flashback

april 15 2002
(thanks for sending me this back, manang jopie!)

one of my first experiences in Manila: THE BABY LIZARD

I was lying on the big bed in mom and dad's bedroom, watching CNN Asia. my dad tells me to look up, where there's a little, 1-inch long baby lizard stuck to the ceiling! mom was freaking out, but we ignored her and it for a while and she forgot about it.

then i made a comment on how cute it was and she started freaking out again and telling us to get rid of it (eg "Kill it! kill it!"). so dad brushed it off the ceiling, and it landed on the bed!

mom's screaming by now and dad brushed it onto the floor. "kill it! kill it!" she screams, and dad goes, "i can't." (If you know my dad, you know he's not going to kill the lizard. he has a soft spot for birds, lizards, mice... JJ, remember when we caught that cute fuzzy mouse in the kitchen and we set it free in the yard?)

Ok, like father, like daughter!? well not quite... i went over and tried to stomp on the poor little baby lizard w/dad's slipper, and it ran to the edge of the wall, then under dad's chair. finally i smushed the thing. when it was dead it was like a big green booger with eyes. but still cute!

so i took a kleenex, put him in it and threw him out. Mom exclaimed: "you're so brave!" -- Whatever, mom!

NEXT: List of things Mom is afraid of, in Ph.