Soft Drink

Cola soft drink

I went out early to buy materials for a home project. Under the hot sun and with too many people trying to go past each other, I got tired walking and asking for prices. I decided to rest for awhile inside a very popular fast food chain and ordered a value meal.

Based on the menu, the value meal has a soft drink included. The person who had taken my order asked, “Maam, may kasama po bang soft drinks?”.

So I answered, “Wala bang kasamang soft drinks ang value meal na iyan?”

She answered.”Meron po.”

I smiled.

Then, her next question was, “Maam, ano pong drinks ang gusto niyo?”

I checked for what is available and since I don’t usually want ice on my drinks,  I answered, “Coke. Regular. Pwede iyong walang ice?”

She replied, “Coke regular. Walang ice po maam.”

Then, she processed my order.

Oops, she punched an additional order, the soft drink. “Ay, mali”, she muttered.  The supervisor was called to void the transaction.

She processed it again.

When she filled up my cup of soft drink, she transferred the content of a previously half-filled, uncovered cup into the cup she served for me. Since my cup was not yet full, she filled it up from the dispenser. So, I asked her, “Miss, saan galing iyang softdrink?”

She replied, “Maam, sa kabilang baso po.”

So I asked her again, “Dapat bang doon manggaling ang iserve mo para sa akin?”

She replied back, “Kasi po maam, wala pong ice ang order niyo.”

So I asked her again, “Anong connection ng pagkuha mo sa kabilang baso so walang ice?”

She answered, “Kasi po maam, may ice na po iyong mga nasa baba.”

Though I did not understand the phrase “mga nasa baba” I told her, “Miss, pakipalitan na lang iyan.”

She answered again, “Maam, may ice na po kasi iyong ibang mga baso.”

Already irritated. I checked the dispenser. “Miss, wala na bang ibang cup na walang ice? Hindi ba pwedeng tanggalin iyong ice bago mo lagyan?”

She answered again, “Maam, papalitan ko po ba?”

With finality, I told her, “Pakipalitan miss, ayaw ko nyan.”

That was the only time she replaced the contents of the cup.

—
I am not choosy with food. In fact, I do eat in carinderias and on the sidewalks. But since I decided to eat in that very popular fast food chain, I just want to be served right.

Half-filled and uncovered for indefinite period of time with the ice already melted, given other options, who wants that soft drink?

About Money

Who among us would not think of money in a single day? Maybe a child whose thoughts would be how can he play all day or watch his favorite cartoons.  Overall, majority of our lives revolve around money, how to have or earn enough money to pay bills and how to earn more money to finally enjoy some luxuries.

I received this as an MS Powerpoint presentation and I think it is worth sharing with everybody. It is all about money

About Money

With money, you can buy a house, but not a home
With money, you can buy a clock, but not time
With money, you can buy a bed, but not sleep
With money, you can buy a book, but not knowledge
With money, you can see a doctor, but not good health
With money, you can buy a position, but not respect
With money, you can buy blood, but not life
With money, you can buy sex but, not love

It is said to be sent by Anthony De Croud, an African missionary, to people in need of luck.

There are more things that money can’t buy.

I hope it was a good read for everyone. Good luck.

When Do You Say It’s Over

In a movie, you’ll know that it is over when the credits roll on the screen. In life, when do you say that the chance presented to you is finally over, gone and will never come back the second time around?

Everyday, chances and opportunities come up. There are chances we choose to ignore but there are chances that, no matter how risky they are, we continue to pursue anticipating failure yet hoping failure won’t come. What force can drive you to continue holding on to that chance?

When the signs of failure start to show, would you easily accept the fact that it is over? Or, would you still try to work it out, hoping it will be a success and worth the risks you’ve taken?

Contradictions? Questions?

Where are the answers?

Real life feelings, I guess.

In Silence

The silence is deafening when one can’t find the right words to say
Or just too stubborn to voice them out loud.
Is it pride or cowardice?
It is hard to say but can be both.
Just let the time pass by and handle the future on its own
Though what passed by won’t come back anymore
Glad there was silence to keep me sane.

Copyright © Fleur 2009 All Rights Reserved.
No part of this document may be reproduced without written consent from the author.

Responsibility

I was riding the bus last Sunday and like always, if there is an available sit, I chose to sit by the window so I can watch outside. It was raining that day but I noticed a street sweeper was still busy doing her job. Questions came to my mind.

Do we really need that many street sweepers to clean our streets? Here’s the logic to the question.

If people are responsible enough to throw their candy wrappers, cigarette butts, plastics, papers, etc. on provided garbage bags or cans, do these street sweepers be on the streets even if it is raining? That in order to earn a measly income not even enough to buy medications, they are risking their health?

As Filipinos, should we not be ashamed of our actions, throwing our garbage anywhere?

Should the people in the government be proud to say they’ve lessened unemployment rate when the only job they can provide for the many unemployed Filipinos is street sweeping?