waking up, and logging in to blogger, I saw his post on my Dashboard. After reading his post, I immediately commented and he replied:

 This is my way to congratulate him, and tell him that I’m so proud of him.

To Jay, my little brother here in blogspace,

CONGRATULATIONS!!!