Zagu

Nagtext sa kin si tukog nung isang linggo… "bro dadating si LJ sa sabado…"
Ah si LJ…

Si Lovejoy, kapatid ni tukog. Di ko maalala kung ano tawag namin sa kanya. Isa din sya sa pasimuno ng munting prat namin noon. Naalala ko, sya pala yung nagsketch ng coat of arms ng prat. Medjo magaling din kasi gumuhit si LJ.

Rakista. Naalala ko paborito nyang kanta ang sweet child of mine ng guns and roses. Isa din sya sa nagturo sa amin ng iba't ibang kamunduhan at kalokohan. Magrolyo ng RP, mag hithit ng RP, mamboso, at magkunwari.

Naalala ko, minsan lasing na lasing yung bagong dating na sis namin galing marawi. Lahat kami nasa hostel ni tukog. Syempre, kapatiran. Pinunasan at binihisan namin si sis. Sabi nya, "Bro, asikasuhin at alagaan natin sya para wala silang masabi sa tin…" Sinabi nya yun ng walang dudang kaplastikan… sinagot ko din sya nang walang dudang kaplastikan… Kinabukasan, di nya napigilang sabihin sa kin ang kamunduhang nasa isip nya. Buti na lang daw andun ako… yun din naisip ko… buti na lang andun sya…

Nagkitakita kami ni tukog at LJ kahapon. Inaasikaso kasi ni LJ ang papeles nya pa saudi. Drayber ng bus sa kompanyang pinapasukan ni Camel. Ayun, kwentuhan. Pilit na binalikbalikan ang kahapon. Kantyawan. Tawanan. Nakwento nya ang hirap sa mindanao at ang hirap ng isang ama na mawalay sa anak, at ang pagiging asawa na mawalay sa asawa…

Gaya ng dati, namasyal kami na walang ekstrang pera. Walang pakialam basta magkakasama lang kaming tatlo. E ano bang magagawa namin e gusto ni tukog maglakad.
Dapat daw magpaunlak ako at sa tagal na namin na hindi nagkita. Nadale ako. Isang daan lang ekstra ko pero hayaan na. Bumili na lang ako ng Zagu para sa aming tatlo. Regular lang, walang halong sago. Nabunot ko pa ang dalawang pisong natitirang coins ko. Nasa isip ko, wantutrihin ko na lang yung jip na sasakyan ko papuntang Buendia.

Pero ang mga zagung yun ang nagpahaba lalo ng kwentuhan. Nagpapaikot sa amin sa loob ng mall na di halatang walang pera. Nagpaboko kay tukog sa kanyang corruption sexperience… at sa mga kwento ng samahan na di ko nasaksihan…

Masaya kahit papano. Masaya kahit walang pera. Masaya kahit Zagu lang…

Cheaper Air Travel

I'll be flying to Malaysia tomorrow and it would be the third time that I take on Air Asia after our company decided to cut down costs. It really make sense though.

Malaysia Airlines could cost you around 30kpesos on a round trip ticket. On the other hand, flying with Air Asia could only cost you around 8kpesos on a round trip ticket.
How was that?

We were interviewing one of the ground staffs of Air Asia at Clark last June about this. She said that Low Cost Carriers like Air Asia will only charge you for the your seat, insurance and fuel surcharges whereas with the Full Service Carriers like PAL, MAS, they charge you with loads of stuffs.

That much? Yes, that much. That includes insurance, fuel surcharge, foods, in-flight entertainment, hotel costs and food costs in case the flight is delayed (wow!), and lots more.
Looks like flying with LCCs makes a lot of sense. Though you have to pay for the food in-flight, you can still save a lot more!

There are some inconveniences though. Delayed flights, horrible shakings in air turbulences, and small legroom.

But the heck, I'm still in one piece!

Last Day

How would I like my last moment to be?

I haven't seen a person on his death bed before but I heard some stories and mostly these stories are from the movies. One story struck me hard.

My good cousin passed away about two weeks ago after a heart failure episode following a sudden low-potassium level in his system. In less than 24 hours, he retired... with so much pain in his heart.

"Wiggy, tawagan nako si Weng para makastorya mo karon ba... (I'll call your wife so that you could be able to talk to her now...)" Makith, her sister told her during his ordeal. She believed that it would had been the perfect moment for the both of them to talk after a failed marriage.

The last time they talked was months ago. After that, I was told that kuya had never been so sad all his life. A week before his passing, he complained to ate Makith how bad his life had been, with all the pain he's felt, about his failed marriage, about his love for his daughters, hi in-laws. He lamented why he was so weak and Makith is stronger than him in so many ways and he cried hard with hard breathings.

"Saba diha!!! Tawag tawag anang bayhanang way pagpakabana nako!!! (Shut up!!! Why call that woman who never cared about me!!!" With all his might he shouted at ate makith that time... She must have hurt him so badly...

Reflecting on his death, how would I like my last moments be?

Maybe, I like to be alone in my death bed... I mean with no one staring at me die slowly. I don't want to hear my love ones cry.. or hear them that I hold on.. or hear them how good or how bad a person I was..

And I don't want to say something that would hurt...

Hopefully.