(Not a) blue suede shoe

The thing that happened to me one lovely Monday morning can only be seen in old movies by the Dolphy-Panchito comedic tandem. The embarrassing but funny incident will forever be part of my life and will be a favorite topic of the Ka Anang Boys every time there's a quorum to down our favorite cold beverage.

The story goes something like this: I was off to meet an old friend of mine for an early morning breakfast chitchat, but disaster struck as soon as I arrived at our rendezvouz point in Valenzuela.

I was already walking towards the road-side bistro where we are going to eat any of the available Silog meals when my shoe (left foot) broke. The whole top portion broke off with the outer sole, which (as I looked behind) I saw there sitting, as if waiting for me, on the pavement.

I am no male version of Cinderella so I quickly picked up my sole (no pun intended, haha!). I can still walk but the problem is I can now feel the concrete street that I'm standing on with only the inner layer and my sock separating my foot from the pavement.

Good thing the people along the sidewalk failed to notice what happened to me, so I quickly picked up what's left of my shoe and hurried back to my car to leave my left sole inside. I just took five or six steps away from the parking lot when my right sole also broke off. The guard on duty, who was trying to keep a straight face and not roll on the floor laughing, saw me and blurted out: What happened, sir?

Again, I picked up my right shoe, put it in my bag and tried to walk towards my friend who's already waiting for me. I informed him then that I need to get home immediately because of a shoe emergency. He can't help but laugh and at the same time be sorry for my predicament.

I was alternately dragging my feet back to my car, I jumped in and quickly drove off to the nearest shoe store where I bought the pair shown above.

11 @11-11-11

Mackenzie Rae or Macky, our eldest, turned 11 last Friday. Yep! She turned 11 on 11-11-11. We're not that superstitious but my wife and I believe she'll have a bright future ahead if she keeps her focus and continues to believe in herself.

We—our family of 4 (The Missus, Nathan and The Head Honcho)—celebrated 11 @ 11-11-11 last Friday at Amici's Megammal where we pig out on three kinds of pasta, garlic bread, Italian sausages, steamed veggies and two types of gelato.

We then went to Gateway to watch Puss 'N Boots where Nathan, our youngest, decided to turn Cineplex's Cinema 1 into his own personal playground. He caught the attention of moviegoers as some decided to watch his antics—jumping up and down the stairs, trying to hide from his sister and filling the movie house with his infectious laugh.

Enough of Nathan's toddler moments.

Failing to watch the PBA game between Meralco and B-MEG was the only thing that ruined Macky's special day. We were supposed to watch Friday's games live for I have secured tickets but the only problem is the games were not scheduled at the Araneta Coliseum. Friday's matches were held at the Astrodome in Pasay City.

Martin Nievera and Side A will be performing that night. Cuneta hosted Friday's PBA matches. Epic fail! I did not checked PBA's venue on that day.

It was still a good family day/bonding moment for us.

Tatay's thoughts on Pac-Mar III

My father is no boxing analyst or a sport expert but he believes Manny Pacquiao won the fight fair and square.

As the challenger, my Tatay said, Juan Manuel Marquez could have at least knocked out Pacquiao.

For my father, a former varsity basketball player at the Araullo Lyceum in Cabantauan City and a longtime sports fan, a knock down could have convinced the three judges to award the win to Marquez.

A knockout could have erased the controversy that hounded their two previous fights and could have affirmed Marquez's claims that he defeated Pacquiao twice.

He said the "unofficial" rule has been that way ever since he watched great boxing matches involving the likes of Leonard, Hearns, Hagler, Frazier, Ali, Foreman, Duran, Robinson and Liston.

Tatay, who will turn 66 on November 28, is no Quinito Henson or Joe Cantada. He stands by the three judges' decision, Pacquiao won on points.

In his own words: Mas nakita ng tatlong judges ang laban kasi nasa ringside sila. Yung ibang nagrereklamo sa wide screen lang nakapanood. Sino paniniwalaan mo?

He added that fight fans are dissatisfied with the eight-division world champion's win because they are expecting a knockout victory. Or at least Pacquiao could have floored Marquez down just like in their two previous encounters.

Tatay said you cannot please everyone and he believes the Pacquiao-Marquez epic trilogy is going to be a subject of debate until both fighters are inducted in the Boxing Hall of Fame. And Marquez will forever be Pacquiao's Joe Frazier.

The photo was taken during our family's Christmas celebration in 2009. My father was holding my youngest, Nathan, who is then nine-months old.

