Always in the thick of something

In the middle of a public demonstration, I found this man. Holding a dented can of Selecta ice cream, he stretches his arms in between people passing by seeking people's attention, asking for some spare change. But he is not your usual, meek type of beggar who acts on people's pity. He is loud and in most cases, persistent. I started taking several shots of him and bystanders start looking at me. I try to shrug of the attention and focus on this man. Then he starts noticing me as well. I would have stopped shooting right then and then but he ignores my existence. He never seems to mind. He continues what he's doing. He continues to bug people for penny. I, on the other hand, continue shooting.

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Postscript:

[ICs @ eLBi, on that one corner where Natalie Imbruglia's photo is pinned]

before leaving the country, a friend left me with this phrase: purge, purge, purge! it was more of an advice for herself than mine. but lately, I’ve been thinking about it too. i always say that we tend to see the truth about ourselves in the most unlikely situation or circumstance. Sometime we discover the “not so good parts” but we discover, nonetheless. and it's good (i think). but in crucial moments, i usually doubt my decisions. i was never a logical person to begin with. i tend to choose the safest way--that one, particular road that gives priority to the feelings of others. my feeling is my least concern. i like to think that somewhere, somehow i will always have a control over my own feelings. that I can dictate as to which direction it should go. once again, i was proven wrong. heck.

Do not, I beg you, look for anything behind phenomena

i prayed for something to happen that day. something that would break me from my routine. my way of nudging destiny and telling "hey i still exist you know! give me some boost."

i walk under the scorching heat of the sun with a humungous backpack restraining me from breathing properly. i just endured a two-hour ride of nothing but heat in a supposed to be air-conditioned bus. i was dropped off at the MRT station, definitely not my way. i had to walk the long causeway just to get where i needed to be, only to find out that i got the wrong place.

while walking the causeway, i saw her (photo above)-- a lady covered in black, sitting at the side of the busy street of Ortigas. Her arm stretched out, her head all bowed down to the ground under the beating heat of the sun, she was begging. i guess like me, she was begging destiny for some change to happen.

i rode a taxi and met my worst nightmare: a pervert driver who talked about the Virgin Mary and her miraculous works and segue into his (the driver's) sex life. such an oddball. i paid for my fare while summoning all my strength to get away. still, somewhere between my will and determination to get away, he gave me an advice: "never go to a motel with your boyfriend because something might happen".

i found the place. i found what i was looking for. but i was bothered the whole day. destiny nudged me back saying: "did i break your routine hard enough?"