Ang Munting Maya

Sam's play was presented today. It was held at the Little Theater of St. Scholastica's College (SSC). It's supposed to start 3PM, with cast and crew going there around 1:00PM. Thought I'd arrive earlier than 3:00 so I could catch a bit of the rehearsals.

Left the house around lunch time. Told Sam I expected to be in Manila around 2PM. Traffic was VERY light. I was there 1:30PM. Didn't head straight to the Little Theater though because I was hungry. Headed to Pizza Hut for lunch. I had no pizza though he he he ... instead, I had soup, salad then pasta.

Was at the Little Theater at 2PM. The kids were still practicing. Sam and Joy were in the director's booth upstairs so I deposited my bag there. When I handed over the programmes, Sam called a student and gave her the job of handing them out.

After the final rehearsal, the kids were told to go on their last comfort room break before the show and then head over backstage for costumes and make-up. Joy asked to accompany her on a cigarette break. We had to walk out of the smoke-free campus for that. Mind you, that's a long walk since the Little Theater in on the third floor.

Funny thing ... going to the Little Theater, I went through the short-cuts I used to pass through as a student in SSC. When Joy and I were heading out, we found those doors already locked. Hmmmm, either those doors are regularly locked at that time or someone realized there was a "security breach" when I passed through them earlier that day. Reminds me of grade school when teachers announced certain passageways are off limits after the nuns discover me passing through them.

Anyway, outside the school, Joy lit up a cigarette and ordered a bottle of Coke. I was surprised when she threw down the cigarette after only 2 or 3 drags on it. The cause became apparent when two kids approached her. Ha ha ha! They were LPMS students who were not sure how to get to the Little Theater.

Since Sam had just texted Joy asking her where she is when it's nearly 3PM, we decided to head back to the Little Theater with the 2 LPMS kids following us.

The play started at 3:15PM because Sam waited for Sis. Placid to arrive. I didn't think she would come, but she did. I know that just her showing up meant a lot to Sam. Sis. Placid has been treating Sam lukewarmly these days ... I guess it started after the rumored row (or something like that) between Sis. Placid and Mrs. Nepomuceno, who happens to be Sam's voice teacher. Whether it was true or not, we do know that Mrs. Nep is now not a member of the College faculty.

Since Sam has taken out Act II (not enough time for the kids to master it), the play was over in 30 minutes... maybe even less.

After taking down the props and packing them in the vans, we left SSC around 4:30PM and arrived in LPMS an hour later. 3 of the students rode the van I was in. The boys were either in 5th or 6th grade.

Those boys were amusing at one point or another. The one seated in our row played music from his cellphone loudly ... even if there was already music coming out of the van's radio. The music from his cellphone was mostly rock, to which the three boys sang to.

The one seated near the window and in front of us was suggesting to his pals that they hit the mall. To which the other 2 said no thanks since they still had make-up on. What made us all chuckle was his comment that it doesn't matter if they still have lipstick ... after all, male actors (specifically the actor playing Spiderman) wear lipstick, don't they?

The third kid asked to be driven home when his folks couldn't pick him up at school. What was funny about that ride was that when he said turn here or there, we are almost past the said street ... that meant sharp turns! Then he announced that we are in front of his house nonchalantly that it took a few seconds before the driver registered his words and stopped the van.

With the play finally over, Sam wanted to unwind and go to Cablecar Alabang Town Center. She texted the others to meet us at 7-11 near Casimiro. After around 30 minutes of waiting, I decided to leave for home. Sam let me go since she caught me yawning. Took a jeep for SouthMall, where I intended to ride an FX home. Ended up shopping from 6:30 to 9PM. Ha ha ha!

I still think I got home earlier than I would have had I gone drinking with them at Cablecar.