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Sunday, August 07, 2011

The Tale of Two Wives- The Day I became a Tupperware

Dear insansapinas,

I answered the phone call. It was a friend. She said that she would like to know how I am. My thought balloon said otherwise. What does she need this time? Oh, I know it. Favor. She's the type of who would  call only to vent, to assassinate someone's character or to ask for prayers, not necessarily in that order. The last one was either a compliment to me that I have a direct line to the Big Boss (she asked me to pray for her so she will get pregnant, she asked me to pray for approval of her applications to almost anything) Or she believes that I am a witch. HA HA HA.

It is about her sister-in-law who changed her mind or if ever, she would come from the Philippines, (she was petitioned by her brother who got laid off recently) she said that she does not like to live with them--the in-laws.

She vented and I listened and she asked me if I can pray so that she could change her mind--that she agrees to live with the relatives.


I declined. First, I said that if ever there is someone who should pray so she would agree to live with them, it is her brother. Secondly, I turned into a big Tupperware, I said she must be ashamed to be living with them since the brother is already married. What I would like to say was, she must be scared to live with them because the brother must have told her how he was treated since he came from the Philippines and could not find another place to stay because  rent is above his paycheck. 


I myself stayed in her place for a few days while waiting for my flight and she was ready to accept my payment until the husband said no. All the time, her brows were kintted like a chain stitch that would make you uncomfortable during your stay.


Wife number 2


Wife number 2 is the wife of my friend who went home to the Philippines to seek a wife. I sent him to St. Jude, the patron saint of the desperate cases.


He's lucky, she's a professional, she got her own business and the family is my kababayan. Just like my grandparents and relatives, they have also fishpond where they get the big fish, crabs, prawns and lobsters that they sent to the daughter in Manila where she holds office. Sabi ng aking kaibigan, wala raw delata sa condo ng napangasawa niya. Maraming sili at gata. heeheehe. He was already introduced to the Bicol cuisine which includes dinuguan na may gata na may raw langka o ugob, ginataang santol at ginataang baklang alimango na walang panlaban ang King crab dito sa laki ng mga laman.


My friend just arrived from the Philippines this week. He called me to consult about his petition to his wife para madala na dito. Our friend, the immigration lawyer could not be contacted so pinagtiyagaan niya ako sa pag-fill up ng form. Mahigpit kasi dito. Pag nagkamali ka, ang tagal ng process.


During the conversation, I asked my friend if he told his wife what to expect here in the US where she will have no alalay, does not know how to go to market because her parents provided her with rice down to the salt produced from the ocean. Besides they will stay with his mother.


Sabi niya, she's been here in the States when she visited her brother and she also took a vacation in Canada.


I almost told him, iba pag nagbabakasyon ka lang ay iba kung nakatira ka na permanently.


I do not know much about his mother except  that she was the one who petitioned my friend. She has also lots of properties in the Philippines. She helped in his wedding na ginawa ang reception sa Ayala Alabang. Sushal.


First meeting namin dito sa States  ay noong nagtampo siya sa kaibigan ko ang his sister. Probably menopausal yon. SHE BOUGHT A BMW and naglayas.


When I asked my friend why, he just rolled his eyes. So we looked for her. Nagchecked in pala sa isang hotel at sabi ay hindi siya appreciated ng mga anak. She could not drive the BMW, mabilis daw. 

My friend has his own sports car kaya ipinagbili ang BMW after a few days na nagkapeace na sila at depreciated value. Gustong bilhin noong kaibigan kong isa pero nahiya siya.

Paano kaya pag nagtampo na naman siya? Baka bumili namang ng PORSCHE.

Gaano man kabait ang in-laws hindi pwedeng walang friction. Kaya ako di tumira sa mga in-laws ko. Tama na yong dinadalaw ko siya at naghahagikhikan kami habang kumakain sa paborito naming Thai restaurant.


Pinaysaamerika

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

magkano ba ang rent dyan sa US mam?normally, kasi alam mo dito napakamamahal ng bahay o apartment,actually apartment/condo ang mga bahay nila dito na after 70 to 80 yrs e ibabalik din nila sa govt.
normally ang halaga ng isang panget na apartment dito sa city e pinakamura na 2 bedrooms e nagkakahalaga ng 2M rmb (1usd/6.5rmb)ang panget panget na nun ha at luma na.
itong tinitirhan ko e service apartment lang,ang rent ko e 6000rmb means almost thousand e one room lang naman kasi tamad ako maglinis e jejeje kaya ibayad mo pa ng 50rmb per hour pero minimum hr na asking nila e 2hrs.
pero grabe naman ang mura ng hotel dito mam.
dun sa bundok na tagal ko tinirhan e 4 star hotel pero napakamura.
ang holiday inn dito standard room e wala pang 100usd.
nagtaka lang kasi ako pag nakakabasa o nakakarinig ako ng ang rent ng apartment sa US e napakamahal daw (pero no idea how much),e talagang di ako uubra dyan mabuhay baka sweldo ko e pambayad lang lahat ng rent hahaha
~lee

cathy said...

lee,
depende sa lugar, depende sa klase ng apartment at depende sa serbisyo.

depende sa lugar, pag malapit ka sa downtown, transportation, disente ang lugar, mataas ang renta. Parang mahigit 1,000 isang bedroom. May serbisyo, ibig sabihin, may naglilinis ng common areas, foyer, grounds, iba rin ang rate noon.

disente ang lugar, ibig sabihin, malayo sa mga tindahang mga tambayan ng mga itim at latino, mahal din ang singil doon.

kahit na luma na, basta well maintained, mahal din ang singil. dito kasi pwede mong idemanda ang mga landlords/

Sa ma downtown, nagkakahalaga ng mga 3,00o up, apt. condo type yon.