The Captain and Me

Saw the PBA's only Captain (Alvin Patrimonio) during the birthday party of the son of fellow sportswriter Rey Joble.

Macky, my 10-year-old daughter who'll turn 11 on 11-11-2011 (Friday), took this photo that's why the picture is a bit blurry. Hehehe.

She egged me on to approach The Captain for a photo op after knowing that Patrimonio is one of my basketball idols and hard court heroes while playing for the Purefoods franchise in the PBA.

I was a Great Taste fan before the then Ayala-owned team joined the PBA in 1988. Who would not support the Coffee Makers back then? Brown, Caidic, Paner, Victorino, Adornado and Tuadles are some of the cage greats that donned the Orange and Brown jersey.

Too bad I missed the chance of chatting with The Captain, for I have to attend a previously scheduled engagement.

Pagninilay

Hanggang ngayon ay di pa din ako makapaniwala na buhay pa ako at naririto upang ibahagi ang kuwentong ito. Dalawa lang kasi ang magiging resulta ng naging karanassan ko nitong Sabado ng gabi, nagpapagaling ako sa isang pagamutan o di kaya ay pinaglalamayan na ng aking pamilya at malalapit na mga kaibigan.

Heto ang buong pangyayari nitong ika-tatlo ng Setyembre, Sabado...

Ilang minuto lang ang aking hinintay bago ako nakasakay ng bus ng biyaheng Monumento, nais ko sanang mag abang ng masasakyan na diresto na ng bayan ng Marilao sa Bulacan ngunit nainip ako.

Nakaupo ako sa may tapat ng pintuan, katwiran ko para mapadali din ang aking pagbaba. Ako ay nakikinig ng mga awitin sa radyo, nakapasak ang ear phones ko sa aking tenga at magiliw na sinasabayan sa aking isip ang kanta ni Michael Johnson. Iniisip ko ang oras na muling makita ang aking asawa at dalawang anak.

Nakadungaw ako sa labas ng bintana habang nilalakbay ang kahabaan ng EDSA. Pumara ang dalawang lalaki, edad mga 20 hanggang 25. Patuloy pa din ako sa pakikinig ng musika, at di alintana na may nagaganap na palang kaguluhan sa aking likuran.

Nagulat na lang ako ng napasigaw ang isang babae. Napalingon ako at nakita itong nakikipaghatakan ng kaniyang bag sa isa sa mga lalaking bumaba. Hindi binitiwan ng babae ang kaniyang bag kahit na ilang beses siyang pinalo at akmang susuntukin na ng lalaking magnanakaw/snatcher.

Nakatigil ang bus at tila tumigil din ang oras sa loob nito. Hindi ko alam kung ano ang pumasok sa aking isip at lakas loob akong tumayo upang tulungan ang babae. Sinunggaban ko ang kaniyang bag at tinulungan siyang agawin ito sa kriminal na nagnanais itakbo kung ano man ang laman nito.

Buong lakas loob kong hinila ang bag at sabay kabig sa babae sa aking likuran upang harapin ang lalaking pusakal. Akma siyang bubunot ng kung ano mang bagay sa kaniyang bulsa ng maisipan kong sumampa sa ibabaw ng aking kinauupuan.

Naisip ko, kung may patalim man siya mas mataas ang aking puwesto at madali ko siyang masisipa dahil na din sa aking vantage point. Dati din akong nag aral ng karate kay Sensei Ricky Lim ng Philippine Karatedo Federation kaya kahit papaano ay kaya kong ipagtanggol ang aking sarili.

Sumigaw na ako sa tsuper na patakbuhin na ang bus at isara ang pinto pero tila wala ata itong nadinig. Biglang sumulpot sa kung saan ang kaniyang kasama na naunang bumaba at may iwinawasiwas itong kahoy, handang manakit ng taong sumira ng kanilang plano na makapang agaw ng kanila sanang paghahatian ng gabing iyon.

Duon na tumayo ang iba pang pasahero, pumorma na handa akong tulungan at kuyugin ang dalawang lalaking nagnanais mang isa ng kanilang kapuwa Filipino. Nais sana nilang akyatin muli ang bus, pero nakita nilang madami ang handang lumaban sa kanila kaya napilitan na lang silang tumakbo papasok sa isang madilim na eskinita sa may bandang North Triangle, sa lupang kinatitirikan ng mga illegal settlers sa tabi ng Tri Noma Mall.

