overheard from a conversation:

man1: binubuksan yung hydrant sa kanto...
man2: yaah mo na't tagbuling naman.
man1: ala sayang ang tubig

today is the sunday before ash wednesday. and it is bulingan day today, which is tagged with a wickedly-enticing tradition of hurling buckets of water to females bystanders. i hate this day.

A BLACK SATURDAY
yesterday, i was with an argument with my dad over meds my brother had to take. giving him the money for my sib's check-up and meds was one thing; ordering me to do the buying as well was another.

i know i sound like an evil son - i am - but hear me out. i went out of my way to give my brother the money to buy the meds. that should have ended the discussion. but my dad had to go on. my brother went out to buy the meds, then sulked on the couch and watched 40-YO VIRGIN. my dad on the other hand, went into the house asking for the money.

i told him i gave my brother the money, and he bought the meds. here's what my dad said behind my back:

DAD: ano?! ikaw pa ang bumili? bakit ikaw pa ang bumili? e di nahirapan ka pa?!

wait a cotton-pickin minute. what did he mean by that, yelling over my shoulders? that I should have bought the meds? hello?! am i not tired? am i not sick? (i've had colds for a week)

this played in my mind during the incident: puta'ng ina, ako na nga ang nagbigay ng pera, eh ako pa din ang bibili ng gamot at ng kung anu-anong prutas na pinapabili nya?! puta'ng ina talaga! ano ako? katulong?! sino bang hindi magagalit, eh pinagmamadali na nga niya akong magbihis para makakuha ng pera sa banko, inaabutan pa ako ng listahan ng pinapabili ng kapatid ko?! ano ako? utusan? puta'ng ina talaga. kahit saan daanin, nagiging biased na ang tatay ko.

a little after the incident, my dad started asking if i wanted the rubber shoes he fixed. i told him i still had shoes. he pointed out that they were worn out. i said no thanks.

after he left, i intentionally said out loud in front of my sibs: ayokong magkautang na loob sa inyong lahat.

i went out and bought two pairs of sneakers.