Of drinking, self-esteem and careers

We went to Ramon's 50th birthday party. When we were in the car on the way there, R told us that Kumpareng B was caught by the police drinking and driving. His license was suspended for six months. That's what I kept telling R. He'd be out drinking and he would let his friends, who had drunk, drive him home. It's not just about having your license suspended. You aren't thinking straight when you've had even a little to drink. It just really upsets me. It's better if he just stays over and come home the next morning.

When I was a little girl, Papa had this motorcycle which we called scooter. He went to his friends' houses drinking. One night, he didn't come home. Mama frantically traced the path to his friend's house. She found his motorcycle in a ditch by the side of the road. He had an accident and had been brought to a hospital. Luckily, he wasn't badly hurt.

At the restaurant, Tito R and his girlfriend was seated in our table. Tito R mentioned that RC is the most handsome of the three boys. It irritates me when people compare my three boys to each other. (But of course, I didn't show my displeasure out of respect for the elders.) Kids, or people in general, shouldn't be compared, to their faces for that matter. Every individual is special in his/her own special way. When I was a child, I've heard people say that my sister was prettier, lighter(mas maputi), and bubblier (mas bibo)than I was. These comments made me recoil inside my own little shell. I was already shy and the comments just lowered my self esteem more.

Ramon invited about 150 guests. R saw some of his old friends. The invitation was for 12:30 p.m. but it was almost 2:00 p.m. when the food was served. We were already starving by then. This is what we call "Filipino time." Guests will come an hour later than what it says on the invitation. That is an annoying habit.

After the party we went to St. John's Music to have RG's flute fixed. There was a dent and the keys were leaking. RG also bought some music sheets. Mama asked RC if he was interested in music as well. She said that he should take up flute lessons too so that he could use RG's instruments and books. I told her that we can't force a child to take music lessons just because his older sibling did. The interest has to come from the child. I then learned that she told my sis to take up Commerce so that she could use my books. No wonder sis was messed up back then. I thought that she wanted to take the course because of her own will. Well, she didn't use my books anyway because she went to a different school. And she dropped out of college after 2 years, entered the convent and came out after a year. She went back to school, took up Education, but didn't finish it either.

At night, some of R's kumpares came over. Nag-inuman sila. I asked them to keep it down because the kids have school and I have work the next day. Somebody kept ringing our doorbell that night and every time they checked, there was nobody out there (???).