When In The Philippines, Do As The Filipinos Do
January 28, 2006
Katie and I were roommates, twice, during college. We did the things college students do, like swiping extra salt and pepper packets from fast food chains because we didn't want to spend the extra money to buy our own. (Okay, fine, that was me. But had Katie thought of it first, she totally would have, too.)
One Saturday night we went through the drivethru of a fastfood restaurant, perhaps McDonalds or Jack in the Box, and Katie ordered a happy meal. The toy that came with that meal was a stuffed animal. An ugly stuffed animal. A country bear. I guess. We still haven't figured out what it is, exactly.
"Katie, that is the UGLIEST doll I have ever seen."
"Here, you can have it." She threw it in my lap.
"Um, NO, I don't want it." (This was punctuated with me throwing the bear across the car at her while she was driving.)
I don't recall who began the "tradition," but from that point forward Katie and I took great delight in hiding the bear for each other. She hid it in my closet, I hid it in her bathroom, peaking out from behind her deodorant. She gave it to me before my wedding, as part of a gift for my lingerie shower. I had a little girl do a drive-by bear-shooting into the window of her car. Most recently, Katie gave it to me again as a gift for my birthday.
Each time we passed it, we would add some new article of clothing: pearl undergarments (Katie), jean-dress and party hat (Jes), curly red hair and green fringe (Katie). It was our cross-dressing country bear, our symbol of hope and freedom and friendship. And delerium.
When Roger and I decided to visit the Philippines, it was only natural for me to tote the cross-dressing country bear halfway around the world. The CDCB has been all over Manila, visited Taal volcano, a lake within a volcano that is a lake within a volcano. Except I MUST point out that the CDCB did not have to actually CLIMB the gruesome trail up to the volcano ridge. He was carried. By Roger. Because I am a wimp, and out of shape, and couldn't even carry a stuffed animal during the hike. Personally, I think it must have made Roger feel very manly to know he was doing a little extra work.
Anyway, so while driving from Manila to Baguio we stopped to take a few pictures. Actually, we stopped about every 30 yards to take a picture of something, but I doubt you're interested in that. What you're interested in, Internet, is the contest I've cooked up for you. Go ahead, read on.
This man was sitting on the side of the road, directly outside of a plain building. Filipinos kept handing him money, and he would hand them...well, you know. While you're guessing what is happening in this image, I'll be shopping for a prize for you. A bizarre one, at that. So be warned.
