New York stories

At the JFK Airport, I tried to pull one of the push carts from a line of carts. With all my force, I attempted without success to pull one out. (I never had a problem getting one in L.A. and in Chicago) A teenage girl approached me and  said that I have to drop some pennies in the machine. (meron pala magnet to control the release of the push carts) Hehehe nakakahiya!

At the security line.. right before boarding the ferry for Liberty Island (This is the island where the Statue of Liberty is located and just walking distance from where the World Trade Center used to stand ..now known as Ground Zero, so the security is pretty much at the highest level. The World Trade Center was the target of a terrorist attack last 9/11/2001.).. when it was my turn for the security check, (same with the security checks in airports, we we’re required to take off our shoes, jackets, belts, metal accessories, etc.) first came off my shoes ..then my jacket.. I went under the metal detector.. toot toot toot. Uh oh.. "Belt", said the guard. I wasn't wearing any. I went under the machine again (a long line was behind me).. the mischievous machine went.. toot toot toot again! ..the guard said in his serious face, “You’re in trouble.” If I was with somebody, my heart wouldn’t have stopped for a second or so, but then I was by myself at that time.. detained in New York? What will I do?.. my heart unfroze only when the guard said.. “Just Kidding”.. hay naku!.. tama ba naman yan, wrong timing and wrong place naman ang joke nya. Hahaha

While riding the subway from Manhattan to Queens, my attention was captivated by this middle-aged black man in business suit. Sobrang maamo ang mukha, I can’t help but stare at him. ( I knew I might get in trouble for it, as people in the US usually don’t want to be stared at, but I just couldn’t help myself at that time. ) In came a black teenaged boy in grungy clothes with a few of his buddies. He took the seat beside this black businessman. (They were both sitting across me) The businessman was just sitting idly the whole train ride. When the teenaged boy finally disembarked from the train, the black businessman checked his back pocket to see if he’s wallet was still there. Hahaha Sila-sila rin pla eh, wary sa isa’t isa. I guess, dapat lang naman talaga. Especially in NY.

This one, was not so pleasant or it was at least when the day started. My relative, Loudette, gave me a tour of Manhattan. NBC Studio, St. Patrick’s Cathedral, 5th Ave., Tiffany & Co., Central Park… When lunch time came.. we ended up at The Boat House (an upscale restaurant right beside a beautiful lake in the middle of Central Park. Loudette said there was a not-too-well-known-celebrity sitting just a few tables from us. We were the only asians around) We finished eating and were just talking over coffee, when the waiter asked us to transfer to another table. The nerve! (We had a nice view from where we sat) Now, we didn’t want them to intimidate us that easily. We we’re paying customers as well. Loudette talked to the manager. But he just apologized for the incovenience and repeated the waiters first plea. He didn’t even offered to let us stay at this coveted table for as long as we wanted or even just to finish our coffee. Ang bastos! Syempre, tinapos pa rin namin ang coffee namin. Ano sila.. sinswerte. When I related this story to others, they said it was a classic story of discrimination. In this age and time, it is so sad to think that racial discrimination still persist.

Too much of a coincidence: Chicago

After a long day of going around the city of Chicago,  my cousin, Krystle, her boyfriend, and I went to watch the Chicago Bulls play hoops against the New York Knicks.  I love to take pictures and I do take a lot of pictures.  That day I was out early. Krystle had an early class so we went to the city together.  So, my camera battery was obviously pretty much drained by the time we went to watch the game.  We tried to look for batteries for sale during half times, but we were out of luck.  The game was pretty exciting! It extended at least twice because the fight was pretty close.  At the end, the Bulls nailed it by 1 point!  The game started at 8 I think and ended at 11pm!  Anyway, we had no battery left (Krys’ camera battery was also drained.)  the game was over, and we still had no souvenir picture.  What I did was…  :)  I found two guys (probably father and son) who looked like Filipinos.  I was pretty sure they were Filipinos, because I approached the older man and asked him in tagalog if I could borrow his camera battery so that we could take 1 souvenir shot. (desperate times, call for desperate measures!)  At first the son, said that he will just take the picture with his camera and send it to my e-mail.  Luckily, the older man obliged.

The next day, I went to Sears Tower to wait for my uncle. Sears Tower was our meeting place every time.  After I got through the metal detectors and baggage x-ray machines, one of the security personnel approached me.  It was the old man from the basketball game! What a great coincidence! :)  Who would have thought that I would ever see him again!  That was cool.

Krys camera's last breath:

A day with Katrina

Katrina is my cute & so sweet niece.

At 1 yr. 6 mos., on board a plane bound for Wichita, Kansas during a turbulence…….she said, “We’re gong down!” :) (akala kasi, mag-to-touchdown na ang plane)

At 1yr. 6 mos., in Kansas, under the summer heat, (it has been months since the last rain) ….. she sings, “Rain, rain go away.. come again another day..”

At 2yr. 11mo., on board a plane bound for Iloilo (fresh from her transatlantic flight US-Phil), while waiting for our turn to alight, she invites the other passengers…"Come to my birthday in the Philippines.” (aba! Inimbita ang buong eroplano..)

At 3yr., when a Korean guy bumped my sister’s car,  she said to the man… “You ‘bunggo’ my mom’s car.” (bunggo is an ilonggo/hiligaynon term for bump)

During a subway ride, at 3yr. 6mo., she said to her dad… “Daddy, that girl is fat.” (naku po! Honest na bata.)

At 3yr. 7mo., confused on where her baby brother will come out from, she says to her mom (my sister is 7mo. preggy)… “Mommy, is there a door in your tummy?” .. :)

At 3 yr.7 mo., she calls her mom’s feet as “Little Fella.”

PART TWO