Tila natauhan na ang driver at mabilis na pinasibad ang kaniyang bus. Pilit pa ding humabol ang isa sa mga lalaki, matapang ito at nagtangka pa na makakapit sa estribo upang muling makasampa sa bus at manakit ng kaniyang kapuwa pero di na niya nagawa ang kaniyang plano.

Kamakailan lang ay naging laman ng balita ang lugar kung saan sila bumaba dahil nais ng pamahalaan ng lungsod Quezon na ipagiba ang mga kabahayan duon para bigyang daan ang isang modernong proyekto para sa mga mamayan nito. Nagkaroon pa ng batuhan at kaguluhan noon.

Matapos ang pangyayari, napaupo na lang ako at napag isip. Ano nga kaya kung may baril ang naturang lalaki at bigla na lang itong nagpapaputok. Marahil ay isinusugod na ako sa pagamutan o di kaya nakabulagta na lang ako at isa nang malamig na bangkay.

Takot pa din ang naturang babae at nanginginig na pinasalamatan ang mga indibidwal na tumulong sa kaniya kani kanila lamang.

Ano nga kaya kung napahamak ako? Ni hindi ko man lang nasabi sa aking asawa na mahal na mahal ko siya kahit na kung minsan ay mayroon kaming di pinagkakaunawaan. O kaya ay napagbilinan ang aming panganay na anak na si Macky na pagbutihin niya ang kaniyang pag aaral para maabot niya ang kaniyang mga pangarap at maging mabuting kapatid kay Nathan.

Di ko man lang na makikita kung paano ang paglaki ni Natha. Kung ilang babae ang kaniyang liligawan at bibigo sa kaniya. Kung anong edad siya matutong uminom ng alak o di kaya ay susubok din ng sigarilyo?

Paano naman ang aking mga magulang? Sila ang maglilibing sa akin. Maging ang aking mg akaptid at hindi ko na din masisilayan kahit na kung minsan ay nagkakaroon pa din kami ng tampuhan at samaan ng loob.

Maigsi nga lang daw ang ating buhay. Nawa ay lasapin natin ang bawat sandali na tayo ay masaya. Ibayong ingat din ang aking mensahe, lalo na sa mga panahon ngayon na ang ilan nating mga kababayan ay napipilitang gumawa ng kahit na anong paraan para lamang maitawid ang kanilang pang araw araw na pangangailangan.

This is not a movie review

Sunday's are usually movie night at the Perez household.

"Rise of the Planet of the Apes" was the chosen movie this Sunday night.

Though it's only a bootleg copy, the picture quality was the same like an original DVD. I'm not supporting piracy, but I could not pass up watching a movie that received great reviews from my friends.

Back to the movie, it's only fiction but it still scared the heck out of me. A lot of what ifs popped inside my head.

What if in the near future man can come up with a virus/bacteria or whatever you may call it that can aide the evolution of apes, which some scientists say are humans' closest relatives?

What if science's tinkering of other species would result to man being overpowered by a new stronger and smarter breed?

And what if man becomes the slave and the guinea pig of the new dominant specie?

Back to you Jude!

Only a few people would remember that I was University of the East's first UAAP student courtside reporter when the league transferred from Silverstar to ABS-CBN Sports in 2000.

I was part of the first batch that included Pia Arcangel of Ateneo (who is now one of the reporters/anchors at the News and Public Affairs division of GMA Network), La Salle's George Rocha, UST's Claude Despabiladeras (hope I got his name right) and FEU's Ian Adewuya (who I believe has already returned to Africa).

I already forgotten the names of the courtside reporters from Adamson, NU and UP.

It was a thrilling experience for me, having passed the audition conducted by Randy Sacdalan and Mico Halili (who will later became Pia's husband), representing UE and seeing myself on TV.

I can hear, through my ear piece, that Jude Turcuato was already introducing me and when the camera man gave me the cue that I was already on air I choked, there was a 2 to 3 second pause. I recovered, though, and managed to deliver my report but forgot to read my cue cards. What I reported was the last thing what then coach Itoy Esguerra told his players during the huddle.

Good thing I remembered what coach Itoy said and I survived my first courtside report. I think I had held my own against the other courtside reporters but Pia is really the best in our group. You can see the results.

As for me, the camera and being on TV was never really my thing. I decided to continue working behind the scenes. I'm much more comfortable writing. That's why up to now I'm still writing/editing UAAP stories.

Though, I surely miss the fun and excitement of being inside the Araneta hearing the crowd cheer their hearts our for their school and jeer the opposing teams.