Hot! Hot! Hot!

I am not describing myself. Although I have to admit, that is one inconvenient truth I have to live by. For instance, my presence could distract people. Wherever I go, people look at me with lust and admiration. Sometimes they could not resist the urge to tell how steaming hot I am, but I just roll my eyes and tell them that I do not need to be reminded. One great disadvantage is that I could not ever achieve my dream of trekking the North Pole and climbing the Mount Everest. In fact I am forbidden because I could cause an avalanche and could melt the polar caps, thus causing sea level to rise dramatically.

Where am I? I am talking about the unusually sweltering heat. I am staying in a cramped apartment and I feel like I am being baked in an oven. I could not put myself to sleep because I am sweating profusely. I have taken shower three times already and still soaking wet in my sweat. Plus I suspect that perennial crankiness is due to the extremely high temperature.

Are we not alarmed at the intense heat the world is experiencing? Maybe its time we address seriously this problem on global warming. Our world is undoubtedly warming. We know catastrophic consequences of global warming: additional sea-level rise that will gradually inundate coastal areas, (it would potentially obliterate many islands of Las Islas Filipinas , low tide or high tide) changes in precipitation patterns, increased risk of droughts and floods, threats to biodiversity, and a number of potential challenges for public health.

This warming is largely the result of emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases from human activities. Yes, citizens of the world we are primary responsible.

It’s time we address this problem seriously. Let’s start a movement. Let us conceive a new religion. The Earth is our God. Abuse it and we perish.

Ang Babae sa Bakonahe

After intense blamestorming and severe wallowing I enrolled myself in a review class. Convinced that I have a problem in form – handwriting and presentation, I enrolled in review center that offers coaching in these areas.

My friend invited me over to stay in his apartment somewhere in Las Pinas (the review center is a few kilometers away). The accommodation is free, so I said yes in a heartbeat. The place is perfect for our four month review: far from the madding crowd and bustling city highway. Despite the urban setting the place is still bucolic. There are trees! And a creek without a stench!

Just opposite the apartment is a huge house a few meters away. From our unit, at the veranda, we have a clear view of what’s happening in the room of the house.

For quite a long time, I had been confined in a claustrophobic apartment in Quezon City. I took advantage of the space and the view, so I spend most of the time reading in the veranda of the apartment. The veranda has adequate natural and fresh ventilation so that it became our study area, dining area, and smoking area.

With less distraction, indeed one could accomplish so much. My reading has been very productive. And I am enjoying it.

Until one night, while reading in the veranda, I saw this woman in white…tapis at the balcony of the house opposite us.

I ignored. In my mind, I was chanting (focus… focus…no distractions… no distractions…)

But every time we would stay at the balcony, the lady in white tapis would come out, taunting us, making goo-goo eyes… inviting us in her stare... She would seductively flip her back…comb it with her fingers to one side and then flip it back again. I was worried that she might break her neck.

Of course we were distracted but we focused on our books.

Last night, probably testing how long we could bear, she made a show. Fresh from shower, she put on the light as bright as daylight and opened the blinds. Then she removed her tapis and put on her lingerie before us in full view. With my glasses on I could see the details of her lingerie, details that could inspire Victoria Secret (ups, forget I said that ). As if that is not enough. The next thing we know, she was dancing… gyrating in the tune of… Xanadu!

Now there are good and bad distraction. This one is bad distraction. She has effectively distracted us. She killed at least an hour or our time supposedly used for reading and memorizing.

The view was unsightly. We are very much game with exhibition… only if she has face and body of say, Cindy Curleto. Imagine Madam Auring undressing in front of you. (shudder!).

We felt violated. We felt like young boys being molested.

Ok, that is OA.

“Pag hindi tumigil yan. Idemenda ko yan ng grave scandal” my friend fumed.

Under the law, penalties of arresto mayor (imprisonment of 1 month and 1 day to six months) and public censure shall be imposed upon any person who shall offend against decency or good customs by any highly scandalous conduct. It includes acts committed in a private house as long as it is within public view.

“That will take time” I said, “Summary abatement of nuisance is the better remedy”

It was only later that we were warned about the weird woman by our genial neighbors (I have a problem with the word genial. It sounds like genital). According to them, the woman is in her 40’s, a former Japayuki abandoned by her Japanese husband.