you say tomato, i hear potato

As mentioned in one of my previous posts, I was asked to wait for my visa approval by the consul. I decided to sit on the opposite side of the make-shift divider so that I'll be able to monitor if the consul was really processing my papers. Turns out that it was passed on to an assistant so he can proceed to the next applicant. She walked towards the counter, handed her papers and waited for the consul's questions. Their conversation went like this:

Consul: So why are you going to the States?
Manang: Aym going to hab a bacation. It's aktwaly a gip from my payrents for my debu.
Consul: Alright. How long are you going to be there? Wait, says here you're still studying.
Manang: Oh, my summer skuling has ended na.
Consul: (Keeps silent for a moment.) What does your mom do?
Manang: Wat? Sorry.
Consul: Does she have a job?
Manang: She's jas a plain housewyp.
Consul: And your dad?
Manang: He's a retayrd soljir po.
Consul: So where did you get the funds for this trip?
Manang: (Nervously answers the question.) Ah... prom der sabings. My pamily have, has funds to gib me. My father has pension monthly. And prom the money he got prom his retayrment.
Consul: Even so. It won't be enough for this trip's expenses. I'm sorry but I have to deny granting you a visa.
Manang: Bat... (Composes herself while the consul gave the documents back to her) Tenk you.

And then she walked away. Sad. And just so you know, Manang looks like she had her debut four, five years ago.

*******

Last Thursday (Manila time), I told Manolito that his flight seat reservations were changed. He was annoyed big time. I qualified that it must have been a glitch in the system or something. So I volunteered to check if there's some way it can be corrected. But of course I didn't. I was the one who altered it in the first place. That's what he gets for proving us wrong in trusting him, time and again. He'll always be a selfish bastard. And I'm tired of hearing him whine and say that he doesn't want to go ahead with this trip anyway. Doesn't-want-to-go-ahead-this-trip my ass.

*******

A few weeks ago, I chanced upon a meeting of two old friends. Well, I just assumed they were old friends. Or at the very least, acquaintances. Guy 1 walked towards where Guy 2 was seated and asked how the latter was doing. Guy 2 said he was great but his voice could not mask that he was second guessing his answer. Politely he also asked how Guy 1 was doing. Their exchange of pleasantries lasted for barely two minutes and yet I'd bet that it felt a lot longer than that. It did to me and I was just a spectator. After this, both will think that it their unexpected meet-up went quite nicely. I'd say it was quite awkward.

*******

Whoever said that truth does not count but what's important is the matter of what is perceived to be true was a fool.

Truth is either black or white. It's the words that people use that mix shades of gray in the whole picture. More often than not, words become the instrument that men use to mask what needs to be covered up. Only our better judgment can help us in analyzing whether we should take everything in its context.