Playing for your life

 

Me:  New photo from yesterday's walk.

Dan:  There's a few of these I'd like to paint.

Me: Yah, I think about your art when I crop these photos.

Dan: This one for starters.

Me: I went on a long walk outside the city one day and took that pic.

Dan: I like all the greens.

Me: This place is rich with images.

Dan: Nice.

Me: I like the outdoor markets.  The city is filled with them.  Every street is lined with markets.  Many of the homes have little Sari Sari stores.  It's really beautiful.

Dan: Ya Mon all your stuff is fresh.

Me:  I have to be careful though.  The locals don't really like having their pictures taken which is understandable but still I have to sneak in some photos.  By the docks is a fish market that you wouldn't believe.  They sell everything from crabs to fish to snails to squid, octopus anything from the ocean.  Stall after stall after stall along the waterway.  It's amazing and I'm dying to get a picture but I'm too shy to raise my phone when I'm in close enough to take a picture.

Dan: Be careful.  The Philippines seems jolly but there's a sinister underbelly in it.

Me: Yah, I call it "the laughter and the machette"

Dan: Lol

Me: We've had a bit of machette violence here.  I work hard to keep a low profile.

Dan: Tribal battle I assume.  Mostly womanizing.

Me:  And land ownership.  We have a big big family and rivalries go deep.  They're coconut farmers.  99% of the island is coconut jungle.  And every inch of it is divided up.  When people die there are inheritance battles.  My wife comes from a little village deep in the mountains.  About 200 people smack in the jungle.  It's gorgeous but again it's gorgeous with the machete.  

Me:  In the villages they have this thing called "Chop Chop."  If one of the villagers fucks up bad like rapes a woman or causes serious harm to a villager the men get their machetes and "Chop Chop."

Dan:  Jesus.

Me:  I mind my own business. They've all known me for over a decade and I've bred into the family so I'm cool.  But I remain cautious.

Dan:  Don't forget, you de White man.

Me: True.  When I walk through town I make it a point to stand tall, mind my own business, and channel Clint Eastwood.

Dan: Oooooo

Me:  Speak when spoken to style.  And play.... play for your life.

Calbayog  2022