Monday, March 17, 2014
Bene Pendentes!: Is Perfection the Shield of the Weak?
Bene Pendentes!: Is Perfection the Shield of the Weak?: A sk anyone to define perfection and the simplest description of this vague concept won't be too far from the following: "A state o...
Bene Pendentes!: Does the Pinoy Love to Pay Taxes?
Bene Pendentes!: Does the Pinoy Love to Pay Taxes?: For sure this short blog will elicit anger back in the Philippines. The premise is simple: the Pinoy will pay taxes (income, property, sales...
Bene Pendentes!: Downside of the Digital Age
Bene Pendentes!: Downside of the Digital Age: Ever long for the days when you press "zero" on the phone's keypad and you get a real living person? You do? Man, you're p...
Bene Pendentes!: Thinking of a Friend
Bene Pendentes!: Thinking of a Friend: I have a friend who is very ill. He will remain anonymous, not because that's his wish, but rather he's the kind of person who value...
Thursday, March 13, 2014
Thinking of a Friend
I have a friend who is very ill. He will remain anonymous, not because that's his wish, but rather he's the kind of person who values privacy. We met back in 1966 when I was a lot younger than today (of course!). Comparatively speaking, he was much, much younger than I back then (by 6 years). He was not an outstanding co-worker and neither was I but we got things done as expected of us. Perhaps in our own special way we both were "outstanding" for we never let our bosses down. We worked hard and we played hard. In short, we worked and lived life the fun way.
No, we didn't lead the pack but neither did we bring up the rear. Our work involved using wit, a little of cunning, lots of chutzpa and a truckload of nerve. No, I won't mention what work we did. He got schooled in one of the best Catholic schools while I was kicked out of one and later rejected by another ivy-type Catholic school. My friend teased our co-workers who came from non-sectarian schools but he spared me the sharp edge of his humorous sword. For my part, I never ridiculed his hairless legs!
As time went on, I realized we shared some common traits: we were merciless when it came to teasing the people around us. Oh, we did that sans malice, really. We just "rebranded" them in fun and to be fair we reserved the most ridiculous epithets for our own use. He called me "Tikyo." No, I won't reveal what he called himself except it starts with the noble title "Don!" Don't Juan? No way for he was already tied to the apron strings of his lovely wife (his boss away from work).
There was one thing I noticed about my friend: he kept his thoughts pretty much to himself in one particular topic that always creates conflict and invites discord when discussed emotionally without benefit of scientific proof for that is the kind of person he is: always demanding solid proof. I suppose that trait is what made us useful in our line of work. Ah! I almost let the cat out of the bag! Maybe you can guess - we're not allowed by law to use hyperbole and exaggeration. As Joe Friday says "just the facts, the facts." We can't even utilize puffery for our clients will decapitate us even if our bosses had already castrated us earlier. But it's different when politics is the subject! Hell breaks loose as his humor is replaced by acidic fumes as he fires off epithets.
And that's whyI traced him after we took different paths 46 years ago. I missed my goofy friend so I googled his name and lo and behold he was in Texas campaigning like a madman to get Hillary Clinton back to the White House! You won't believe the time he spent campaigning for her! Me? The most I did was deface my new car with Hillary bumper stickers!
Then something happened last month. My gadfly friend was stricken ill. Recovery was slow but when he did finally speak, his acerbic humor was gone. According to his daughter, it was replaced by benign sagacity. He is too far away for me to visit except when I feel inclined to travel back in time. I see him smiling as he waits for our favorite "victim" (AAA) to make a verbal gaffe! Then, like the Pink Panther, he springs to action! And I follow with a well place stab to deliver the coup de grace! Sometimes our victim is "Caligula." Or, the "Penguin!" Sorry, these are private code names for people we are fond of!
I'm still confident he'll pull this one off and we'll be working together to help Hillary Clinton march back to Washington, D.C.!
No, we didn't lead the pack but neither did we bring up the rear. Our work involved using wit, a little of cunning, lots of chutzpa and a truckload of nerve. No, I won't mention what work we did. He got schooled in one of the best Catholic schools while I was kicked out of one and later rejected by another ivy-type Catholic school. My friend teased our co-workers who came from non-sectarian schools but he spared me the sharp edge of his humorous sword. For my part, I never ridiculed his hairless legs!
As time went on, I realized we shared some common traits: we were merciless when it came to teasing the people around us. Oh, we did that sans malice, really. We just "rebranded" them in fun and to be fair we reserved the most ridiculous epithets for our own use. He called me "Tikyo." No, I won't reveal what he called himself except it starts with the noble title "Don!" Don't Juan? No way for he was already tied to the apron strings of his lovely wife (his boss away from work).
There was one thing I noticed about my friend: he kept his thoughts pretty much to himself in one particular topic that always creates conflict and invites discord when discussed emotionally without benefit of scientific proof for that is the kind of person he is: always demanding solid proof. I suppose that trait is what made us useful in our line of work. Ah! I almost let the cat out of the bag! Maybe you can guess - we're not allowed by law to use hyperbole and exaggeration. As Joe Friday says "just the facts, the facts." We can't even utilize puffery for our clients will decapitate us even if our bosses had already castrated us earlier. But it's different when politics is the subject! Hell breaks loose as his humor is replaced by acidic fumes as he fires off epithets.
And that's whyI traced him after we took different paths 46 years ago. I missed my goofy friend so I googled his name and lo and behold he was in Texas campaigning like a madman to get Hillary Clinton back to the White House! You won't believe the time he spent campaigning for her! Me? The most I did was deface my new car with Hillary bumper stickers!
Then something happened last month. My gadfly friend was stricken ill. Recovery was slow but when he did finally speak, his acerbic humor was gone. According to his daughter, it was replaced by benign sagacity. He is too far away for me to visit except when I feel inclined to travel back in time. I see him smiling as he waits for our favorite "victim" (AAA) to make a verbal gaffe! Then, like the Pink Panther, he springs to action! And I follow with a well place stab to deliver the coup de grace! Sometimes our victim is "Caligula." Or, the "Penguin!" Sorry, these are private code names for people we are fond of!
I'm still confident he'll pull this one off and we'll be working together to help Hillary Clinton march back to Washington, D.C.!
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