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Monday, October 3, 2011

A pile of mud and gold

Now Playing: Ms Jackson by The Vines

It's amazing how our mundane lives is made up of irony. From religion, education, political system... even the way we judge other people. If you don't believe me, take a day out of your schedule and spend it in Manila. The soothing roar of automobiles revving up their motors, the countless faces you pass by, the iconic landmarks, and the lurking evil and danger in its streets, the memories... nothing beats the clash of beauty and horror that's wrapped in this concrete maze.

I've been travelling down Divisoria for 3 days with my buddy to gather raw materials for our "small time" business. 2 days wasted because of unseen factors and unplanned moves. We were gunning to buy all the things we need within one day but it seems that no matter how much you prepare for the worst, in Manila, preparedness is just a state of mind. However, it was enough for us to scout the streets of Divisoria all the way to the heart of Binondo.

Yesterday, we set out to hopefully finish our task. In hope that we'd be able to stop wasting money and be able to do something, we raised our optimism a notch higher. I brought a jacket with me because of the impression that it may drizzle or rain, specially that Quiel and Pedring have been wreaking havoc for the past few days. When I thought that we finally got a free pass from a perilous travel, the shine rose up high in the sky and embrace us with warmth as if saying "Haha, gotcha! For a while you thought you could out-smart me huh?". My buddy, which also carried with him a hoodie just made an excuse fir himself saying "Mamaya, tayo naman ang tatawa dahil uulan." If you're wondering, it drizzled yesterday but it never really sufficed the fact that I brought a jacket and walked gingerly while sweating like a crazy monkey in the middle of the humid and hot streets of Divisoria.

Compared to the last 2 days, yesterday's adventure turned out fruitful as we were able to score shirts and few printing materials. Apart from that, we were able to gather a few helpful tips related to our planned business from the store's sales rep and a customer. The best thing about the day though is when we decided to look around 168 mall to check stalls that sells illegitimate Gundam scale models. I know that if we're able to at least see a few models that we wanted, we'll buy one without any hesitations. We went to a few stalls but none of them actually sells the Evangelion or Gundam Wing scale models that we wanted. One of the stalls though stood up for me. I call it the-store-with-the-most-fucked-up-sales-rep in the world. We went there just sorting out Gundam models when this 35 to 40 year-old lady shitty mass of muscles, organs and bones approached us to ask what we were looking for. At first, it felt good as she was accommodating. But as what's expected of the people that makes a living in these streets, the lady suddenly unleashed the innate asshole she was. She suddenly turned to a smart-ass asking us for details that we never asked. Okay, maybe on this point, I was a bit ignorant and never really knew what she was talking about. I just collected 1/100 scale models back when I was in high school so I'm not really a junkie when it comes to collecting mecha scale models. But the tone and look on her face really pissed me off. I admit I have anger issues that at times led me to my demise (and I've been working on it for the past few months), so I just inhaled and simply displayed a poker face. Again, it's probably that I'm clueless of what she was talking about in terms of the details of the scale models and good thing my buddy was able to retort to her questions. But one thing that ticks me off is genuine arrogance and rotting attitude. Just when I thought that the day will be smooth sailing from the time we were able to buy the materials, Manila gave me a sucker punch back in my pride with the use of a bitch. I was thinking that if I actually bought something after she unleashed the bitch within, maybe she'll suddenly worship us like a crazy, old hag.

On my way home, I suddenly got that distinct kick of... I guess, nostalgia would be the proper word? I'm really not sure. It's not bittersweet though... more on a surreal vibe that somehow pulls me out of reality for a second and gives me all the things I've had related with Manila in the past 9 years of my life in one solid kick that sends shivers down to my spine. Nothing close to what mood other cities in Metro Manila gives me whenever I travel. I can say that Manila gave me everything it has offer in the years I've spent with it. The only thing that it never really gave me was a classic holdup scene or actually being mugged within it's streets (thank God for that). I already experienced passing by a fucked up drunkard holding a cocked .45 caliber pistol, being in the middle of a gunpoint between a police and a suspect, seeing the sinful and careless streets at night time, lusciously enjoying it's wide array of delicacies, sorting out the streets for a few rare finds, and other memories that actually made me smile. I was thinking of a good way to put in words what I actually feel whenever I go down to this city and wrap this shit up, but I guess there's really no way to do that. That's Manila for me.