Our Own Fiero

My father's newly restored Volkswagen car

When I was a kid, I used to dream of/plan to graduate from college and be a lawyer (thinking four years was enough for this) and have a car. For me, a car showed that the person who owned it was of fairly-okay status (in Filipino, mas nakakaangat sa buhay). 


A view that I shared with most Pinoys. A view that, I will not lie, I still maintain up to now. (I'm capitalist like this! haha)


So while I'm waiting for the free time to be able to learn how to drive, and for the job that will give me enough money for gas and repairs of the restored Volkswagen (see photo) my father promised to hand down to me come law school, I have to be content with experiencing fun and whatnots in others people's cars... in Janelle's car Cupcake in particular.


The Car
Janjan's car, Cupcake, is my most favorite car ever! 


The Driver
Back in fourth year college, Janelle, who I lovingly call 'Janjan', drove all the way to UP Manila (where I study) from UP Diliman (where she studies) to bring me, of all things, a "healthy breakfast." It was one of those random/crazy ideas we said aloud and laughed about but never expected to actually happen. What made it more special was that she had to overcome her apprehension of driving in the streets of Manila for that idea to happen. 


Since she had an exam in the afternoon of the same day, she had to leave as soon as I finished eating the breakfast. Out of the blue--maybe, the feeling of randomness was in the air, haha--I suggested to ride with her back to UP Diliman. I remember saying that the drive was too long to be made alone--as if she was the first person to make such drive alone. The drive was unexpectedly fun, and revealing. I got to see a different side--I admit, a side I liked--of Janelle, the driver side. Slow, careful and observant. Much like how she is in life, perhaps. And funny. All throughout the drive, she kept saying things I found completely hilarious. Like when she said that I'd ace the exam I was preparing for just because I was good at memorization. I berated her for weeks about that Freudian slip but it was all good. ;-)


The Seat
For me, contrary to what my friends Rich and Jecy said, the so-called 'place of honor' in the car is the passenger seat or 'the second frontseat.' As much as possible and as much as the circumstance permits it, I occupy that seat when in a car. I find it... empowering. And of course, seeing all the driving, in almost the same viewpoint as the driver's, makes me feel like the driver. 


The "Scenery"
There was one time when we were on our way to Technohub or Philcoa, I remember seeing flags along Commonwealth Ave., and commented, "Ano ba yan bakit may flag ng Mexico dito?" I'm not sure if it was Harold or Pauie, in the backseat, who informed me, "Sa Iglesia Ni Cristo 'yan hindi Mexico." It turned out they were celebrating their foundation anniversary, and Janjan and her family are members of INC. Dyahe. It was so embarrassing and funny at the same time. 


Another instance was, during one of my "UPD visits" before I took the LAE, Janjan, Pauie and I were driving around UP Campus, and we passed by this house on a corner, and I randomly said, "Diyan ako magdo-dorm." We just laughed at my comment then, because I was not-so confident in passing the exam and making it to UP Law. But now, after I successfully passed the LAE, when I pass by that house on the corner, I realize how Nostradamus-like that moment was. Making it one of the most epic car rides ever.


The Feeling
One of the most touching, if not sentimental, car ride we had was one of the more recent ones. After one of my UPD visits, she was about to drop me off at Philcoa, like always, when out of the blue--literally, out of her bag--she handed me this yellow Cirque du Soleil band she got for me when she went to Macau. She knew that my ICanServe awareness band had snapped, and thus provided a new one.  I didn't know she made a mental note that my favorite band had snapped and I couldn't get a replacement for it. To be honest, that CdS band was one of my most, if not the most, favorite pasalubong I got. :)


All these, and other stories and experiences happened--thanks to Cupcake.


If Marshall and the gang of How I Met Your Mother had the Fiero to define, maintain and deepen their friendships and relationships, Janelle, Pauie, and me (and sometimes Harold, too) have Cupcake.




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