Ang Multo sa Manhole - Under revision

Bogart says "17.1"

Eiji’s Point of View

We were only given a week to rehearse for the Parade of Nation. A very short time to even think of that attention-seeker-of-a-partner of Buknoy. Not that I’m jealous in any ways possible, it’s just that my eyes can’t bear her primadonna  presence; asking Buknoy’s help here, there, everywhere. Ugh. Sick of it. If I could just pull out my eyeballs and placed it again facing backward then I won't have to worry looking at them anymore. I will just focus my attention observing how my brain functions and looks like. Which is way more interesting than her, totally.

Everytime Lyn and I go out the classroom for rehearsals, obviously our class (and so as others I bet) committed themselves on putting, taping, cutting, and glue-gunning pieces of materials altogether to produce a masterpiece worthy of a catwalk. Lyn was lucky enough to have a preview of what her costume would look like while I personally, shitting nervously how the hell my costume would appear. No one wants to tell me like it’s a big deal and they thought if they slip out a word or even a syllable they’ll be damned and cursed forever. So much for watching The Mummy 1 & 2. And the ONLY! That’s right, the only time they approached me was when they want to know my measurement. You just learned how evil my classmates could be. CPA indeed. Certified Pain in the Ass. Nevertheless, I’m expecting it would more or less look like Lyn’s but knowing Katrin, that crazy Katrin, she will surely embellished it with embarrassment …for sure.

Setting aside the worries (for now), I joined Patti and company at our usual table by the canteen, eating, chatting and whatever verbs ending in –ing you could think of appropriate on that situation. And when I say appropriate, this includes throwing pasta in the air, throwing chicken bones at Buknoy’s table and similar things like that. You know, Patti and her madness.

“So, how’s your costume goin’?” I asked anyone of them while emptying a bottle of Pepsi Blue at my heart’s content. I wasn’t moving my food yet. Maybe I’m just that thirsty. Thirsty to know why the hell I care about that a chimpanzee(Buknoy) and a baboon(I don’t know her name…intentionally). It’s their freaking monkey business Eiji!? You don’t need to hurt a nerve cell to think of them!? Pulling out a toothpick while sitting beside me lazily, Patti replied,

“ Eiji, you’re my bestfriend but this is a competition. So, I could only tell you it’s almost perfectly done. Help yourself to imagine the rest of the details. Here. Your turn” she gestured on giving me her toothpick but I just shy back. She can’t just know what’s disgusting from not, can she ever?

“No I’m good. Thanks anyway.”

“Suit yourself.” She shrugged like it’s a big lost on my part “How about your costume?” she asked while now using the other end of that stick.

“To be honest, I have no idea.” I confessed as I play with the straw the way a bored person does it. “I also had no idea why they picked me to represent the class. I mean, do I look like Tutankhamun or someone like that? That’s so lame!” I reacted disconcertedly.

“You do look like a mummy!” Patti kidded. And just as soon as she did, the girls on the other side boistered. One day I’ll bury you three in the dessert. Or battered you with cacti. Or, or tied you on a cacti with a dessert snake and buried you down the sands. Now that’s better. I was still in the middle of generating a more unique torturing plans until Patti cleared her throat like she probably thought just what I’m waiting for. “A gorgeous mummy, that is.” She added. Are you kidding the heck out of me!? Has there been a mummy who died a thousand years and still remained gorgeous?

“All I’m saying is that, you don’t need to look like an Egyptian to represent Egypt. Your face is exoticly beautiful. And that is just a joke.” She stopped when she noticed my death glare but quickly forged on “Okay, okay when I said ‘that is just a joke’ I didn’t mean it. It’s just a joke. I mean, take the case of Amy. Amy is a Chinese looking girl but her stupid class chose her to represent Africa. How’s that for a culture clash?” she cited while eyeing Amy on the other table. I guess she has a point. She has a point that my beauty is exotic. Kidding! Ahaha! I’m not a vain bitch. I mean, I tried to be one and I realized it’s highly dangerous. Highly dangerous for their part. XD See this is why I like hanging on their table. My stress suddenly go away.