1. The other night I took Happy out for his bachelor party. He wanted something small and sedate, i.e., nothing involving naked women. (All of us were, in any case, either married or engaged, and were more in the mood to eat.) So I took him and his friends out, as per his request, to Kamayan sa Bay, and feasted on sisig (chopped-up pig cheeks, stir-fried with onions, and served on a sizzling hot plate), grilled eggplant, pork spareribs, tuna belly, and a couple of catfish. (Plus two beers and six Cokes, the bill came to about $20. Yeah, I sound like a cheap bastard.)
2. Now I have less than a week to figure out a best man's toast. (None of you readers are suggesting anything!) Happy started getting really upset when, after a couple of beers, I started joking about slipping up and mentioning ex-girlfriends' names. He looked at me darkly and said he'd kill me after the banquet.
3. With the monsoon rain crashing down, we all drove over to Flat Rocks, a pool hall and bar located where the old, bankrupt Agrix supermarket used to be. (It's named after these big flat rocks in Molawin Creek -- a popular outdoor drinking spot up Mt. Makiling,) 50 Cent's "In the Club" was playing just as we entered. Happy and Gee played nineball; Moly smoked his Marlboro Lights; I sat and drank my Red Horse (the rotgut of Filipino beers). I knew Happy would lose badly when he asked Gee "Are you any good at pool?" and Gee answered, "We'll see."
4. Then we all went home and I broke out the Stoli from the freezer. The bottle of vodka was given to my mom back in the mid-'70s by her "Russian boyfriend." (There's a long story here about my mom and a Russian spy, but I'll spare you the details. I am not making this up.) In any case, my dad (who knows little about alcohol) claimed the vodka should still be fine. "It's unopened," he pointed out. We stared at the rusty cap for a few seconds, then cracked it open, and poured it into shot glasses. I'm still alive.
5. I hate really hot weather. I love Madeline in hot weather though.
who's your Mom and current Dad? Did they worked for IRRI in College? ......sorry, not a comment but just a quick question
Posted by: hotchad on June 22, 2003 09:39 PMNo no no -- I was kidding about my mom's "boyfriend." My mom and dad -- still the same both then and now -- are Ben and Lina Vergara. And yes, they worked for IRRI. Why?
Hi, I worked with Randy Barker for many years who worked with your parents for many years at IRRI. We're putting a SURPRISE book together with stories and comments from old friends for his 75th birthday in December. Could you please pass on your folks e-mail address so I may write them. Thanks. Rhonda Blaine
Posted by: rhonda blaine on April 5, 2004 05:53 AM