The McVie Show Season 4

My aunt from Bohol came to visit us, and Sunday we took her out to Tagaytay. Obviously boxing isn’t big in our family—while everyone was glued to the Manny Pacquiao/Erik Morales slugfest, we were viewing Taal Volcano and enjoying the fresh air.

But life seemed to have stopped for everyone else that day. We stopped by a convenience store near the rotonda after lunch to buy some snacks. Entering, I noticed three traffic policemen (I guess they were stationed around the rotonda), two security guards, five civilians and the cashier all looking up at the television monitor overhead. The main fight was just about to begin, with the announcer calling out the names of the two contestants (“…and in this corner…!”). All eyes were on the TV.

I got some chips and went to the cashier. No one paid any attention to me. I looked around for dip. Still no one stirred. I got two bottles of soda from the freezer. The cops who were standing in front of it stepped aside, eyes still glued to the match. I went back to the counter. The cashier continued to ignore me. Gosh, I can just walk out of here and no one will run after me, I thought. Instead I went “Ahem, ahem” out loud instead.

Thank god Manny won. I dread the idea of dealing with the cashier and the cops had he lost.

* * * * *

Early this Monday morning they announced on TV that Ka Ernie Baron, 65, long-time weatherman and Amado Pineda’s successor, Mr. Knowledge Power himself, and lately the namesake of an antenna brand, died of a heart attack due to complications of his diabetes.

My gulay! So much for all that knowledge; so much for that “miracle drug” he’s been peddling all these years. When it’s time, it’s time.

Goodbye Ernie. Bert will now be lonely.