Bad weather, nasty waves recently knocked off container vans from a Vancouver-bound cargo ship from South Korea. Many of the vans were said to have floated, or swam, ashore. Worse, a fire broke out at the ship.
Whew! They’re safe and on the way to the Philippines, those Balikbayan boxes.
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There is that hopeful chance that the boxes will arrive in time for Christmas.
Better late than never? Wika nga: “Huli man din daw at magaling, late pa rin. Worse, iniwan ng bus.”
O, matagal nang tapos ang DST, Pinoy time ka pa rin?
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Now, let’s go to dear life in boxes or shall we say, cages.
Media have lately reported that some 140 Toronto Zoo animals are in the list of jab recipients to protect them against the Coronavirus; but only as soon as Canada approves the vaccine being similarly used in US zoos.
Up for inoculation are all primates, big cats, swine, bats and mustelidae (badgers, ferrets, martens, minks, otters, weasels and wolverines, among other mammals).
Pretty amazing! Besides being exempt from wearing a mask, the animals do not have to roll up sleeves.
Unless the needle handler is brave enough to risk being an appetizer, the animals will have to enjoy a nap.
Excellent! The Covid-19 vaccine is finally being administered on animals.
Who knows? Zoo animals, used to the sight and company of humans, may need a booster shot too.
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I know, I know. It’s like we belong to the specie we all are proud to call the highest form of animal.
So, let us be the bigger person. As they say: Be kind to animals.
Don’t envy an animal that does not wear a mask. I once tried to cover the nose, mouth and chin of a pet monkey. I never did it again. They look better in their natural form and image.
To begrudge an animal that never has a sleeve to roll up is bad. Hala! Try fitting a T-shirt on a lion.
Winter is coming, so never stop an animal from self-isolating and hibernating.
Just asking: Do groundhogs feel annoyed with loud town criers?
And when they make noise collectively, they simply want people to know that they need to eat too.
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I am not being animalist, as in racist, here; but I do insist that a human tops all of God’s other creations. Believe it or not, that is so said in all the books I have not read yet.
Are we still debating? If so, go to the zoo. Darwin has good ideas but better seek the wisdom of Tarzan’s swinging kin. Just stay away from Don’t See, Can’t Hear and Won’t Talk. They are inutile and of no help.
Reminder: Visitors need to be double-vaccinated to enter and roam the zoo. Of course, pay and get a ticket!
While at it, be amazed at why animals are, at times, being compared and cross-referenced to humans.
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Geese, Canadian geese! At this time of the year, indeed, why do I envy you?
You are a natural in playing out the incoming winter. The senior snowbirds may have been grumpy over your entitlements. With an amazing V (Wait, are you subtly advertising Vaccination?) formation, you and your flying buddies travel far and wide to search and reach warmer grounds.
You cover distances without paying bus, train, plane or cruise ship fares; without worrying about long and tiring drives; and without being surprised with the never-ending saga of unbelievable gas prices.
You ignore bills, rents and mortgages, and rising food and grocery costs.
Without complaint, you feed on Nature’s bounty, like the paradise apples that fall from trees lining the city pavements. The heavens have blessed you. Lake and stream water abound for you to drink and to bathe from.
You care less about layers of branded and fashionable rags all four seasons long.
While Autumn lasts, you lay comfortably and contentedly under the shade of homely trees or cavort nonchalantly amid decaying pine cones and yellowing maple leaves. On rainy days, no matter how deep the pond is, you swim as if there will always be a better tomorrow.
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The last of the gaggle of geese are getting ready for a cancel-free and non-delayed long flight across the border to the south.
Lucky you, never to witness uncouth and unruly passengers terrorize plane flight crewmembers.
Here’s hoping that your senses have not been rattled when the clock moved back an hour on November 7.
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On your return trip, please mimic a fly-over the US-Canada border, like the ones vintage World War II planes used to do over Toronto during past commemorations of Remembrance Day every 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month.
For sure, your friendly Canadian well-wishers will welcome you with open arms. Forget about showing the pricey (we know, you never care about gold) mandatory Covid-19 pre-arrival molecular test result. Just fly back, lucky unrestricted bird so honored in the loonie.
You are loved and respected. You have never smuggled illicit drugs and life-threatening guns into the True North. You do not add to the rising number of homicide and murder cases that fill police blotters; nor do you engage in trafficking people.
Wobble around unmolested. You deserve the space for your festive and sometimes pestering whims and caprices. The few run-ins with you and run-afters from you were hilarious!
Stay safe. Keep your footing on the grass. We hate to hear the bad and sad news that you have been involved in a collision. Beware of wayward vehicles that may be driven by the impaired, the distracted and the reckless.
Honk if you must. I know you do not mean it to be a sound of protest against politicians who make the lives of people miserable, that their friends may reap the material perks of power.
Lockdowns are none of your business. Waves are for the oceans, yours is the air to spare. Spread your wings, flap them and soar. Honk, honk! The more, the merrier; together, the better; Sana all!
However, be careful when you are up in the air. The impact of climate change may change your course.
Question: Does it seem that the geese are getting the ‘better part’ of what homo sapiens term as ‘life’?
Geese, Canadian geese! I envy you because you are perfectly imperfect.
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Be that as it may, geese can only be what God created and meant them to be – plain and simple birds.
The truth is that geese have webbed feet because they are unable to count five toes; much more, ten.
On the other hand, humans can wrestle with algebraic, geometric and trigonometric calculations. Man can also easily learn English and French as second languages, to avoid being told that he is quacking like geese when his words and accent sound different.
Man has God-bestowed intellect that he can use to its fullest potential. When he does at his own free will, there is no limit to what he can achieve.
Of course, geese cannot do what man can.
Geese simply care less for renown or infamy, wealth or destitution, power or weakness.
Perhaps, the geese may be missing a lot! But it’s because, and may I repeat, they are perfectly imperfect.
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Elections in the Philippines and elsewhere are no brainers.
Don’t elect unworthy politicians. Don’t vote for zombies too.
Pray: May the unworthy limp on a muddy road, for a long and tedious walk to Political Obscurity Lane.
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Many politicians in the Philippines have turned into either Dr. Joykill or Mr. Hide.
Yung una, mahilig mambasag ng trip; yung pangalawa, daig pa ang illegal alien, tago ng tago.
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Dear readers, just to tie that string on your finger: Soon it will be Christmas Day. #####