11 August 2008

As I have declared independence from my family in 1994, bonding times have become rare. That’s why i grab every opportunity to spend time out with them. Well, most of these moments are on birthdays, my folks’ wedding anniversary, Dad & Mom’s days.

Really rare as my parents, my father in particular, would rather celebrate at home than venture out.

So when I saw Cinderella at the CCP with Lea Salonga last August 1, I felt my family would once again enjoy seeing her on stage since seeing her in Miss Saigon eons of years ago. Besides, the week was a double celebration, their 44th wedding anniversary and my mother’s 74th birthday.

I grabbed 4 matinee tickets the following week to ensure that we’d see it on the 9th. However, Daddy was a party-pooper when he refused to join us, reasoning out that no one except the maid and my old-aged Aunt would be left at home. After several arguments between him and my mom (and myself too), he got convinced to join us. How? He just realized “matinee” is an afternoon show. Ha ha ha…

Fast Forward —–> August 9. We left home at 1 pm to ensure that we won’t be late. My bro and I thought of passing by the closest Starbucks to grab frappucinos… (caffeine for me, was so sleepy that afternoon).

Anecdote 1 – After passing on the drinks to my folks, my dad can’t seem to figure how to insert the straw on the frap’s lid….and he didn’t realize that the paper cover of the straw should be torn off.

We reached CCP, dropped them off at the side entrance as I parked the car. Went back to the entrance and got through security. As we wet up the stairs towards the main theater, Carlos Celdran, the famous local tour guide on TV, was talking to a group of tourists sitting along the carpeted stairs.

My bro just passed through them while I held mother’s hand to walk up slowly. Midway throught the winding fllight, I looked back to check on my father….

Anecdote 2 – Lo and behold! He awas probably amazed (or confused) with what’s going on that he stopped and listened to Celdran’s talk. Ha ha ha ha ha!!!!

We reached the main lobby. Had to let them sit by the lounge near the snack counter. We’re 45 minutes early and ushers only allowed patrons to get in 30 minutes before showtime.

Anecdote 3 – As we were comfortably seated at different sofas, daddy called me and showed his sneakers with the sole almost torn off. Man! and this had to happen at this time!… I went by his side and told him to stop raising his left foot as people were already looking.

Drenched with sweat, I thought wise to approach the CD selling area and borrowed some tape from the amiable sales ladies. I had to stick several layers of maskin tape in between the rubber sloes to keep them in place. But my father insists that i should take the whole shoe all the way around it to keep it stuck.

Pissed, i got the tape and cutter and gave it back to the sales ladies. Told my Dad not to mind it as we were about to get in the theater.

As we were seated waiting for the musical to start, he kept on bugging me to get the tape back. Good thing people around us wouldn’t hear it. I wasn’t sure that time if I’d be amused or irritated.

Musical started promptly at 3 pm. Everyone quiet. Even my Dad. Except that he was bent over for like 10 whole minutes. When I noticed, I asked him what the matter was.

Anecdote 4 – He was taking off the rubber band holding the top part of his sock and trying to wound it around his shoe!

While the 2 and half hour musical was going on, he kept asking who amongst the cast is Lea Salonga, that he hoped that the show was just purely a singing performance of Lea (uh…duh…Daddy, this is a musical play not a concert?!?!?!?), why Lea was the shortest among the cast members, and that he reads the weekly columns of Lea at the Philippine Inquirer.

Nevertheless, we had fun together, something we have not done for a very long time. The comedic moments were an added bonus I should say that never failed to amuse me the past days.