So Many Friends

I have survived numerous elections, federal, state and local through my years in the wide brown land, but never was my peace shattered by the rat a tat tat of a Pollie at the front door. I have been told that it happened and I have no reason to disbelieve the teller. Sure there were many visits by Mormons and Jehovah Witnesses and others with a creed to sell and if hit when in the mood a lively debate on my threshold could ensue. But never a Pollie, be they Liberal, Labour, Green or Pink darkened my door step.

Here in the Pearl the electioneering for the upcoming Congress, Senate and Council elections has ratcheted up a notch. Several times a day now the peace is shattered by loud speaker bedecked Jeepnies/trucks/tricycles plastered with many sets of smiling pearly whites trundling down our street proclaiming the virtues, in song and with promises, of the smiling one.

Last weekend the main men and women themselves were out pounding the pavements. Pressing the flesh in sleepy suburban streets (if any street in the Philippines could be called sleepy, but you get my drift) smiling, raising eyebrows, shaking hands and slapping backs. Even your humble Kano scribe, who cannot vote, received his fair share of congratulatory greetings. I am told the pesos come later.

As my neighbour, the venerable, 78 year old, Papa Florencio said “I never knew I had so many import friends.”