Sunday, November 29, Mithi and I went straight to SM from our church service at Bulihan. We decided to meet with Tatay there. He was to bring the Smartbro bill which we had to pay on or before Nov 30.
Okay, Marian Rivera was scheduled to promote her album at SM Palapala. And "by hook or by crook" Tatay declared, "I'm going to watch Marian."
When Mithi and I arrived at SM the place was already bustling with people all eager to watch Marian.
"Eto ang ayaw ko sa SM, so crowded," I declared with frustration.
"E ano bang meron ang Marian na yan, at punong-puno na ang SM," Mithi complained.
So we went to a less crowded place in SM and treated ourselves with mango-pearl and leche flan and halaya while we waited for Tatay. Then we decided to tempt ourselves by window shopping. Mithi wanted to buy so many things. I challenged her to accept the "job" offering" of Bulihan so she can buy what she wants to buy.
Pretty soon, Tatay texted us. We met at the ground floor near where Marian was to perform. I took the smartbro bill and went to the business center to pay the bill while Mithi and Tatay joined Hiyas who has positioned herself near the stage where Marian was to perform.
But an hour passed, then, two... but Marian has not showed up. Mithi was getting frustrated, so she asked to leave us and meet with her friends somewhere in SM. Meanwhile, Hiyas decided to move even closer to where Marian would pass... or where she could have a better view of Marian.
Tatay and I decided to go around the place. But then I thought, we could not leave Hiyas by herself. So I asked Ruel to go look for Hiyas. "Para masung-ay nimo siya kung naa na si Marian," I prodded him.
Hours passed... Tatay came back to where I was standing and told me that he could not locate Hiyas.
Hiyas had Tatay's cellphone, so she could take a picture of Marian. I texted her asking for her location so Tatay could locate her.
The people started to scream... a signal that Marian was in the area.
I panicked. Both Tatay and I went looking for Hiyas, "Baka madat-ugan siya sa mga tawo!" With every scream of the people, more people rushed to the stage or the area where Marian was supposed to pass. There were uniformed sales personnel who left their stores just to have a chance to see Marian. Tatay's foot has ran-0ver by shopping cart. Nobody minded whether they were stepping on somebody's foot in their hurry to see Marian.
I then echoed Mithi's sentiment, "Ano bang meron ang Marian na yan?" so that people were unmindful that they are hurting other people? My only concern was to locate Hiyas and make sure that she is not hurt.
"Nanay, inaantok na aq," Hiyas texted.
"Ay di ka pdng matulog!" I texted her back.
The benches at the food court area where turned over. The counters served as bleachers where fans stood. Every now and then people scream. But no Marian was in sight.
After waiting like an eternity, Marian showed up.
I never saw her... I didn't even had a glimpse of her. I no longer care. All I wanted was to get out of the place. But we can't leave our daughter. We can't pull her out either, there was no way in getting closer to her. All we can do was to text her of our location so that she can easily locate us when this "craziness" is all over.
Hiyas joined us eventually. No, she was not gushing with admiration. Just a factual account that she saw Marian. She's beautiful at maputi.
"Where you able to take her picture?" we asked. No. She wasn't able to take picture "dahil ang bilis ng pagdaan nya."
"Did you get to touch her man lang?" "mabilis nga ang lakad nya at ang daming nakapaikot sa kanya."
An entire afternoon wasted in waiting for Marian Rivera. E ano bang meron sa Marian na yan that even I was willing to waste an entire precious afternoon just to have a glimpse of her?
Ewan ko. But I still waste half an hour every night watching her in "Darna."
"Maganda ba talaga sya?" asked my sister. "Siguro! Andaming nababaliw sa kanya e."
