Tuesday, November 07, 2006

To Spit or not to Spit

Finally, I got myself out of my comfortable routine after waking up in the morning; make coffee, loiter around my apartment and check emails then read my bible and pray. I know, the last part should the first thing I should do.
So today, I went for a walk. Here in Cebu, there's this complex built by the Ayalas' called the IT Park. A friend of mine brought this to my attention one time, she said "have you noticed that when the Ayalas build something they always waste some important land that instead of putting another building they use it for landscaping and walking trails?" She continued, "the Chinese would maximize the use of the land with a standing structural building without any provisions for landscaping, and they are mostly dirty, but not the Ayalas'." I really agree. As I was walking I noticed the buildings in this complex are clean and the surrounding areas are strewn with nice tropical plants and trees. The coffee shops which cater to most of these IT workers has a very nice ambience too.
I really felt good stretching my legs and flailing my arms..why didn't I do this before? Two pregnant women with their spouses were walking along with them, some were jogging some were running, others just sat in the curb resting. A man standing idly was holding a leash without a dog, then I saw an iguana slowly craning its' greenish head out of the grass on the other end of the leash. I was curious, so I asked questions. The iguana is 1 year old and the owner does not feed it meat but only vegetables. He said that if he feeds it meat, it gets mean and bites when it does not get meat anymore. Honestly, I don't see anything endearing about an iguana that I should feed it anything. I had too much so not fond memories of lizards all over our house when I was growing up, that anything resembling of them and bigger than them, feeding it would be the last thing my sane mind would want to do.
As the early morning sun was slowly getting over the buildings and began to touch my skin in an uncomfortable way, I started to walk in briskly so I can get done and go home. Some familiar obnoxious smell molested my nose, I wondered ..."here? who could be frying dried fish in these office buildings?" But I realized it was coming from the little neighborhood store from accross the street. Don't get me wrong, I love dried fish; grilled or fried. I just don't like the smell while it is being cooked. And to top that harrassment, a man walking towards me cleared his throat and spit right almost close to my feet. I don't know what's with these people, why they don't know or even have the common decency to figure out that a spit, phlegm or no phlegm is DIRTY, AND UNSANITARY when done outside the confines of your own bathroom.
I noticed that this is very common here in the Philippines, people burping out loud, smoking right in front of your face and spitting like it is mandatory for your health. Another thing I find idiotic; people would pick their teeth after eating, one hand holding the toothpick, the other covering the act...great, but then burp out loud? Gracias, for good groceries but excuse me for bad manners? And by the way, I am filipino. Even before I lived in the US, I find this burping thing, a heinous act.
The morning walk did me good, in the taxi heading home I thought to myself " I should consistently do this." I felt so good I even told the driver to keep the 2.50 peso change. He smiled, said "Salamat ma'm" then he opened his side of the door, spit out and speeded off. Oh well.

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