Even now I cannot understand the measure of a life, but I can tell you this. I know that when he died, his eyes were closed and his heart was open. And I'm pretty sure he was happy with his final resting place, because he was buried on the mountain. And that was against the law.
- Carter Chambers (Morgan Freeman), The Bucket List
Part 1: Confessions and revelations
I met with my co-writers the other day at the Oz Café in UP Diliman. Beverly had set up a meeting to discuss our recent book project and also to distribute to us half of the payment from our recent book anthology. We have a new publisher, owned by someone who pays on time and treat his writers with a bit of respect.
Wennie was waiting inside the café when I arrived. A few minutes more, Bebang came in followed by Haidee who was in a funky attire matched with her infamous white dangling earings (I really admire her fashion statament). We knew that Mar would not be coming because he was in Isabela, his home town.
While waiting for Jing to arrive, Wennie told us about her "gutsy confession" to a guy whom she’s been admiring and loving for years. She said such confession "has to be done" so that she could function normally. She does it to free herself (I love the way she puts things in perspective). I was smiling the whole time she was telling to us the incidence. Such a gutsy lady, I thought. She calls the guy “tol” which I find really cute (dunno it's equivalent in English). It turned out that the guy has a girlfriend. But the confession have gotten along so well that they've become friends and have shared stories for hours.
As Wennie’s story came to an end, Jing appeared from the door of the café. I knew something was up, there's something in the heavy air she brought with her. I just couldn’t put my finger on it. I was too caught up with the story of Wennie that I shrugged it off. True to my hunch, Jing did announce something that night. One, that she is pregnant. Two, she is getting married soon. Flabbergasted but we are happy for her. I am (quite) excited to cover her wedding actually. It's going to be my first wedding assignment, if things pushed through. Well, a civil wedding for that matter.
Part 2: My "Tabo" List
So while everyone was happy about the confessions and revelations and the royalties we recieved that night, I suggested that we watched a movie afterwards. I just felt like being with them for a longer time. I haven't seen them much. Everyone seems busy. Being a movie buff that I am, I took the initiative to suggest Rob Reiner’s The Bucket List.
The movie tells the story of two terminal cancer patients (Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman) who formed a friendship while stuck sharing a hospital room. When both are told that they only have a few months left to live (6 months to a year), they decide to accomplish a "bucket list" -- a list of things they'd like to do before they die. Soon they were jetting off to see the Pyramids of Egypt, the Taj Mahal, the Great Wall of China, The Serengeti in Africa, The Himalayas and made stop overs at fancy shops and restos in Chateau de la Chevre d'Or in France. They went skydiving and drive race cars. Throughout their journey, they have discovered more than what they hoped to achieve.
Bucket List is a simple movie. It’s inspirational, thus it tends to be melodramatic. It’s a travelogue through life offering a deeper perspective on one’s existence and purpose in life. But I should say that there's enough humor strewn throughout the movie to keep one from overdosing from the sense of seriousness. I had a dose of my own laughs.
When watching a film (especially during the sappy part), I try to pan my view from the screen to the audience and observe them. Beverly was beside me and I saw her crying (trying not, but she was hehehe!). And then I turned to myself: Why the heck am I not crying?! I (almost) did but my tears went back, haha!
After the movie, everyone agreed. The movie is inspiring. “Bucket list looks fun but it’s expensive!” I retorted.
Bebang suggested that we make our own “bucket list” but she wanted to put it in the Philippine context so she dubbed it the “tabo list”. I honestly think that Beverly is not only pretty, she is witty and funny too. The English word for “tabo” is “dipper”. Filipinos use tabo when taking a bath because most of us are not fond of using the shower. We hate wasting water (especially for some whose water comes by schedule or has to be paid by the bucket). All we need is a bucket (balde) of water and a dipper (tabo) and we are all set.
So anyway, I was thinking some items for my “tabo list” and so far, here’s what I got.
Try nude photography using an Adam and Eve motif. (I will just be the photographer).
Go to Peré Lachaise and spend half a day at the grave of Jim Morrison and the other half at the tombs of Honoré de Balzac, Marcel Proust, and Oscar Wilde.
Conquer my fear of heights and try extreme sports: skydiving, bungee jumping, rock climbing, hang gliding, and paragliding.
Tell the story of my life to a total stranger, sparing no details.
Climb Mt. Apo, the highest mountain in the Philippines (2,954 m or 9,692 ft).
Do my own version of the Wennie-gutsy-confession to a guy I have been admiring for the last 8 years and never expect anything.
Do a cameo role in a film (preferably a Coen Bros film).
Write a novel and have it published.
Drink beers until I drop at the Oktoberfest in Munich, Germany.
Participate in the Boston Marathon.
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