Family Bet

Photo from postcardstothemasses.blogspot.com

I just came from an aunt’s birthday party and as usual, the whole gang was in a riot over whose voice would be loudest at the dinner table. Our family (father’s side) basically consists of only 3 branches – my Pa’s, his older sister Nanay Sally’s, and the balikbayan divorcee Tio Poy’s, while their remaining 2 brothers are both at large. Despite the few members from each branch (ours has 11; Nanay has 12; and the solo Tio Poy (though he has 2 American citizen sons based in the US), we are still considered a large family due to corporal issues. (Yeah, most of us are heavily built, predominantly the males.) In all occasions that we gather, there is always a particular subject matter that draws everyone into an exchange of frivolous discussions. Which goes back to my first statement “…riot over whose voice would be loudest at the dinner table”.

With a cousin’s family having just arrived from a hush-hush Hong Kong getaway, their hilarious travel tales were initially the hot topic for the evening. Moving on to alternative cuisines that the boys were so familiar with – ranging from the famous Pasil’s linarang followed by Mabolo’s Highblood Station down to the former A1 (now Parkeville?) and down more to Jugan’s Kandingan. Everyone was in high spirits until they noticed my oversized, yellow Noynoy watch! The cousins, perhaps being in their comfort zone, finally made it obvious they were in favor of money + evil + liar = (God forbid!) Manny Villar. Sadly, they could not seem to grasp why I and the rest of our branch are adherent to Noynoy, in the same manner that our side couldn’t likewise believe they are actually Villar’s disciples. The cousins’ father who happens to be a close associate of Eddie Gullas (a staunch advocate of Villar) even badmouthed Noynoy citing his (Noy’s) plans of signing the RH Bill within his first 100 days in office and of possibly leading another People Power revolution should he lose in the coming elections. Well, I have no problem with both issues. I would rather put up with this reproductive brouhaha than have all whatever wealth our country has left unlawfully get into the hands of the abysmal Villar. Ever since that guy came out on TV wearing his signature tangerine polo shirt, with his adolescent-like tits marking out underneath, I was completely convinced that the man is one person whom you cannot fully trust.

Moreover, the cousin’s young daughters were equally baffled with my choice. These girls belong to Gibo’s minority followers. (Shhh…) They desperately told me, “E, we’d rather have anyone but Noynoy!” I smiled and replied “You’re just saying that because you simply have no idea who Noynoy really is.” “Kay kaila diay mo?” they snapped back at me. And I said, “Nope, but Kris is a close friend!” which brought everybody back to our boisterous laughter once again.

To put an end to our political differences, I finally and earnestly told them “If Noynoy wins, I will treat you all to dinner!” to which the cousins also countered with “Sure! And if Villar wins, we’ll take you all to dinner as well!” Everyone agreed and again, unconsciously got into yet another squabble. This time, who’s taking who to Highblood Station and who’s taking who to Jugan’s Kandingan! Whew! Dakoa namo’g problema oy!