Phone Modus Operandi

I woke up with a start when our helper came in my room, staring at me with a confused look saying "Si Bil naman to" This is Belle. So I go "Sino pa nga ba? E kwarto ko to" Who else could it be? This is my room. She kept saying it over and over again to the point of me thinking that she's gone bonkers. I was already irritated cus she was in my dream. It annoyed me more that she was in my room just staring at me, so I said “Ano?” What? She then shows me a piece of paper and starts whispering random words at me; “Bil... tumawag... phone... secretary... kotsi... aksidenti … Norris (or atleast it sounded like Norris)”. So I thought Oh my God, Norris got into an accident. But why are they calling me? Then she went on saying “Bilya Plores.. aksidenti...”, she has a very thick Bicolana mixed with something else kind of accent so what I thought was Norris was actually Flores. My heart started pounding out of my chest because my mom's name is Bella Flor. Thousands of I should have's exploded in my head... I was in the brink of tears when I finally decided to just talk to whoever was on the phone.

Me: Hello? Yes? (I was trying to say What is this about?)
Female voice: Sino to? Who's this?
Me: (confused & a little irritated cus they called my house) Nakatira ako dito. Sino to? I live here. Who's this?
Female voice: Si Michelle.
Me: Ok Michelle. Tungkol saan to? What's this about?
Female voice: Sino to? Who's this?
Me: Nakatira nga ako dito... Tungkol ba saan to? … Bakit kayo napatawag? ...Sinong hinahanap niyo? I live here... what is this about?... why did you call?... who are you looking for?
(The woman on the other line was not really speaking)
Female voice: Si Mam Azusena po ang gusto kong kausapin. It is Ma'am Azusena that I would like to speak to.
Me: (Irritated that she has not told me anything and did not want to speak me) Tungkol ba saan to? Bakit nga kayo tumawag? What is this about? Why did you call?
Female voice: Sino to? Who's this? (click)
The woman hung up on me.

Our helper then told me the entire conversation with the woman. She said that she thought I got into an accident. She didn't know my full name so she thought it was me the lady was talking about. The lady on the other line said that the name they mentioned (which our helper thought was me), along with two people, got into an accident. My two friends have lost consciousness and I was the only one able to communicate with the police. Michelle asked who else was home and when our helper said that my brother was home, Michelle told her not to call him because I don't want my brother to know that I got into an accident. She went on saying that I have busted my mouth pretty bad and it's swollen and bleeding but that they've already put cotton in it so I should be fine.

A lawyer then spoke to our helper and said that I, and my other friends hit a rich Chinese family's car and that their son is badly wounded. They said that we were to be put in jail if we don't pay the family. Our helper then said that she talked to me on the phone crying, saying that I need her to go upstairs in my room and open my jewelry box and get the white envelope with the money in it. HAH! Stupid Modus operandi folks thought I'd actually have a jewelery box --- and money for that matter! Eat shit MoFos!!!

Anyways, Michelle then came back saying that I can not speak anymore because of my busted mouth. Our helper then said “Hindi ko alam yang jewelery box” I don't know anything about a jewelery box. Michelle then said that I have written something and she'll just read it. “Binayaran ko na sila kaya lang kulang ate. Kailangan ko pa ng pera. Dalhin mo ang phone sa taas. Pumunta ka sa kwarto ko andun yung jewelery box. Wag mong sabihin kay kuya kasi ayokong malaman niya.” I already paid them but it wasn't enough. I need more money. Bring the phone upstairs. Go to my room, my jewelery box is in there. Don't tell my brother 'cus I don't want him to know. Michelle then said that once our helper has the money, she'll have to go and meet up with her somewhere.

Damn them all to perdition! I've heard about this kind of modus operandi in the news. I just didnt think I'd experience it first hand. I don't even want to think about what could have happened if I went to work today. But there are other scams going on everywhere and I hope that we become vigilant in educating each other so this kind of modus operandi will never work. If there aren't anyone to fool, no one would try to.

But I gotta tell you, I'd take that kind of modus operandi call than the one I previously thought.

The Dreamer is Me

My colleagues are getting pestered with my affinity to the song Rainbow Connection. I play it on loop while checking test papers or when I'm on my lunch break with them. One of my friends at work even said; "Belle, if i hear Rainbow connection one more time... I su-wear..."

So I didn't play it anymore. Okay I lied. I played it like 11x today.
I guess the song's effect on me is different on others.

According to the great green wise muppet;

Why are there so many songs about rainbows
and what's on the other side?
Rainbows are visions, but only illusions,
and rainbows have nothing to hide.
...
Someday we'll find it, the rainbow connection.
The lovers, the dreamers and me.

I first heard this when I was around 6 years old. I vividly remember Lea Salonga's innocent voice dancing in my ears. I sang along even though I didn't know the words nor did I understand what the words meant. My mom would applaud my gibberish and it made me happy. All I knew was that it made me feel like I was in a safe place.

But now that I listen to it. It puts me in a place full of hope ... then despondency. It's sad really. Like a child wishing for Santa to give her a pony for Christmas.

I've been listening to the 4 versions of this song (Kermit the Frog, Sarah McLachlan, Jason Mraz & Lea Salonga) for two weeks now and each one of them made me feel the same. It doesn't seem so magical to me anymore. It just seems like a song full of false hopes. Replacing rainbow with the dreaded four-letter word didn't make it any better and I find myself with a lump in my throat everytime the song is at its end. The end of hoping ...

...What's so amazing that keeps us star-gazing?
What do you think we might see?
Someday we'll find it, the rainbow connection.
The lovers, the dreamers and me.
...

...I've heard it too many times to ignore it
It's something that I'm supposed to be.
Someday we'll find it, the rainbow connection.
The lovers, the dreamers and me.

People get older and in their years come realization. I'm not a kid anymore. No sense in wishing.
It's a matter of mind-set they say.
But it seems like my song is about to end and I have yet to see my rainbow.

Reflection

During our yosi break this afternoon, a colleague asked nonchalantly "Do you look at yourself in the mirror naked?"

I immediately said "No!"

Being as defensive as I am, I started saying that I don't look at every nook and cranny of my body and that I find it weird.
In my head, I added that I don't stare at myself in the mirror and make hoots while admiring the beauty that is ME!

Then I thought about it.

I don't really look at myself in the mirror as often as my other colleagues do. Yes, I check if I'm decent.
I put some rouge, put a bit of face power to cover the dark spots and dab the oil from my face. But I never spend a long period of time looking at myself in the mirror.

Not because I'm not vain 'cus God knows there is a big chunk of vanity in me. I guess the reason behind it is, in my head I know how I look. Or should look. Confident, smart, talented, pretty... and I wanna keep it that way.

I'm afraid that if I look in the mirror too long, I'll be wrong. I can't afford to be wrong. I've built my confidence for 28years for me to be wrong about myself.

It's a scary thought, not seeing the person I have in my head through my reflection.