The Mother and Her Idol... Kris Aquino?! What?!

Don't get me wrong, I love my mother but sometimes, she drives me crazy. She can be so embarrassingly outrageous.

My mother is huge fan of Kris Aquino. Don't ask me why. She just likes Kris' "honesty". Anyway, Kris went here last Saturday to campaign for her brother and to cover for him as the speaker in UNC's graduation ceremony.

Although I promised mamu that I would accompany her to UNC, I really didn't think that she was hell-bent on going until she texted me at half past five in the afternoon, "Ne, where are u?"
"Dagus po kita, mama?"
"Syempre. Magdigdi ka na ta mau akong kaiba."
"Pa centro ka na lang po, ma. Sain kita mahilingan?"
"Yaon na ako digdi sa UNC, sa may flagpole. Yaon na si Kris, dali na!"

There's no arguing with your mother, so we hurried to UNC. I was supposed to meet Tinapay, but the mother was alone and I felt bad about letting her fight off the crowd on her own. After all, she's a senior citizen. How can I forget that? She's always brandishing her senior citizen card about,
"May discount baga ako ning beinte, miss", 
"si diyes kong discount kuanun mo, uya ang card", 
"Erbe, ipadiscount mo ako sa entrance".



When we got to UNC, the motorcade was already approaching. And I saw firsthand how people react to Kris Aquino. People barely notice James Yap's presence - and he was the one sitting by the window!

Inside the campus, people were running to and fro, trying to get near to Kris Aquino.  She was supposed to march along with the graduates, but the screaming crowd made it impossible for her.

The mother wanted to get near to Kris.  I ran along with her.  It didn't matter that I am freaking 3 months pregnant. Anyway, at some point, the car parked beside the Main Library and we all waited for Kris to emerge.  I saw Mayor Robredo trying to get through the crowd until he finally was standing behind the mother and began to nudge her to get through.  Mama did not bother to turn.  She just simply refused to let Robredo pass.  It was hilarious because she had this irritated obstinate look on her face that read "Go to hell!"  And Robredo had this pissed look on his face.  It was only when he spoke that she turned and allowed him to pass through.

She then started to squeeze through the crowd until she was standing in front of the huge crowd gathered in front of the car.  She waited and waited until Kris Aquino stepped out of the car.  Unfortunately, her bodyguards and the police escorts gathered around her.  The crowd started to push forward.  The mother, trying to fight off the crowd, failed to see Kris altogether!  But she wasn't deterred however.  Oh, no, not my mother.

She then plopped on the ground to start her -- our -- vigil (it felt like a goddamn vigil), waiting for Kris' speech.  At this point, I was getting cranky.  I was so exhausted and I just wanted to go home.  It didn't help that my daughter was getting mighty hyper, bouncing all over the place.

At some point, Paige wanted to go to the comfort room. I was busy texting Tinay who was intent on buying a treadmill. I nodded at Paige and continued texting until Erbe nudged me and pointed at the Mother and Paige.  What were they doing?  Here-

Yep, in front of everyone.  People were staring and I was just mortified!  The mother is like that though - and this is why I am like this.  Now, you know.

Anyway, we waited and waited for Kris' speech.  And after she was finished and left the graduation ceremony, Mommy decided to follow her to Plaza where she pushed her way in front of the crowd in order to stand in front of the stage.  Again, she waited there for Kris Aquino.  Don't ask me. I don't understand where her devotion to Kris is coming from.

And when Kris arrived and started her speech, my mother (a former government teacher here and in Brunei) was shouting along with the crowd.

Kris, "Sinong boboto sainyo kay Noynoy?"
Mommy shouted, "ako!"

Kris noticed her and asked, "Lola (she was slightly offended by Kris calling her Lola), ano pong pangalan nyo?"
The mother answered, "Er, er, Teresita.."
Kris continued, "Teresita, anong apelyido nyo?"
Mommy stammered, "Ro..ro..royales!"
Kris asked, "Bakit nyo po bobotohan si Noynoy?'
Mommy enthusiastically answered, "Dahil naniniwala akong hindi sia mangungurakot!"

Okay, I said to Erbe, rolling my eyes heavenward, "I've had enough, let's go home."

So, we went ahead, bought dinner at Geewan and went home.

A couple of hours later, Mommy arrived, completely exhausted and ravenously hungry.  She was deliriously happy and she was giggling about the Robredo incident. :)