Big Jim’s Philippines Experience

Today I decided I would like to eat in the food court at Gaisano Metro in Cebu City.

On the way there, I had to pass the old lady outside the bakery. That is her spot. There are Filipinos who sleep in the streets at night but she is not one of them. She walks to work and if you see her walking, you will think she is quite fit. However, after she has taken up her spot, she puts on a display of being in the most awful pain……… and only your money will make it better.

I also was bypassed by a group of 3 girls. I see them regularly walking the streets. They are not there at night time either! One of the girls has what looks like a burn on her forehead. Every time they pass me they point to the burn then have their hands out. I am not sure if they are asking for money to fix the burn or asking for money so their boss won’t burn her again.

A new beggar I passed on the way to Gaisano Metro was a young girl at the traffic lights. They had stripped off her top so she looked more desperate. She didn’t get a second glance from me either.

They are all scammers and apart from the old lady, the money will probably just go to a boss.

So I arrived in the food court to find it packed but I could see some vacant tables to sit so I ordered my food. My favourite, steamed rice, which is rice with pork and vegetables. Plus some other Filipino delicacies. I turned around with my tray of food and started looking for a vacant table, I couldn’t find any.

As I was wandering around looking desperate, a Filipino man waved me over and pointed to a seat next to him. He was sitting with a woman. His wife, I presumed.

I sat down and started eating. The Filipino man was quite friendly and asked all the usual questions? What is my name, where am I from, am I married, how old am I, how many children, how old are they etc. The same questions you will get from most Filipinos that you meet for the first time. He told me his name was Juan….and we shook hands. No mention was made of the women at the table.

Then the woman got up and left.

Not his wife after all!

This was Juan’s cue!

Juan had been waiting for the woman to leave because what he was going to ask was too embarrasing.

Juan said to me……..I haven’t eat all day…will you buy me steamed rice?

Well we had become friends of sorts while eating my meal so i said…..OK!

I knew it cost P42 because I had just bought one for myself. So I gave Juan a P50 note to buy his steamed rice. About one American dollar.

At this point I did not know what Juan would do. Would he then just disappear now that he had his money?

Juan walked straight over to the counter and purchased a bowl of steamed rice. He then came back and sat down beside me and handed me back P8 change.

My most unusual beggar experience ever.

If all beggars were like him, they would get my money every time!

Recently, I tried to visit an American friend at his home in the province.

When I arrived, I was told he had moved.

I contacted my friend to find out why.

He had moved because he was afraid.

Afraid of his neigbours!!!

This was something in need of investigation!

The town where my friend was living is low crime. No foreigners harmed in recent times and probably no foreigners harmed since the second world war when the Japanese were turned away by hand to hand combat and heavy bombing from the Americans.

Why was he afraid?

Apparently his neighbours would drink and get noisy and sometimes keep him awak until 2am. Nothing new there. That could happen anywhere.

What had really happened?

Apparently one night, there was a Filipino looking in his window during one of the drinking sessions and when he rang the police, they would not come.

Why would the police not come?

There was no crime being committed!

If anyone has ever tried to get the police in the Philippines, you will know that it is hard enough to get a policeman to come, even if a crime is being committed.

I questioned friends about the neighbourhood. Apparently the neighbours would get drunk and noisy from time to time before my American friend moved in, continued while he was living there and are still doing it now. They have never harmed anyone! They had even invited my American friend to join them.

I questioned my friend about the Filipino looking in the window. On reflection, he thought the Filipino may have just been using the window as a mirror.

So what was the best solution here? For me, I would have drank with the neigbours. Not every time but sometimes. I am sure we could all be friends and there would never be a need to ring the police.

So!

What are you afraid of?