First Trip to Culture Land

Before "Zsa Zsa Zaturnah Ze Muzikal" started that Saturday afternoon three weeks ago, Mark, a musical enthusiast-slash-friend (who treated me to the show), warned me while inside a cab not to puke inside the CCP. I had been feeling a little dizzy that afternoon, due mostly to lack of sleep that has yet to be justified by any strenuous activity besides thinking myself to death or to sleep, the nicotine patch to death. I nodded and realized soon after that moving my head wasn't the best thing to do to keep that promise.

After seeing the fountain in front of the building that housed the main cultural events of the country, I realized that it was going to be my first time to actually enter CCP. It was exciting, even though I felt like a full grown adult who was just about to have his first taste of grown-up food. I had been used to the pre-packaged, strained, and artificially flavored substitutes that Philippine television and movies usually force-feed to their audience.

Upon entering, I saw a lifesize cardboard image of Zsa Zsa Zaturnah at the lobby in front of two elevators, along with audio cds containing the soundtrack of the play. Mark made a rather loud mental note to buy the CD after seeing the play. We were ushered in towards our seats at the benches at the side of the stage.

The room wasn't as big as I thought. Mark explained that it wasn't the main event at CCP at the time and that we were on some minor part of the building that staged small-time productions. I nodded.

I put my glasses on and looked around. As I expected, there were a lot of gay boys and men. There were also a lot of women, a few older men, and some children. I guessed that we weren't going to see anything too stimulating at the show, not that anyone should use the play as a substitute for porn.

I looked at the entrance and there entered a girl donning an all white ensemble and vintage sunglasses who walked to the front, and then greeted and hysterically kissed everyone sitting at the front row.

I looked at my left and saw a mother scolding her child about their seats.

"That's my sit! No, no, that's my sit! You sit over here! Understand? Behave!"

Her son was sitting quietly at a chair, staring quizzically at his mother.

I looked at my front and saw a twenty-something man, wearing a white t-shirt and a cap worn reverse style, looking at me. He whispered to the guy at his right whom I suspected was slightly older than he was. Before I knew it, the both of them were staring at me. I shook it off, and looked somewhere else. I saw them smile after at each other after I broke eye contact. It was... sweet, really.

"Are you okay? Nanginginig ka na ba sa galit?" Mark asked, referring to the people around us.

"No. Ba't mo natanong?"

"Does it bother you?"

"What?"

"Maraming feeling cultured sa mga ganitong mga events."

"Noveau riche, " I added jokingly.

We both laughed after that.

The lights went out and then, silence.

The play was about to begin.

(To be continued)

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