Stereotyped looks

ALONE, I WAS ABOUT to eat my lunch at the eatery located at the back of the Hotel New Arirang, the eventual campus of Pines International Academy, Clark. Yet before doing so, I paused in front of the huge golden mirror, hanged on the wall near the restrooms.

I saw two of my co-trainees passing by my back – Teacher Emerald and Teacher Jen. I tried to smile at them; yet I noticed they are prolifically talking. I also conjectured, perhaps, they are going to that eatery. So I just let them go there first because I’m used to being alone.


Wearing my white pants, red short-sleeved polo, and shining, black vest, I arrived at the eatery, and I noticed that these two have been talking to the woman in the eatery.

“Balamu bakla ya eh,” the woman said.

“Bakla ya pin siguru,” she continued.

I started speaking. I asked, “Ate anu po ang ulam?”

The woman emerged from the wall, she stared at me calmly. However, in her eyes, I saw bewilderment.

“Uhm… baboy na lutong Mang Tomas,” she answered.

Then, Teacher Emerald and Teacher Jen were about to leave after purchasing their rice from the eatery.

“Sige ‘Tol,” said Teacher Emerald.

I just gesticulated that it meant I was allowing them to leave…

****

After eating my lunch, I entered at the same door at the back of the hotel. That door, as I remember during our first day, was not surrounded with security guards.

“It’s very hazardous,” I said to Karen (Bhugz) before.

Going back, I entered through that door.

I was bewildered, actually. There were loop of guys surrounding the area. When I was about to enter, a strange-looking guy entered before me. He was wearing a dirty-looking pantaloon and white shirt, drenched by perspiration.

The other four guys stayed outside.

When I was already inside, after passing next to the door, the guy called my attention.

He said, “Pards (colloquial for Pare), magtatagal ka dito?”

While saying that, he was holding a lengthy, black chord with his hands – he was like in an attacking position!

In my mind, I thought, is he about to kill me?

I was bringing a somehow large amount of money in my pocket by then. If I would be robbed, there’s somehow a great jackpot waiting for them.

Bemused from the scenario, I ran at the speed of light to escape to go out that building – my heart pounding, my breath gasping, and my mind in trance.

****

After that, my co-trainees advised to tell to Teacher Joy, one of our trainers, about the incident. My co-trainees were even conjecturing that, perhaps, those men whom I saw are one of the construction men working for the renovation of the hotel.

When I told Teacher Joy about it, she said that there are actually construction men working for the hotel’s renovation….

****

The woman in the eatery “hypercritically stereotyped”!

I also did. Well, better think before we speak, right?

05.08.09