SIDE TRIP 25: Seeing Red at the Airport

Will anyone doubt he likes RED?

Dumb question. From his reddish-blond hair, red polo shirt worn over white tees with large red prints, flaming red cargo shorts, red-lined white socks, red rubber shoes, and red Celine paper bags - -every inch of him screamed "eh sa gusto ko red eh, ano paki mo?!"

Syempre hindi lang yun. Naglabas ng cellphone, red din. Hindi lang isa kundi dalawa (yung isa official, yung pangalawa pang-uwag uwag, heheh). Bising-busy ang lola. Tawag dito, tawag doon. Ina-announce sa madlang pipol sa kabisayaan na sya ay parating na.

If there is one mental image that the snotty Tagalogs have of a bisayang baduy, this apparition in red fits the stereotype perfectly. He looks like a country rat who went to the big bad city and is now coming back to rural South and should therefore look the part of a sosyal Manilenyo.

Except that his idea of a hip fashionista meant... wag na lang. I have been unkind enough. Blame it on OA security checks at NAIA that make me see red.