the family driver of german descent

ramon von possel taught me how to drive a car.  he was half german and our car was a volkswagen station wagon.  i was a senior high school student when i had my maiden drive from home to my school in mendiola. traffic was not as crazy but, basically, the driving rules were the same -- they are treated as suggestions!

mang monching sat on the front seat, passenger side, while i took on the VW. he was quiet throughout as he firmly held the handbrake. and that serene silence gave me the confidence to negotiate the desultory jeepneys that, even then, behaved like they own the roads.

twenty minutes later, i arrived in san beda soaking wet down to my underwear and shaking to my knees. and mang monching was beaming with pride.

i was sad the day my dad had to give him up for financial reasons. retired and at 78, he still visits the house to check on my mom and to do simple chores for her. we can never fully repay his loyalty.

the deep well

going home to apalit when i was a kid included playing with this water pump. i particularly enjoyed the sounds it made. it sounded like a goat being guillotined as water is forced out of its spout.
and amazingly, it still works. rickety and pining its last few years, it still gave that amusing throaty goaty wail.
anton on my toy well



a huge earthen jar that was mysteriously pit black inside used to catch the water.
my sister and i enjoyed bathing together with the cool refreshing water from that jar. and, occasionally, the fight over the "tabo" got bad when soap entered the eyes and the "tabo" was with her. mama would come in to stop the fight, sometimes. most of the time, i relented, i think. (but that is selective memory. she has a different version, i am sure).
this photo of my toy well comes aptly. it reaffirms ... that in spite of age, one springs nourishment so long as it remains deeply rooted. and, oftentimes, the deeper it goes, the better the taste. and i hope it never turns bitter nor dry.

isla verde phone cam photos

as i work, they send this via mms. they are spending their evening just off batangas in a world heritage site cited by national geographic.

Skin Deep at PETA theater center

the usherette saw anton and advised parental guidance. nor domingo, the director, told us that he let his six-year-old watch it. well, the language was not vulgar by present standards and the sensitive issues grappled were not luridly presented. at the end of the play, i asked if he enjoyed watching and what he found most memorable. these were some of the scenes we both found beautiful and memorable.

happy (i forget her real name) recounts how her husband poured kerosene over her and set her on fire. behind her, amor, miss artificial beauty and portrayed by may bayot-de castro, is gripped by her story.

dr. beau batoctol, the make-over specialist. he runs a clinic that does a major make-over through a special laser machine.  he is anton's favorite character.

the wannabe model mercilessly named tsonggo became charlston after the make-over. he is under the laser aesthetic appraiser (thanks, nor, for texting the name).

amor (may bayot-de castro) confronts narci (robert seña) regarding his sexuality.

narci saves tsonggo from drowning. narci's true gender preference is revealed.

isadora (isay alvarez) finally goes under the laser aesthetic appraiser. her story is the saddest and has the most tragic twist of all.

the play was made for her! even the songs! may bayot-de castro already won my heart in "walang himala" at CCP. today, i surrender my soul. and i mean that from the bottom of my heart to the tip of my "patotoy"! (anton asks, "that means titi. right, tatay?")

it was tough focusing my fully manual camera because of the laughter and the tears! congratulations, nor!!! and thanks for allowing me to take photos.

(photos taken by me and my eldest son using the rd1s and vc nokton 1.5/50).